Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-12-15

What Uds hdtf" she dsnidrdei
oh. 1t was only tho 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 SEQ nav clock Is so old that
the striking machinery is ell worn ont.
When the hour comes round the old clock.
instead Of striking, just gives big wheeze
like that 1t often startles tic Just as it
did Won
Bray, Kitty. that wa. . pretty bold
bluff. said | TO myself seeing that the
clock hands are pointing to twenty three
minutes past precisely
The explanation seemed to satisfy Mrs
Rutlcdgc, however. as, after glancing
severely from Kitty 70 the clock and back
t. the screen. she turned away with the
remark that she hoped il oulln occur
again
Poor little Kitty the stars in their
courses fought sgainst siscra. and now
they war against you.
II mast wait fr you. Laur. said
Mrs Rutledgr, quite irra.ionally. but
none the less complainingly. Il shall take
OF my cloak lt's very warn up here
So saying she slipped on her heavy seal
dolman Rnd throw 1t csrelessly over the
lay figure that stood near her Now. az
you know. that lay figure was ne. and
being totally unprepsrcd to receive this
avalanche Of fur, and being taken OF ny
Eusrl and my balance at toe same time.
| inccn;tnently tipped over and landed
In = sitting posture on he door In uy
f-l uly Mexican sombrero was tilted
bags aud hung over ono ear. 50 that as |
sat there with my dirty red cape wrapped
around ne | must have looked like a very
dissipated lay figure indeed.
What Is the meaning Of this. nissf'
gasped Mrs. Rutlcdge. Who is this
persoa2"
"A friend Of mine said Kitty. inner
turbably Mr. Malcolm. let me present
you 10 Mr., EutlclSe Mrs, Eutled. e
Mr.. Malcolm
Happy. I'm SURF. managed to mum
be. st the same time trying to rise and
divest myself Of my absurd trappings.
that might he prepared Ter the next In
cident In tic drama, which | verify be
lieved would be nothing less than assault
and battery. At that moment. however.
= diversion was created by all unnlis-
taxable and very loud sneeze from the
screen.
The cuckoo clock" exclaimed Mrs.
Rutledge The cuckoo also is a friend
Of yours, | suppose. she continued. with
fine irony. Marching across the room she
dragged the portiere away from the
screen The latter tumbled over at the
same time. disclosing Fred dsheveied
and dusty kneeling on the Hoor, and look
ing for all the world like some pious
chimney sweep
The situation was TOO much for Kitty
She weut off into peals OF laughter. In
which, | must confess. | Joined. having
by this time recovered from nv own dis
eomfture Fred got up of the ground
and sheepishly busted his clothes with his
handkerchief Miss Window glanced
timidly at the mstron The latter was
statue OF wrath
Put on your things at once Laura.
and come with me. she commanded. when
she had recovered her speech
Laura meekly obeyed The statue Of
wrath marched out Of the room. looking
neither to the right nor to the left. with
the air of tragedy queen on her way to
execution, r. U. E Miss Window fol.
lowed her silently. but at the door she
turned and throw a kiss back at N. which
Es innediAsaiy proceeded to s1EAmhls