The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-12

thy satisfaction of seeing her safely
loded in her prison, and carefully lock-
ingIer in, he stationed n little red headed
yout on the front door steps to attend
to callers, and also to see that Mrs. p.
did mt escape, and then he betook him
self toa restaurant for dinner, and. after
dlspatNing that, he hurried off to his
Office nd WAS soon engrossed in bust
ness.
Abouthe middle of the afternoon our
young setinel rushed into the Office and
said, neyr stopping to take breath:
Mr. Pepper had better run home just
as fast as % can, for that woman what 8
shut up btmaking an awful racket, and
she be tearh' round there, and rafting
things the dstressingest kind and if she
beant Splitting up some thing or other,
then l don't now what splitting be "
Without waiting to hear more, Mr.. p.
seized his hatlnd hurried off home at a
most undignifitl pace.
Opening the lall door he stole up stairs
as carefully as nssible, and applying his
eye to the keYole he behold sight
which fairly mad him boil with rage.
Mrs. L. was sitting In front of the fire.
place reading his 1--we letters. The one
she was engaged inperusing at that par
ttcular moment, was from Miss Polly
Primrose, who, it appeared, had once
looked favorably on he suit of Mr.. Pep
per; but a more dasling lover appear
ing on the scene, MissPolly sent him a
letter of dismissal, promising her indy
ing friendship, and accompanying tn G
same with lock Of her hair and some
| walnut meets.
But it was not the low letters alone
that made Mr.. =. SO outrageous. He
had been something of tnvcler in his
day and had collected greet many cur
iosities in his rambles, which he had de-
posted in cupboard in the very room
where he had confined Mrs. F., and she
| got at them.
She had split up an elegant desk with
his Indian battle ak In orderto have a
fire, as the day was rather chilly. In
one corner of the fire place was Mr. P.'s
best beaver, filled up with love letters.
On small table, close to Mrs. h., was
beautiful fiat China dish, filed with
bears oil, in which she had sunk Mr..
P.'s best satin cravat, and having dred
one end of it, it afforded her sufficient
light for her labors-for Mr. p. had clo,ed
the blinds, for the better security of the
culprit.
On some Goals in front of the fire, was
| Mr.. P.'s silver christening bowl, in
which Mrs. p. was popping corn, which
she ever and anon stirred with the fiddle
bow, meanwhile, occasionally punching
up the fire with the fiddle, for Mr.. p,
had with commendable foresight, re
moved the shovel and tongs.
Mr.. p. condescended to peep through
the keyhole until he had obtained q
| pretty correct idea of what was going or
within. Never was pepper so fired as
he. He ordered Mrs. Pepper TO open Oh
| take the consequences; but as she did
not open it, it is to be presumed that she
preferred the consequences. Mr.. Pepper
darted down stairs like mailman.
Il must put stop to this" he thought
"or shall not have rag to my back. y
Procuring a ladder he began to mount
to the bedroom; but Mrs. p was not t.
be taken so easily. She knew he hac
left the door unlocked, for she had exam
ined 1t as soon as he had left; but she hat
no idea of letting him have the benefi
OF her fire, so hastily selling severa
large bottles of cologne, she threw tn,
| contents upon the fire, and in few min
utes had the satisfaction Of seeing it en-
tirely extInguished. That duty per
formed, she left the apartment, and lock
ing the door, she stationed herself in
convenient position to hear everything
that TRANSFERRED within.
In few moments Mr.. p. was safe In
the apartment, and as soon as ne haC
closed the window he stood bolt upright
in the middle of the room and said in
deep voice:
"Jezebel, come forthl'
No answer.
Jane, do you think to escape?"
Still no response. Mr.. p. begins To
feel uneasy, and hastily to search the
room, but had not proceeded far when he
hears a slight litter somewhere in the
vicinity of the door. He listens mo-
ment and it is repeated. Darling to the
door, he attempts to open it, but he finds
himself a prisoner. There is one more
chance, he thinks, and hurries to the
window; but alas for Mr.. Pepperl his
wife has just removed the ladder and he
cannot escape.
lie sits down on chair and looks rue.
fully around him, and presently he arises
and picks up few fragments of letter
which is lying on the carpet and finds il
from Polly Primrose. He wonders what
she has done with the lock of hair.
Az this ilOIlcul his eye ldllS upon MS
daguerreotype, which is lying on the
table before him-mechanicall taking il
up, he opens it, and sees-what? nothing
but his own face. All the rest of hin
was rubbed off, and around his lovely
phiz is the missing curl, and the walnut
meats are carefully slowed in the corner
of the case. Mr.. p. fairly blubbered
aloud.
"Good |" thought Mrs. p, when you
find your level I'll let you out, and moi
till then. A little wholesome discipline
will do you good, and I'm fully prepared
to administer it"
How long Mrs. Pepper kept her liegt
lord in DURANGO vile deponent saith not
and as to what passed between them
when he was released from captivity, We
are no better informed. but of this we are
sure: Mr.. Pepper might have been seer
morning or two afterward to put his
head in the bedroom and heard say in O
meek manner:
Betsy Jane, I've made the kitchen
fire and put on the tea-kettle; won't you
please to get up and get breakfast !"
At Roseburg, Oregon, is Ladies' Hammer
Brigade which makes point of keeping
down the nails in the wooden sidewalks.