Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-17

ct the truth, and wondered Il r had ever
been practiced upon ma Still. all was sileut
1.-THE room il quite dark, Charlie" said my
wife nervously, az she proceeded to Ct tho
key into the lock.
In another moment the door was open, and
a gust of wind almost extinguishsd my can
die. held it aloft with whistle Of dismay;
for what Q scene met our eyes! The room
was strewn with MANNED and disfgured fur
niture; the mirror was cracked right across;
the crockery was smashed. and the lower
half of tho window appeared to shave en-
tirely vanished And oh, horrori tho pale
pink window curtains, tho bed curtains, the
covers of the chairs were stained hero and
there with deep crimson. But where was
Uncle Gregoryf
emptyt
Ella, after a Mortified glance around. ut
tered series Of piercing screama
"Hushr' / exclaimed. seizing her arm vi
ciously slave you lost your sensesl You win
wake Uncle Simon"
But she sobbed and cried. and declared hys-
terically that Uncle Gregory was dead, and
that it was all my fault | Indignantly
pointed out the glaring injustice Of this re-
mark, and stated my conviction that the old
gentleman, in desperation, had probably
taken a long drop" from the window 81
hope you are pleased with ths result Of your
plan, Mrs. Danvers," / went on with cutting
sarcasm 1T has certainly been most bril-
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 wig. Now had ocular
demonstration. His head was as bald as an
eggJ
"Bless my soulr he gasped, with chatter
ing teeth, letting tee candle run down on our
new kiddermins:er, this is a most CHASTITY
houset refuse to &c to bed again, Charles,
he continued, excitedly. Il shall sit up all
night My nerves are quite unstrung."
Here there was terrific and continuous
peal at the front door bell ftrang, and rang,
and rang went down to open tour do
nestle having gone to bed-and Ella fol
lowed me- Hardly had | drawn back the
bolt than Mr.. Carper burst in, disheveled
painting, purple with rage, his clothes stained
with earth his hands cut and bleeding. He
tore past US upstairs like mad man, and on
the landing he carromed violently against
Uncle Simon, who was clinging to the stair
ratings shivering and shaking in his very
sketchy attue To our utter amazement the
two old men grasped hands warmly and all
but embraced each other.
Where on earth did you come from, Car
perg auavered my uncle. almost in tears.
''Finickerw returned the other in chok-
ing voice "Pm glad to see you-very glad
to see YOU Let US leave this Internal place
now-at once" Then turning to me- II tell
YOU, Charles Danvers, you wild regret the
despicable part you have played today only
once, and that sir, will be all your life You
are a low. contemplate hound, sir But
see now through your plot to secure both my
money and my friend Mr. Fnicker's. Yes,
my friend, say You might have saved
yourself lies, sir; and you, too, madam, :"
flerceiy, to the pale and trembling Ella Mr.
Finicker and We're foolish enough to quar-
rel. it is true, but l rejoice to say that we
were reconciled week ago. All, 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 q
whit better renounce you both forever"
And SO do I,r chartered Uncle Simon
1--WE 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 would permit-to his
room, accompanied by the dilapidated looking
Mr. Carper Ella went on crying. simply
swore, mot loud. but deep"
Within ten minutes the two old gentlemen
reappeared, equipped for departure Protes-
tations, explanations, apologies were all in
vain Our outraged relatives left the house
without deigning to take any further notice
Of either Ella or myself, and as they disap-
peared in the darkness felt as If every atom
of my self respect went with them
draw a veil over the narrowing scene
which followed.
! My wife and did not speak to each other
for at least week after this deplorable even
ing-but that is mere detail
! The failure OF Elias "plan," however,
marked an epoch in ray life. 1t was my last
deception. Since then l have been doggedly,
uncompromisingly truthful and straightfor-
ward in all my words and actions, and
have observed similar metamorphosis in
I Ella If ever, in the future, | find out
Gregory Simon in lie, l shall fog him most
numerically We have neither seen nor
held any communication with either uncle
since that unlucky night l fear our chances
of heirship are gone forever.
Sic transit gloria mundi!-Belgravia