, 1888-09-23

lessly, you needn't worry about them
any more; Susan will keep them. What
let you bother yourself with such thingsl"
"Madamel" shouted Bluebeard. PRO
duce the keys at once. Most wretched
creature. is it thus you repay my love and
confidence?"
MY dear husband" Zerlina exclaimed,
~anxiously, Il hope You nave not been run
ming round in the sun without an UNI
brella; it's rays are dangerous at this sea-
son. Be so good as to touch the bell and
tell o b to ask Susan for my keys.
When you feel better auntie and l will
look for you in the parlor."
Mr. Bluebeard was unhappy; She was
SO delightful in every way. Why should
it be his hard fate to consign her to an
untimely graveP He waited sadly for the
keys, which, neatly labeled, were brought
to HIM in a small basket. Alasl the fatal
key was not there. As Mr.. Bluebeard hur-
ried with sinking heart to the parlor he
to her aunt. Upon this sweet picture of
domestic bliss he must rudely enterl
"Madamel" he began, f~uriously, but her
calmly inquring look constrained him to
continue. II beg your pardon, but there
is a key-the key-that I do not find
here"
Mrs. Bluebeard put down the paper
and paused a moment. "The keyf" she
said. refectively. Let me see. All, yes;
not to be entered. You will find it in
the lower drawer (swinging) of my dress
ing case. 1t was useless to take up room
with a key that practically did not exist"
Mr.. Bluebeard tumbled dizzily up stairs.
Wsa this what people call cheek2 Would
he I'D the keyf Yesl there it reposed
just rs he had been told, the little red
ribbon tied snugly about it's neck, as
bright and shiny as If it had never in it's
life sworn away the good repute of seven
wives.
There was nothing for Bluebeard to do
but to faint, and be accordingly did so.
When he recovered he found that he had
ice on his head, q hot water bottle at his
feet, n mustard plaster on his spine, an
electric battery ready for use and Mrs.
B~luebeard, calm and self possessed, only
incidentally abiding to the effect the sun
had at that time of year, while she famed
him with long, steady motions.
OF course, Bluebeard rallied, but those
who had long known and loved him felt
hat their old friend was no more. He
became a great traveller, always leaving
the fatal key lying about at his departures;
but when he found that it made no differ
ence whether he returned at midday in
his own barouche or crept in the pantry
window at dead of night, Mrs. Bluebeard
was always laudably engaged during the
day, vi%rtuously sleeping in the night, and
the key ensconced in the dressing case.
His health began to fail visibly.
When he found that it was useless to
attempt to catch her in the act, he devoted
himself to the surreptitious examination
of all boxes, bundles and bottles, whether
of suspicious nature and appearance or
no. So clever q woman would be SURF to
conceal openly the marvellous compound
with which she cleaned the fatal stain
from the terrible key.
At last, when he had seen everything
in the house two or three times over, had
driven away indignant and valuable SER
wants by his prying, and seriously hurt
good old Mrs. Zerlina's feelings, he lost
interest in even this. His beard began to
whiten; he lost his air of a man of the
world, and became simply a nice, respect
able old gentleman, with a profound and
timid respect for his wife, cringing when
ever she lifted her eyebrows.
When his daughter was born, he used
to wheel her about the grounds in a way
that satisfied even the monthly nurse.
When Zerlina found that it was useless
to deny that he was falling rapidly, she
sent for his lawyer, had all his affairs set
in order, and then set herself to make his
last days as happy as might be.
One day Mr.. Bluebeard lay watching
her as she trimmed q hat for the cook, and
at last he said feebly:
"Zerlina, l shall not be much longer
with you Tell me, now 1 am powerless
to harm you, and it will enable me to die
happy, how did you clean the keyP"
Mrs. Bluebeard looked at the thermom-
eter, and then she felt his pulse.
1.-THE key2" she repeated. "My poor
dear, you surely nave fever. What key
do you mean? What was on it'll never
cleaned a key"
Can it be true2" he gasped. II am
dying. What is the use of deceiving me
now2 You must have opened the doorl"
Mrs. Bluebeard shook her head mourn
fully. 81 will SEND for baby and aunty,'
she said, ''before you are any worse"
Bluebeard caught her hand as she was
about to touch the electric bell. II had
q key" he whispered. ''It began long
ago, when 1 first dyed my beard and had
a desire to be thought a phenomenon. 1t
was a harmless vanity. 1t hurt no one
My wife admired it SO. l always dyed it
in the blue chamber. 1 left her the key.
l charged her not to enter. She disoboyed
me. She found out my secret. Her love
for me was gone. killed her. left her
there. I wanted to be happy, but the
women were all alike-they would go in.
1 killed them all. 1 didn't want to, but
they were so curious they forced it upon
me. And you-you must nave gone in.
1 tempted you all the time. You are a
woman-you canno have resisted-but
you know so much you have found out
something that would clean the key"
Dear, dear, DEAR" said Mrs, Blue
beard, sis this what has been worrying
you all this time? Why don't men con-
fde in their wivesH 1 never went in the
room, my dear. was very busy, and you
said it was private. ! never thought of
it again. Why in the name of the com
mon sense that your former wives seem
to have been quite destitute of, should q
woman waste her time-her precious time
that she has so little of-poking into
places that don't concern her, and where
she isn't wanted2 1 shall write an essay
on this for the Woman's club. It's the
best plea for the higher education of