Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-07-01


10 fade under the influence Of gool
fare.
Presently he looked up and caught
the walters eye.
"Mr. Spoford, how do. sab how do?'
said the sable attendant, with grin
'.glad t see you, sab! Hope you 'joyed
Yurup. sah!"
''Ah! Henry, you rascal" said Fred.
81 thought you had been hung long
ago for your impudence."
mo. sah! laughed Henry. '.Jes
the same ole Henry, sab, no BETA, nc
wuss."
'.How,,s the family, Henry? Wife
oil vel, Ind the children three, Henry?"
''FOu' now, sab! an all fust rate.
sab, fust rate. De madam's dom
ov nussin. off an on. Wor in tendance
on your aunt, sab. in her last illness. y
"Shc WASP" cried Fred. with start
perhaps. perhaps. pshaw! What's
the use?''
"What has hit you now?' ventured
to inquire.
AN idea," replied Fred. brilliant
or otherwise, remains to be seen. In
my present situation I can not afford
to let any clue drop. Why not see Mrs.
Henry?'
"Why not indeed" assented,
blankly. '.But why?''
about the-you know what" cried
Fred, checking himself as he caught
Henry's inquiring eye. Would it be
out Of place. Henry. if l were to make
. call on your wife, say to-day?''
mo, sab" replied Henry; "proud
ov de honah, sab. If you'll wait till
six, gem nm, I'll sort YOU"
Agreed, said Fred, as he dropped
a dollar into Henry's nimble palm, and
We arose from the table and sought the
smoking-room.
Six fifteen p. m. found us ushered
into the neat sitting-room Of Henry's
home, confronted with Eliza and four
coffee-colored children. We both knew
Eliza, SO no introduction was neccs-
sary.
"Lawd bless you. sah!' she ex-
claimed. in response to the first ques-
ton, "'deed, an wor wild her, an /
mus say, sab, but she wor very tryin'
very much tryin' onter pussun's
nurves! SIGH complaints and fault
tindin's. Well, sab, urned my mon
ey, deed I did,
Il don't doubt it." said Fred, SYM
pathetically. But, tell me, did you
notice anywhere in the room before or
after my aunt's death a necklace of
rubies?"
No, sah," answered Eliza, de-
cidedly. " Never seed no sich thing"
:" You know what rubies are?''
Law! yes deed sir, 1 do,' replied
Eliza, with some haughtiness of man
ner. '.Dar's mighty few things 1 don't
know. l wor in de best ov sassciety
afore wor married wild Henry" And
that individual, in the corner of the
room. grinned approval of the speech,
which might have been construed un-
favorably to him.
g It's no use," whispered to Fred.
" it's blind trail"
So it is, said Fred, despairingly.
:" Let us CO.
But we were detained by Henry,
who always had an eye to the main
chance.
Don't either of you gentlemen
want to buy dog?" he asked, sud-
denly.
The question was so unexpected and
so ludicrous under the circumstances
that we fairly roared. Fred was the
first to recover himself, and, wiping
his eyes, said: ''Yes, 1 suppose so.
Trot him out, Henry
Henry disappeared into an adjoining
room, and returned, leading little
bull pup, the nastiest creature imagin-
able. He held it out to Fred. and, to
my surprise, it was eagerly snatched.
.'How much?" demanded Fred,
noarsely.
''Fiv-seven dollars" said Henry,
noting his eagerness.
In ten seconds Fred had the money
n Henry's hands. Then, with an APP
parent effort to be calm, and at the
same time covering the animal with
lis top coat, he asked: '.Wherc did
you buy the collar?"
dat wor mine," put in Lila, grin
hing. Il fonn' it on de fur ov yer
lunt's room-purtty beads. sab. but
ley haint no count. We don't charge
luffin fur de collar, does we. Henry?"
mot cent, sah," said Henry, loft
ly.
Once in the open air. Fred grasped
ne by the arm, and, holding up the |
'ull pup to my view, said in an awe
truck voice:
"Look at this collarl It is the ruby |
lecklace!"
-
$50 you are to be married next |
"Yes; you will come to the wedding,
Id chap?"
''Of course. Your present to the |
ride will be, I suppose, ruby neck
ace?"
''Not exactly; can't afford to carry
ound SO much idle capital. and I've
the rubies into cash. Violet |
rill wear diamonds; rubies are un-
acky, that is, they nearly proved 50 to
ne old fellow. "-BostOn Globe.
One as Bad as the Other.