Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-05-17

ally amused at ILLS stateuiehl. Out
when she offered to call Mrs. Board
man for him. he hastily declared it
not at all necessary. Then with a
keen look from his dark eyes. he SAID.
respectfully: Il suppose you are Miss
Bedford, who is to bring order out of
this chaos. The fact is. came in to
assist in this praiseworthy object"
On seeing Barbara hesitate. he con-
tinued:
81 assure you am fully competent.
and will put myself wholly undo your
command"
Very WE'LL" said Barbara "You
may begin by finding a receptacle for
| the various pipes and cigars that are
strewn around the room in such a
reckless manner Old gentlemen seem
to find such solace in tobacco" she
added. with a funny little grimace.
Concealing smile, her visitor hunt
ed about until he unearted a queer old
bit of pottery from Peru.
This is popularity supposed to be
the place for those articles of vertu."
he said. lovingly arranging the pipes
For time Barbara was puzzled as
to the disposal of this young man.
| But he was so evidently at home there
that she finally concluded he must be
some protege of the good doctor.
Though not a poor one," she thought
as she took note of the well-cut En-
glish-looking garments worn on his
| muscular and well-knit frame. After
ho had fvod tho 70 ntO ,.i1y-
with charming assumption of au-
thority she put her new acquaintance
to work in good earnest. and kept him
carrying books in a most merciless
manner. although she thought, rue
fully, that her income decreased the
more he helped.
She found him well acquainted with
the Doctors treasures. Occasionally
he would stop to give her an interest
ing account of how his friend came
into possession of some rare work.
Or he would read some passage that
pleased him. as he placed this or that
| book in its place. And 50 the morn
ing hours passed. and they made
famous progress in their task. as well
as in their acquaintance.
When Barbara thanked this self
sacrificing young man for his assist
ance, on taking her departure, he
laughingly protested his enjoyment of
the work, and declared she would see
him again.
For several mornings after this Bar
bara held undisturbed possession of
the library, though she once or twice
thought she heard her mysterious
stranger" Gas she called him to Jack)
speaking in the hall with Mrs. Board
man.
"Of course, it makes no difference to
me whether he comes again or not, but
it is provoking that l did not learn
| what his name is" said Barbara to
herself.
Mrs. Boardman had a delightful
way of appearing about noon, with a
tray laden with dainties in the form Of
| the most delicious fruits or toothsome
cakes, which were we'll calculated to
tempt far less healthy appetite than
Barbara possessed.
On the fourth morning of Barbara s
work, her mysterious stranger" came
in with the housekeeper, and begged
in most supplicating tones that he
might share in the lunch. He was in
Il very entertaining mood, and
delighted Barbara with his really
brilliant conversation all the rest Of
the day. But he seemed less inclined
for work than formerly. and she was
| oh 70 Souaral fin1aS tn a
she should not allow him to remain i
he did not devote himself better to his
assumed duties
After this. it became the regular
thing for him to make his appearance
with the lunch. Mr.. Coleman, as the
housekeeper called him, was evidently
a prime favorite with that worthy
soul, and seemed to have the freedom
of the whole establishment.
He used every art to draw Barbara
history from her. and the young
lady was never tired of sounding
the praise of dear brother Jack.
Or of telling of jeans funny say
ings and of Toms wonderful progress
in his studies. But the greatest de-
light of Mr.. Coleman was to hear Bar.
bara's witty descriptions Of various
places in which she had been in her
professional capacity-deternined tc
form no acquaintance on false basis,
she had declared herself to be ''ir
business at an early stage of theil
friendship, In fact she had repre-
sented herself as a much more humble
| ood ob oura parSon oa than her no bl q
ancestors would have approved. But
these statements had not seemed to
detract from the charm of her ac
auaintance. The fact was becoming
apparent to the most casual that her
new-found friend had succumbed tC
the inevitable, and was hopelessly en-
shared by fair. dainty little Barbara.
But whenever there became the least
suspicion of tenderness or sentimen
apparent in his manner toward her.
/ she snubbed him in wholly unfeeline
way that brought despair to his very
soul One morning as they sat a
lunch, he began quoting that we'll
known verse of 0 mar Khayyam:
A book of verses underneath the bough,
A loaf of bread, q jug of wine
but Barbara would not let him go or
with the thou beside me singing in
the Wilderness You would have
to get some one else, for l do no
sing" she said. coldly.
That night Barbara's family foune
her in an astonishing mood. alternat.
ing from mad gaiety to gloomy silence
o..lxy in, In