Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-02-09

He formed the words inaudibly with
hfs lips, and hurried away.
Mr.. Lamphier slapped the package
of rice on the COUNTER frowningly.
Lottie brushed off her dress, read
justed her veil, extracted a piece Of
citron from a jar and nibbled at 1t and
went out with parting smile for John
| Stockham.
If Lottie put on her best dress and
her prettiest ruchings, and her silver
hair pin and bracelets that evening af-
ter her father had eaten his supper and
gone back to the store; and if some-
body knocked at the kitchen door about
8; and If the kitchen resounded for two
hours thereafter with pleasant chat and
harmless badinage and light hearted
laughter-If these things occurred.
surely it was nobody's business.
81 don't need to tell you how I've
enjoyed the evening. Miss Lamphier,"
said John Stockham earnestly. as he
rose at last, linger.ngly. II know /
shouldn't have come; butt couldn't
help it, and l can't b. sorry did"
Certainly not" said Lottie. with
pretty warmth.
81 should like to come again." John
pursued; but Of course this isn't the
way"
81 don't care-so now!" said Lottie
stoutly. 'lf pa will be so unreasona-
BILE / don't know what else we can
Goodness, what is that. Mr.. Stock
hamP"
She sniffed the air apprehensively.
John shifted, too.
'.It's smokew he declared.
'.Mercy! whereof" cried Lottie.
Wen have to investigate" said
John, taking up the lamp.
They went into the back enty. 1t
was blue with smoke. Lottie gave
little scream.
"Somethng's afre," said John
Stockham. Don't be alarmed. Miss
Lampher," he added. solicitously.
He opened the WOO dhouse door, They
were choked by the rush of smoke and
hot air. Their startled gaze revealed
one side of the woodhouse alive with
licking, darting flames.
John Stockham's practical mind
worked gu ckly.
"Whero's the sink. Miss Lamphierp"
he demanded land a water pail. Two
if possible. Wen have to work to
stop it. It's got good start"
They did work. They rushed to and
fro with heavy pals of water. half
blinded by the smoke hot from the
flames. dripping with spilled water.
At the end of n confused fifteen min
utes they sat down exhausted and dir.
zy in the doorway, and surveyed the
scene.
One wall of the woodhouse was burn
ed black. At one point the flames had
burst through. and the moonlight
came streaming in.
1t shone on the rccumbent form of
rod-faced. blowsy. and obviously
inebriated tramp. sleeping peacefully
on a pile of kindling wood. 1t shone
on dirty clay pipe thrust into little
mound of shavings. which still smoul-
dered, 1t shone, furthermore. on Mr..
Lamphier, standing in the woodhouse
door and staring in.
Lottie was more than equal to the oc-
cason. She was not person to let g
golden opportunity escape her.
She rushed over to her father and
clasped both. hands around his arm,
with tragic little shrek.
oh, pa ~ she cried. just look Just
think what you've escaped The house
would have been burned down in an
other minute-in one minute-all burn
ed down Mr.. Stockham has saved
it. If he hadn't been here and we
hadn't smelled smoke and come out
here, found the woodhouse all ablaze,
and worked like everything to put it
out, just think what would have hap
pened 1t was that horrid tramp.
He'd got in here somehow, and gone to
sleep smoking. and his horrid pipe had
set things afire. I'm so glad Mr..
Stockham was here-ain't you, pa,
dear P"
Mr.. Lamphier looked at his daughter
and at John Stockham, and at the
blackened wall. and at the serenely
slumbering tramp.
"Ah, yes! he responded. 1T was
fortunate you happened along, Stock
ham,"
There was tinge of irony in his
tone. and some grimness in his smile;
but Lottie did not m nd that-uor did
John Stockham.
They realized that by a fortunate
turn of events Mr.. Lamphier was de-
feated. and made to appreciate
and admit the fact.
They cared little for the burned
beams; they were not conscious of
their dripping clothes; the slumberng
tramp seemed to DO an angel in dis
guise.
"Well. it's the way to do" Lottie de-
| clared few weeks later when she and
John Stockham were safely engaged.
and Lr. Lampher had given them his
blessing anil intimated that he'd
thought OF taking partner, and that
John might possibl do-"it's the way
to do. lfwe'd just stood back as meek
as mice. and waited for pa to come
round and invite YOU up to the house
-Meroy! l cant bear to think ofitr'--
Saturday Night.