Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-09-21
and ring. carried her Investigations In
to the White garden

tail.
Bunny girdled the cho &c new rose.
tree which had just been SCI out in tho
centre OF Mr.. Whyte's lawn. and
made meal of the tall. white deutzia
bush.
Miss Whytc's maid presented her
mistress compliments. and they
couldn't stand that nuisancs of a rsb-
bit anylonger.
Old Selma came back with ''Mr.
Delacroix's respects and nobody in
| the house could sleep for that dog 8
perpetual barking at night
Il had Intended TO call" said John
Whytc; but AS this unlock editor cool
ness has arisen. 1t is perhaps better to
keep my distance"
I'm told that Mr.. Whyte Is very
cultivated person, sad Mr.. Del
acroix; but this petty quarrolling is
unworthy of gentleman or II SER
want
One day Mr. Whyte found Nicola
drowned in tears The rabbit had
torn up all the Japanese lily-buds IN
the borier.
This won't do" snid John.
He WAS n soft-hearted man, and the
sight OF Nicolas tears spurred HIM on
70 sudden vengeance.
Get me M revolver! I'll shoot the
verm'nr'
He's out there by the cedar tree,
she whispered, through her sobs.
You needn't be afra d; there 5 no
body in range"
a single shot and the white object
collapsed and fell over INTO cluster
OF sweet briar bushes.
Mr.. Whyte laid down the revolver.
and wiped his forehead.
az sorry for it already" said he.
The creature was pet after all. But
we have been driven to it-literally
drven!"
Just then there was rustic in the
hedge, an! Nero sprang over. his
mouth garnished with stray feather
OF so from Paquita
There" SAID Mr.. Whyte. 1.-THE
brute has been trespassing again. lie
must have broken his chain. The
shriekng Of that luckless parrot in
furiates him beyond ever, thing"
I'm very SORRY faltered Nicola.
"But what can we do?"
I'VE must do something" 81 d the
brother, Selling Nero's disjoin,ed
chain, and walking grandly oil toward
the kennel.
Now" he thought, I'm more
sorry than ever that shot the rabbit. "
lie was crossing the lawn next day.
with some choice geranium slips IN
his hand, when he heard Il smothere,l
sound as OF sobbing, in the little
trelllsed srbor OH the other SIDE Of the
hedge.
His heart smote him with a sudden
remorse. He flung down the gerani-
ums. went around b, the gate, and
presented himself before poor it'll,
Corinne Delacroix, who sat bitterly
lamenting. on the step of the summer
house.
She started guilty at his approach.
and rose To her feet
My dear young lady, said he.
what is the matter? Is it any thing
in which | can help you?"
ST II Corinne wept on.
I'll owe YOU an apology. added
White. Il regret from the bottom oil
my heart that | allowed myself to be
carried away so far as TO perform such
an unneighborly and ungentlemanly
action. If | could replace him"
But you can't sobbed COrinne.
oh. please-please forgive me! | don
know what possessed me to put strych-
nine into a piece of meat at the foot OF
the garden. But did. and he has been
poisoned!
"Poisonedr' gasped Mr.. Whyte.
Your father?
mo" wept Corinne, with gesture
of impat ence. The dog
do you mean my Irish setter?"
"Yes."
"But he isn't poisoned" cried Mr..
| VIII tie.
"He has disappeared. " asserted Cor
! inne.
Il have sent him awav did not
choose that SO tr Il ne thing rs dog
should rse up diSseIsion between
ne ghborS."
CorinGe dropped her tear-drcnched
pocket handkerchicf; her face grew
radiant beneath Is bright drops.
Oh, am so glad!' said she. II
am not quite such "a 1t, wretch as |
fancicd myself But did put the
! poisoned meat there. In intention
am as guilty as ever And shall not
be quite, quite happy until you say that
you forgive me. ~
81 assure you. Miss Delacroix-" be-
gan Mr.. Whyte. thinking how best he
could confess TO the horrible fact of
being Bunny's deliberate murderer.
when thfre was CLEAN OF white
through the leaves. aud Bunny himself
jumped upon his IN stress lap, from a
nook among the fol age.
Il am going to send Bunny away. :"
said Corinne, ito my cousin in Brigh-
ton, who wants white rabbit dread
fully. And Paquita has already been
shipped 10 Bouogne by express. Pa
pa saws we must not keep pets at the
expense of our neighbors' peace of
mind. And. by the way, we were so
much obliged to you-papa and for
shooting that hateful Old VIII to cat that
was always chas pg Bunny and want
ing TO eat Paquita up. We saw you
shoot her. 1t was that that made me
feel so consc ence stricken about the
poisoned meat"
Hem heml' couvhed Mr. WHITE