The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-09-29

sob, it was only the cuckoo clock, in
terposed Kitty, hastily, pointing to an
aged specimen Of that kind of furniture
standing in the corner just beyond the
screen. you see my clock is so old that
the striking machinery is all worn out.
When the hour comes round the old clock,
instead of striking, just gives big wheeze
like that. 1t often startles me just as it
did you"
Grave Kitty, that was pretty bold
bluff" said to myself, 'seeing that the
clocks hands are pointing to twenty-three
minutes past 4 precisely"
The explanation seemed to satisfy Mrs.
Rutledge, however, as, after glancing
severely from Kitty to the clock and back
to the screen, she turned away with the
remark that she chopped it wouldn't occur
again"
Poor little Kitty the stars in their
courses fought against Sisera, and now
they war against you
"If l must wait for you, Laura" said
Mrs Rutlcdge, quite irrationally, but
none the less complainingly, II shall take
off my cloak. It's very warm up here.
So saying she slipped off her heavy seal
dolnan and threw it carelessly over tho
lay figure that stood near her. Now, as
you know, that lay figure was ME, and
being totally unprepared to receive this
avalanche of fur, and being taken off my
guard and my balance at the same time,
| incontinently tipped over and landed
in o sitting posture on the floor. In my
fall my Mexican sombrero was tilted
back and hung over one ear, so that as l
sat there with my dirty red cape wrapped
around me must have looked like very
dissipated lay figure indeed.
What is the meaning of this, miss?"
gasped Mrs. Rutledge. "Who is this
person?"
"A friend of mine" said Kitty, imper-
turbably. ''Nlr. Malcolm, let me present
you to Mrs. Rutledge. Mrs. Rutledge-
Mr. Malcolm
"Happy, I'm sure, managed to mum
bic, at the same time trying to rise and
divest myself Of my absurd trappings,
that | might be prepared for the next in
cident in the drama, which | verify be-
lieved would DO nothing less than assault
and battery. At that moment, however,
o diversion was created by an un1nis-
taxable and very loud sneeze from the
screen.
1.-The cuckoo clockl" exclaimed Mrs.
Rutledge. THE cuckoo also is o friend
of yours, suppose" she continued, with
fine irony. Marching across the room she
| dragged the portiere away from tho
screen The latter tumbled over at the
same time, disclosing Fred, disheveled
| and dusty, kneeling on the tloor and look
| ing for all the world like some pious
| chimney sweep.
| The situation was too much for Kitty
| She went off into peals of laughter "a
which, must confess, I joined, having
| by this time recovered from my own dis
comfture. Fred got up off the ground
and sheepishly busted his clothes with his
handkerchief Miss Window glanced
timidly at the matron- The latter was a
statue of wrath.
PUT on your things at once, Laura,
and come with me, she commanded, when
she had recovered her speech.
Laura meekly obeyed. The statue OF
wrath marched out of the room, looking
neither to the right nor to the left, with
the air of q tragedy queen on her way tc
execution, R. q. e. Miss Window fol
lowed her silently, but at the door she
turned and threw a kiss back at us, which
We Immediately proceeded to scramble
for.
| We all resumed our seats after we ha6
| heard Miss Window and her aunt bestow
themselves in the elevator.
Kitty and I were disposed to be joculal
| over the adventure. But nothing that We
were able to say could cheer up Fred. Ht
was sure now that he had put an end once
and forever to all his hopes of Laura. He
made two or three sickly attempts TO ioir
our laughter, but his mirth was too evi
IDENTIFY assumed Finally he mutterec
something about mot feeling quite up tC
himself. "and took his leave. stayed
behind to have little chat with Kitty.
We sat together for while in silence
after Fred had gone, watching the even
ing shadows lcngthen across the polished
| floor, until they encountered the flicker
ings from the pleasant fire that burned In
tho hearth. Outside. as the night drew
on tho wind rose. and presently few