Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-07-14

" Wken we were alone I turned to Ella and said in voice of suppressed fury:
 Well, madam, may l ask what you pro pose doing nowa l swear this is the last time shall have anything to do with such con- founded tomfoolery. never felt so con- temptible in my life. Your uncle and mine may leave their money to the Irish Land league or to the devil for all care," con- tinued, pacing up and down the room in a towering passion. "I refuse to take part any longer in your mean, deceitful prac- tices"
 This was distinctly unjust, of course, as we'll as rude, and Ella fired up at once, say ing that it was as much my fault as hers, etc. ..Hold your tongue, madamI" thundered goaded past endurance.
 Here there was an extraordinary, inex- plicable. muffied kind of noise from the di- rection of the pink room. I seized a candle and rushed up stairs.
 "I hope and trust he may not have had a fit of apoplexy,"I muttered between my set teeth, as we reached the door. All was silent
 Where is the keyF' said shortly But Ella hesitated.
 "Uncle," she said timidly through the key hole, i've have found an old key that we think will open the door. The locksmith did not come"
 listened, appalled,, to this glib perversion of the truth, and wondered if it had ever been practiced upon me. Still, all was silent
 "The room Is quite dark, Charlie" said my wife nervously, as she proceeded to fit the key into the lock.
 In another moment the door was open, and gust of wind almost extinguished my can dle. l held it aloft with whistle of dismay; for what scene met our eyesl The room was strewn with maimed and disfigured fur niture; the mirror was cracked right across the crockery was smashed, and the lower half of the window appeared to have en- tirely vanished And oh, horror! the pale pink window curtains, the bed curtains, the covers of the chairs were stained here and there with deep crimson. But where was Uncle Gregorys
 He had disappeared. The room was empty!
 Ella, after a mortified glance around, ut tered series of piercing screams.
 'Hushl" Texclaimed, seizing her arm vi ciously. Have you lost your sensesa You will wake Uncle Simon"
 But she sobbed and cried, and declared hys, terically that Uncle Gregory was dead, and that it was all my fault I indignantly pointed out the glaring injustice of this re mark, and stated my conviction that the old gentleman, in desperation, had probably taken a Hong drop" from the window. "l hope you are pleased with the result of your plan, Mrs. Danvers," went on with cutting sarcasm "It has certainly been most b,il liant success-so far. Of all the"-
 was interrupted by the sound of door opening along the passage, and the next mo ment Uncle Simon, in an exceedingly airy costume and carrying candle in a danger ously horizontal position, appeared before our astonished gaze q had always suspected that my uncle wore a wig. Now 1 had ocular demonstration. His head was as bald as ar egg.)
 "Bless my soulr' he gasped, with chatter ing teeth, letting the candle run down on ou1 new Kidderminster, "this is a most ghastly house! l refuse to go to bed again, Charles, he continued, excitedly. II shall sit up al night. My nerves are quite unstrung." Here there was a terrific and continuou: peal at the front door bell It rang, and rang and rang. l went down to open tour do | nestle having gone to bed-and Ella fol lowed me. Hardly had I drawn back the bolt than MT. Carper burst in, disheveled painting, purple with rage, his clothes stained with earth, his hands cut and bleeding. H. tore past upstairs like mad man, and or the landing he carromed violently against Uncle Simon, who was clinging to the stail railings, shivering and shaking in his very sketchy attire To our utter amazement the two old men grasped hands warmly and al but embraced each other.
 "Where on earth did you come from, Car perr' quavered my uncle, almost in tears. "Finickeri" returned the other in chok | ing voice. "rm glad to see you-very glad | to see you. Let us leave this internal place | now-at once" Then turning to me: "I tel xxil %hx despicable part you have played today only once, and that, sir, will be all your life. You are low, contemptible hound, sir But see now through your plot to secure both my money and my friend MT. Finicker's Yes my friend, I say. You might have savec | yourself lies, sir; and you, too, madam, l hercely, to the pale and trembling Ella "Mr Finicker and were foolish enough to quar rel, it is true, but rejoice to say that we were reconciled week ago. An, you may cry madam, and you may swear under your breath, sir, but you are an internal young liar, Charles Danvers, and your wife is not g 1 whit better. renounce you both forever.
 "And SO do l." chattered Uncle Simon 'sWe leave this house to night, late as it is We can get rooms, without doubt, at the Low thorpe inn"
 So saying he retired-with as much dig | nifty as his costume WOu4d permlU-GO h1 room, accompanied by the dilapidated looking Mr. Carper. Ella went on crying. I simply swore, mot loud, but deep." Within ten minutes the two old gentlemen reappeared, equipped for departure Protes tations, explanations, apologies were all i, vain. Our outraged relatives left the hous without deigning to take any further notic of either Ella or myself, and as they disap peared in the darkness felt as if every aton of my self respect went with them.
 draw a veil over the narrowing seen which followed.
 My, wife and did not speak to each othe for at least a week after this deplorable even | ing-but that is mere detail.
 The failure of Ella's 'plan," however marked an epoch in my life. It was my las deception. Since then have been doggedly uncompromisingly truthful and straightfor ward in all my words and actions; and have observed & similar metamorphosis ii Ella. If ever, in the future, find ou Gregory Simon in lie, shall fog him mos unmercifully. We have neither seen no held any communication with either uncl since that unlucky night. fear our chance of heirship are gone forever.