The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-07-07
..l'1,..l %, p p IN g r A.Y !;
81 ss s@s5 Or,
The MysGiy lf TlrleysP0ilt
Being a Few Romantic Chapters
From the Life Of a Country
Editor.
BIZ JOHN q. MU41CK,
AUTaOR oT WAITER BRowET1ELD,' s'HELm
LAKEMAN,'' .BANKER OF BEDFORD"
AND OTHER STORIES.
k0epw.tghted, 1883, By the A. ~ Kellogg NSsas.
paper ConspanNl
By JOHN 3. MUsIUK,

BEFORE NIB nina had naa time 60 again re-
vert to the painful subject on which il
seemed to- love to dwell, the door opened
and a broad-shouldered countryulan stalked
unbidden into the room. Allen looked ur
and before him stood towering giant,
whose face was dark with wrath.
g Are you the feller what runs this she
bangg' the modern Hercules demanded
"I am.''
"Ihen take that fur a meddlesome liar,'
cried the stranger, aiming a blow At Alien
which he successfully parried. The editor
now thanked his stars that in his more
youthful days ne had not neglected t'ae
manly art of boxing. Thoa:h no match il
st-eng 9Th for this rural giant, his skill made
him more than his equal.
For several moments Allen had all he
could do to parry those sledge-hammer
blows, which fell thick and fast upon him.
But at last he got in a well-directed blow
from the shoulder, which staggered the
stranger. This gave him decided ad-
vantage over his antagonist. In q min
ute's time the stranger was down in one
corner Of the Office, yelling murder, whiie
the man whom he had assaulted was be-
laboring him with telling blows.
Ike Hatchett ran into the sanctum, and.
assisted by Toby, got the men separated.
sWhat does this mean 81 Ike asked.
Allen answering that ne did not know,
the stranger struggled to his feet, growl@
ing:
II know What did ye put that piece in
the paper bout me fur!''
"Nhat piece? have no recollection OF
having ever seen you until now" answered
Allen.
sBut We lied about me. Ye said / stole a
corn-knife an ,varn't agoin' to stand it.
It was George Leeper who sot ye on me-"
AS soon as the editor could be made to I'M
derstand what particular article had given
offense. he explained that Leeper had as
sured him that the whole thing was harm
less joke.
"Harmless joke, thunderation!" growled
Herriu, wip1ng the blood from his face.
"Aocuse feller O. stealin', an then say
ats all harmless joke"
Allen, realizing that ne had wounded the
feelings as well as the head of the country
man, promised G scathing retrsction in the
next issue, and while he was still smartin
under the misrepresentation made by
I.eeper. sat down and wrote the article. 1t
was much stronger in his 5enunciation OF
I4eeper than he would have written had he
given the matter g. sober second thought,
buthe handed it to Ike, who put 1t III type,
while Herrin subscribed; 10 read the rfahing
the paper would give the MAN he hated.
Allen had allowed himself 70 get consid-
erab!y behind with his work, and he sat at
his desk late that night, long after the
printers had gone home.
His lamp burned dimly, and he found
these superstitipu5 horrors With more than
usual force creeping over him. lie fought
against the terrible feeling, but all in vain.
Iia grew nervous and started at the slight
est sound.
When he heard q tirnid Knock at the door
his heart thumped wildly. He rose to his
feet and, trembling violently in every limb,
went to the door and opened it,. Before hiru
stood yo1nau.
Size entered quickly, closing the door
SITTER her, and, her vail thrown aside, re-
vealed the white face Of Bertha, the strange
Qirl Of the mysterious house o7s tie hiM.