The Iola register., 1886-10-29

to Lecty, who stole back to her room
and shut the window. unwilling to be
scolded and sufFocated both.
Morning revealed sad havoc in the
shed: eggs broken; one ''setter" dead.
with fright or asphyxia; the clutch of
half-hatched eggs all turned out, lying
about cold and hopeless; and a general,
pervasive atmosphere about all things
that did not SAVIOR of 1.-THE actions of the
just, which high poetic authority as
sures US have swcetodor. Miss Beulah
set the most spiteful trap she could bor-
row right against the shed-door, and
fumigatcd the premises severely. but
her hens had outlived their usefulness.
at least for some time to come, and her
only consolation was the philosophic
conclusion: "Well. I'm thankful 'twasn't t
. burglar"
She disposed of her spoons that day
in the recesses of an old shoe-case nailed
up in the closet, under her dresses, and
having hunted out in the garnet tin
can Of yellow snuff that had belonged
to her father, and satisfied herself by
actual experiment that it was still pun
gent and potent, she set it on the stand
BY her bed, resolved to discharge its
fiery contents full into the face of the
first burglar who should stand by her
bedside and demand the spoons. But
two and three and four nights went by
with no such visitation; she was getting
wonted to her room, and began to sleep
once more. when in the dead watch
and middle of Saturday night she
woke to see tall figure at the foot of
her bed like the vision of grisly William
at falr Margaret's.
Miss Beulah's wits were also about
her; promptly she seized the can of snuff,
the cover of which was always loosened
the last thing. to provide for such an
emergency, and threw the whole pound
of singing. penetrating powder right
into the face and eyes of-Lecty!
A yell that might have reused the
town had Dorest people lived in gun
shot of each other, rung through the
chamber. Miss Beulah sprung to her
feet, lit her lamp, and discovering that
the screaming, frantic creature was
only her weakly handmaiden, began to
feel acute remorse; but. practical as
ever, she flew to the wash-bowl, and
dragging the blinded Lecty with her,
poured the pitcher full of water over
her upturned face and very nearly
choked her to death in the process.
Gasping. gurgling, sobbing, piteous
spectacle of suffering and snuff, Lecty
writhed out of Miss Larkin's hands like
an enraged eel, if eels are ever enraged.
and began to demonstrate, but Miss
Beulah had the floor.
.'What upon airth fetched We in here
in the middle O the night, Lecty Per-
kins? Don't We know no more than
not to stay into your bed when ye be
thcrer'
.'Oh-oh-oh-dearr' sobbed the victim;
''Tve got the awfullest tOoth-ache t
ever was! and-and-"
Il don't b'lieve your teeth aches
mite now, anyhow, replied Miss Beu-
lah. with grim sarcasm. 1--we heered
always that a shock was good for t;
but how come We to get into my door.
I'd like to know?'
"Why l couldn't stand it no way! l
hollered an hollered an hollered at We,
and you didn't holler back, so / tried
the door. and it come undone right off. "
"Well, l am umvfounded!' cjac-
ulated the spinster. I'D have swore
before justice that I locked an bolted
that door the last thing!"
Guess you was sleepy" said Lecty,
herself with fresh howl.
as her eyes began to smart once more.
the temporary GOODNESS of the water
ceasing.
Miss Beulah labored with the poor
child till day-dawn. bathing her face
with hot water. with cold water. skim
milk, and warm whey, and finally VEN
turing out in the gray of dawn to pick
cool plantain leaves and bind them on
her eyes, after which-and heavy dose
Of paregoric-the sufferer at last
fell asleep, and Miss Beulah, half
ashamed of her exploit, did not awaken
her till noon. But it was a week or
more before Lecty's eyes recovered
their natural hue; and old Israel Ven
ner. who did Miss Bculah's '.heavy
and carried otfh frugal "bits
and leavin's" for his pig, shook his
lean sides over the woeful story Lecty
poured into his ears at the shed-door.
as he picked up his pail
and limped away:
Nigh about snuffed We out, didn't |
she. Lecty? He! he! her' overheard
BY Miss Beulah, who was not soothed
thereby.
No more such experiments, however.
came into her head. 1t is true she had |
used up all the snuff. and stained her
bedroom floor. so both prudence and |
purse forbade the repetition. She re-
membered now that burglars were al |
ways said to be startled from their OBJ !
ject by any loud noise, so she arranged |
above the door that led from the old |
back stairway into the loft an old pow
der-horn that came from the same re-
ceptacle of antiques where she found |
the snuff. and filing It with large shot
to close it with plug of |
wood tied firmly to a string, the other
end of which, tied in loop, was to be
h;tched to nail on the corner of the
ioor, and a milk-pan set on the floor
was to receive the shot, which. when
he plug was pulled out by the doors
opening. would fall with great noise
ntO the receptacle.
Miss Beulah had ''faculty" enough
hat mysterious gift of a thorough-going
ankee-to arrange this trap in an eili-
,ient and sure manner; it worked to a
charm, and delighted Lecty, to whom it
vas experimetally demonstrated. So
he two retired to their several beds in
peace, each understanding that the first
who rose should always slip the loop off
rom the nail before opening the door.
which was left purposely unbolted. and |
lad been guiltless of latch many
,ears.
Now Miss Beulah had an enormous
,at, brindled and shining, which she
owed as lonely women do love any pet