The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-21

4
| a certain Uncle Joe should escort her to an
/ exhibition which had declined to attend.
4 While pitied Uncle Joe, who was a very
| irascible old gentleman, certainly felt he
1 had done me great service on this occa-
| sion, though even here there might be
l fresh trouble In store. When confronted
| by an angry stall-keeper, who accused him
| and his companion of stealing, he would,
was confident, be a magnificent spectacle.
/ was getting used to it, but it would be a
new sensation for Uncle Joe.
| When the morning in question arrived l
| tried to bundle Maria out of the house with
very unconjugal haste, but notwithstanding
all my efforts her toilet required so much
time that it was past eleven before she
drove of.
The drawing-room where had decided
to receive my visitors was large, pleasant,
and comfortable room, with double win
dows looking upon the road. 1t was too
full of knickknacks thought, but that was
my wife's doing. had contributed only
one article TO the general collections
small gold vase which favorite mare OF
mine had won in a trotting match. 1t
stood on a cabinet between the fireplace
and the window, couch being just in front
At the end of the couch and slightly in ad-
vance Of it placed chair for myself, in
tending my visitors to sit in the armchair
opposite, where they would be facing the
light.
to see that it it was already 1:30, so that
clashing was nearly inevitable after all.
Let me say at once that she was very
different woman from what had expected.
There was not trace OF hardihood about
her; a meeker-looking creature l never
saw. In fact began to think there must
be some mistake.
She was neatly dressed in black; in figure
she was tall, thin and rather angular, and
she had a pinched face, with a very mourn
ful expression. When she first entered she
raised her eyes to glance at me aud then at
the room, but after that they fell as if they
were habitually fixed upon the ground.
Her intellect, imagined, was a little
dull, for she apparently mistook the seat l
assigned to her and occupied the couch. In
self-defense I was obliged to move my chair
further away and face the light, which was
not what l had intended. Without taking
any notice OF my action, Miss White laid
down by her side black bag she had been
carrying. Then she drew out her handker-
chief, placing it on her lap, and folded her
hands over it. In this attitude, with down
cast eyes, she silently waited for me to
begin-a most difficult thing to do, as now
found. As tried to shape the necessary
questions so as to be the least offensive,
grew very uncomfortable.
'Ahem,n | said. miss Whitea"
There was a knock at the door, and
James, my factotum, entered.
"A lady TO see you, SIT, ne ennounceo'
Mrs. Stone"
fancied that Miss White raised her eyes
reproachfully to my face, but they fell
again the next moment. The idea that she
had guessed the object of this second visitor,
and felt herself to be subjected to sort of
competitive examination, only added to
my embarrassment.
I'Show her into the dining-room, James,"
1 said, land say I'll be with her in a few
minutes
'Don't mind me-" said Miss White,
humbly. ''Since the death of my poor
parents am used to being set aside for
Others"
''But, Miss WHITE protested
"No, please don't apologize; / am not used
TO that. Ali my life long l have been tram
pied upon. / don't complainant, l don't
complain. l merely state the fact, as I
think it only right you should know every
thing, il 1 am to become an inmate OF your
house"
Another lady to see you, sir" announced
James; "a Miss Mildew."
Here was pretty ENHANCEMENT. What
on earth has brought her along before her
timea OF course. that other woman in the
dining-room would hear and know the
meaning of her visit. was growing very
"Show her into the library, James,"
stammered.
Don't mind me-" again said Miss White,
applying her handkerchief to her eyes;
''please don't mind me. I'm used to being
left alone. I'm only an unfortunate single
woman, without a friend in the world. l
think it only right you should know that
also"
''Your parents" said !, making a frantic
attempt to get to business; ''were-"
Most respectable people. but unfortu-
nate. Yes; it's only right you should know
that"
'Another lady to see ysu, sir" announced
James.
This time the rascal was certainly smiling.
/ knew quite well he was thinking of my
wife. l knew, also, that ner appearance
upon the scene would just about finish me
of, but had no reason to apprehend any
thing so dreadful.
Miss White had q clearer idea of the
situation. She looked at me in the same
way as before, and then COM
posed herself in that attitude OF patient
resignation which made me feel as if were
doing her positive injury.
"What room is vacant, James" l asked
hurriedly. ''Is any room vacantf"
"Only the boudoir, sir"
''Then show-who did you say it vast"
Mrs. Dark, sir"
"Show her in there"
"Oh. don't let me detain you," said Miss
White, humbly. I'm not used to detain-
ing people"
And then, as il the thought was too much
for her, this most depressing woman burst
into a food of tears
By the time that my fifth visitor arrived,
an event which happened very shortly after
the arrival of Mrs Dark, / was well nigh
distracted Thtre really was no room for
this last woman. could not have two of
them gossiping together, and, perhaps,
quaTreling, so was compelled to ask Mrs.
Heslop to wait in the hall. 1t was very
rude, but what else could I do! Besides,
CIV no CHI arfTa rad
entirely her own fault-her eagerness to
secure the post having brought her two
hours before her proper time.
Miss White" said, feeling ct last secure
from further interruption, "are you-pray
excuse q necessary question-are you really
q kleptomaniac!n
Iput the question bluntly, because I was
convinced that no woman who had SO many
tears at her command could possess the
GOODNESS essential to successful pilfering,
and my only object now was to get her out
Of the house. Instead of replying she
sobbed more bitterly than ever. TWAS dis
tressing to watch and listen to her. Look
ing around desperately for some handle to
use against her, l experienced q rude shock.
NY gold vase had disappeared.
From that moment my opinion OF Miss
White underwent profound change. /
rushed, perhaps wrongly, to the other
extreme, and set her down as a most artful
woman, whose weakness was assumed to
cover her nefarious designs. Naturally
enough felt rather sore on this point. for
placed high value upon the vase. There
could be no doubt as to what had become
Of it. For what other purpose could she
have brought that suspicious-looking black
bag!
you have answered my question, ad-
nit" said l, with feeble attempt at
POPULARITY, Tin very practical manner. I
never saw you take that vase, Miss White;
. ola
She dried her tears and looked at me
with mournful surprise.
I'm not used to being told that do
things cleverly," she said. "You are the
first who has told me that since my poor
mother died. But what thing do you meant
''Why," replied, trying to smile, my
gold vase, which you have put in your bag.h
do Won ACCUSE me OF staalinp2n She