West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-08-09
A SUCCESSFUL RUSE.
nY nELEN FoRREsr eRAvEs.

"Please, sir" said old Zeruiah, the
housekeeper, there's a man up in the
plum tree"
"Up in the plum trec2" repeated Mr..
Brown. And what's he doing up in the
plum treel 1t amt the time o. year for
ripe plums."
'No, said Zeruiah, giving the fry
lng-pan that she was cleaning an extra
scrapc with the kuise, "'tain't time o.
year for plums to be ripe. But it's al
ways tine o year Tor young men to make
fools OF themselves the third branch
OF that 'ar plum-trec is on a line with the
window of Arabella ATden's room.p
'Ehi" said Mr.. Brown, dropping his
newspaper and opening his eyes very
wide.
"Astrue syou live, sir, " SAID Zeruiah.
but that was precisely what my
brother sent her down here for" said
Mr.. Brown, contracting his bald fore
head into innumerable wrinkles. ''To
keep her out Of Hubert Wynton's way %
"Humphl" !" said Ieruiah "The world
IS wide but it amt wide enough to
keep two fools apart"
Up the plum-tree, is he2' said Mr..
Brown, with a sardOnic smile. what
sort OF looking fellow is he Zeruiah 2''
N,
holding the fTying-pa as Minerva of old
might have held her shield. "the leaves
Is thick, aud my sight amt what il once
was; but he's got light-colored clothes
on, as was ne, er cut in Bean Hollow
and mis- hat, that lays out on the grass.
has got city makers name in it.
'Good" !" nodded Mr.. Brown. "You
ought to have been detective, Ruey.
They would give you good wages. I'll
bet big apple. Where is the hatg'
u brlng it in and put it on the hall
table" answered Zeruah.
VERY well. Go out and chain Caesar
under the plum-tree. Give him a good
length OF chai Ruey. Then come back
and move all Arabella's things into the
west bedroom. m take the end room
myself. II there's any serenading, OF
poetry-reciting, or anything Of that sort.
III have the benefit of it myself"
A slow smile broke out over Zeruiah's
wooden face.
but whatll you tell her ?" said She
Tell her7 Why that the end room is
a better aspect for my rheumatism, " said
Mr.. Brown, chuckling. "And make
haste, or she'll be back from Widow
Peets, Everything must be moved be-
fore she returns. And pull the shade
down, so the city chap won't suspicion
what were up to-
of trudgcd Zeruiah, who, in spite Of
her having first seen the light on the raQ-
ged coasts of Maine, was at heart true
Spanish duenna, and took a grim delight
In frustrating the intents Of Cupid.
Bella Arden was young and pretty.
Bella had dared 70 ridiculc her old fash
ioned ideas. Bella had nicknamed her
nd
the least idea who fMedusa" was. she
dimly suspected that it was no compli-
mentary term. And therefore Zeruiah
was not sorry to see the pretty Ro9ton
girl ''cOme up with, as she phrased IL
why, Uncle Brown" cried Bella.
when she came in, with hor fair hair
blown about her face, and her checks
reddeDed by her brisk walk across hill
and hollow-"why have you changed my
rOom7"
''Well, you see, my dear" said Mr..
Brown, cmftiiy, I've an idee that the
cast room will suit my rheumatism bet
ter. You don't mindg'
ooh, not in the leastr' said Bella
cheerfnlly. 'And I'll 20 right TO work
and arrange the things that that cross
old Leruiah has flung about so rocklessly.
Oh, by the-way, uncle. there was no let
ters for me, ] supposer az she glanced
at the weekly paper lying uufoided on
the tab.o. "For see they've brought
the mail.
''No, my dear, said BIr. Brown, no
letters"
And the COWS came, with tinkline
bells, home from the fern scented pas.
tuios, and the sun sank behind the
maple swamps and the purple dimncss
OF twilight began TO brood over all
things, and still Hubert Wynton,
prisoned up among the tossing plum
bohghs, waited in vain for some prospect
Of his release.
"Confound these good peOple" said
he 20 himself 'fWhat on earth have
they chained that savage beast here for
just noirl And ] believe / must have
made q mistake that is not Bella's room
at al. stout old man has sat there.
reading the paper, an the afternoon, and
] haven't dared 20 stir, for fear OF being
shot for a burglar. I've seen tho darling
once or twice picking flowers ia the
garden, and bringing water from tho
spring. but I haven't vcntured Co cali Co
her, Tor fear Of betraying my hiding
place Shades Of Epicurus how good
that frying chicken smells Coffee, too
I'd give kings ransom fof a cup Of itW