Wichita eagle., 1888-09-16


| ooh, it was only the cuckoo clock" in
terposed Kitty. hastily, pointing to an
aged specimen of that kind of furniture
standing in the corner Just beyond the
screen. you see my clock is so old that
the striking machinery is all worn out
When the hour comes round the old clock,
instead of striking just gives big wheeze
like that. 1t often startles me just as it
did you"
Brave Kitty, that was pretty bold
bluff" said to myself, seeing that the
clocks hands are pointing to twenty-three
minutes past precisely"
The explanation seemed to satisfy Mrs
Rutledge, however, as, after CHANGING
severely from Kitty to the clock and back
to the screen, she turned away with the
remark that she hoped it wouldn't occur
again
Pooc little Kitty! the stars in their
courses fought against Sisera, and now
they war against you.
IF | must wait for you, Laura" said
Mrs. Rutledge, quite irrationally, but
none the less complainingly, Il shall take
off my cloak. IT. very warm up here"
So saying she slipped off her heavy seal
dolman and threw it carelessly over the
lay figure that stood near her. Now, as
you know, that lay figure was me, and
being totally unprepared to receive this
avalanche of fur, and being taken off my
guard and my balance at the same time,
l incontinently tipped over and landed
in a sitting posture on the floor. In my
fall my Mexican sombrero was tilted
back and hung over one ear, so that as
sat there with my dirty red cape wrapped
around me l must have looked like very
dissipated lay figure indeed.
what is the meaning of this, missf"
gasped Mrs. Rutledge. "Who is this
persons"
"a friend of mine" said Kitty, imper-
turbably. ''Mr. Malcolm, let me present
you to Mrs. Rutledge. Mrs. Rutledge-
Mr. Malcolm"
Happy, I'm sure" managed to mum
BILE, at the same time irving to rise and
divest myself of my absurd trappings,
that | might be prepared for the next in
cident in the drama, which | verify be-
lieved would be nothing less than assault
and battery. At that moment, however,
q diversion was created by an unmis-
taxable and very loud sneeze from the
screen.
The cuckoo clockr' exclaimed Mrs.
Rutledge The cuckoo also is friend
of yours, suppose. she continued, with
fle irony. Marching across the room she
dragged tho portiere away from the
screen. The latter tumbled over at the
same time, disclosing Fred. disheveled
and dusty, kneeling on the floor. and look
ing for all the world like some pious
chimney s7vsep.
The situation was too much for Kitty
She went off into peals of laughter, in
which, must confess, l joined, having
by this time recovered from my own dis
comfture Fred got up off the ground
and sheepishly busted his clothes with his
handkerchief. Miss Window glanced
timidly at the matron- The latter was a
statue of wrath
Put on your things at once, Laura,
and come with me-" she commanded, when
she had recovered her speech.
Laura meekly obeved. The statue of
wrath marched out Of the room. looking
neither to the right nor to the left, with
the air Of a tragedy queen on her way to
execution. r. U. E. Miss Window fol-
lowed her silently, but at the door she
turned and threw kiss back at Us. which
we Immediately proceeded to scramble
for.
III
We all resumed our seats after we had
heard Miss Window and her aunt bestow
themselves in the elevator.
Kitty and were disposed to be jocular
over the adventure. But nothing that we
were able to say could cheer up Fred. He
was sure now that he had put an end once
and forever to all his hopes Of Laura He
made two or three sickly attempts 70 join
our laughter, but his mirth was too evil
IDENTIFY assumed. Finally he muttered
something about mot feeling quite up to
himself, and took his leave. | stayed
behind TO have little chat with Kitty
We sat together for while in silence
after Fred had gone, watching the even
ing shadows lengtheu across the polished
floor, until they encountered the flicker
ings from the pleasant fire that burned in
the hearth Outside, as the night drew
on. the wind rose, and presently few
stray fakes OF snow drifted past the pane.
The contrast between the comfort within
and the cheerlessness without soothed me
into q pleasant revsrie. which wa. sud
denly broken By Ki.tys parrot crying out,
Who's Mugwumpy' from his perch Ii
the dark corner By the easel
"Confound the birdl'' exclaimed. lie
had sert cold shiver Up my spine. bring
ing me out Of nv comfortable day dream
with q iounce / sat bold upright and
softly swore a. the bird The imp seemed
to read nv thoughts, for he burst Into
shrieks of fendish laughter tina. 50. Iny
teeth on edge / threw myself back IN
nv chair and covered III ears with ny
hands
Kitty" said I. when the bird had En-
allv relzpsed into silence, ''wna. do yoz
think OF /. air.
"AIl WHAT asked Kitty
"why-you know-Fred and the girl
THEY'LL make & nice couple. dan. you
think
.Very." said Kitty, shortly. Her fare
was hidden II ths shadow Al sks ieznGd