Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-01-10

see me tonight Oh, pshaw! that Is
1877. Let me see. Here is 10, Jan. Goth.
Baby had the Group last night. Mother
thinks he is bad off. Wish Dick was here"
and here the little woman threw the
book down, and burst out soD5ing as
though her heart would break.
ooh, Dick-Dick! To think that-strug-
Cling on alone--here by myself-and our
little darling baby at deaths door-every
| thing to see after-and you off there with
| her!"
| The last word was a scream which
brought me to my feet in alarm. Mrs.
Miller was evidently approaching hys-
! terics.
| "Oh-h-h DEAR" she continued. If had
! only died before I saw that picture
standing there with his ar-r-rIn around
| BY this time had reached the middle
of the room, where, coatless, in my stock
ing feet, and my head swathed i'll a red
handkerchief, l was vainly striving for q
hearing. Finally Molly took pity on me
and interceded in my behalf.
st is only just to hear what he has to
say, Sally"
| Nothing that he can say will have the
! slightest effect now," sighed Mrs. Miller,
now totally exhausted, and reclining on a
rug with her head supported in Kate s
lap. ''Speak on, SIR"
Il am sincerely sorry that this has ever
occurred" began. at is all the result
| of very natural mistake. l am not your
| husband, as you suppose"
l could not continue, for my voice was
! drowned in scream.
| 'And you have the hardihOOd to tell me
! this before my mother and my child. On
! you unnatural monster"
l could see that another paroxysm was
coming on and l fed. Not through the
/ hall, for she was between me and the
door, but the entrance to side-room was
handy, and l made use of it.
| found myself in little apartment
| about eight feet by ten, evidently used as
sleeping-room by the hired help, when
such was required in the busy crop season
| The only articles were a bedStead and a
chair, but in one corner sat a pair of gum
boots, probably left by the last occupant,
and over the bed hung an antiquated
specimen of an army revolver. This last
| 1 took from its nail and mechanically
! turned in my hand, much as a blind man
might have handled book, not knowing
whether it was Shakespeare or the Bible
| Suddenly heard the voice of that awful
boy again.
'sGoody! Goodyl We're going to have
| chickin for dinner.
| No attention was paid to his clamor,
and he proceeded to explain at the top OF
his voice.
"'Cause daddy's got the 'volver and
! he's goin' to shoot our old rooster, | know
he is"
Oh, what a wealth of undying love was
expressed in the Mortified cry that burst
from my much-inj ured, but forgiving,
wife.
"Quick, girls! Quick! Don't let him
do it. He'll kill himself. Dick, Dick!
| Don't do it,''
AS some vast tidal wave might sweep
| down upon a vessel at anchor, smother
ing it in its overwhelming torrent, and
bearing the shattered remnants back to
its ocean lair, so this half-frantic, wholly
| terrified group of females invaded the
sanctity of my last refuge. Loving and
solicitous arms were about my neck, the
revolver was snatched from my nerveless
| hand and hurled through the window, and
| was dragged back into the larger apart
ment. Literally, 1 was in the hands of
my friends.
| For a moment l think I was half insane
from the tumut and confusion, and
| fought like tiger to be free, but each of
my loving sisters chung to an arm, Mrs.
Miller's blue lawn sleeves We're encircling
my neck with suffocating pressure, the
old lady had me around the waist, and
was comparatively helpless.
As we were waltzing past the open door.
some one dashed into the hall, and
caught glimpse of familiar face.
Never did wellington experience one
| fourth the delight at the coming of Bluch-
er. l essayed to wrench free from my
| prosecutors; stepped on sister Kate's
| toes; stumbled, and we all went down in
q confused heap, just as the entire build
! ing rang with Dick Wellington's peculiar
war cry.
"Great Boston! What a set of April
| fools!"
| He stood in the doorway with my hat
and coat in his handbook Miller without
a doubt. | lay on the floor conyulsed with
| laughter-also the genuine and only Dick
| Miller. Wife, sisters, motherin-law,
struggled to their feet and looked from
one to the other in amaZement; the old
| lady standing, half bent, with her hands
on her knees peered at us through her
| specs in the most comical manner i'm
| aginable.
| looked at sister Molly, but she wasn't
| crying and consequently needed no SYM
| pathy; therefore, to allow my friend time
to make the necessary explanations, I
pTOlIoEeu al SlUOW W tdCll Ol lut dLliZeu
sisters.
''SuppOSe, girls, we adjourn to the
| kitchen and see about some dinner" said
l. 81 Will leave my wife to entertain this
stranger for the present." and, like sem
sible young ladies, they grasp the situa-
| ton at once, and arm in arm We left the
room.
That was six years ago. Another snowy
cottage now adorns the little ridge across
the branch. Several little HigginsOns and
Millers have been added to the population
| of Arkansas, aud the old lady has passed
to q better land, but the principal person.
ages of this story still survive, and it is
needless to add that Sally and Molly have
long since ceased to make any mistakes
in the identity of their respective hus-
bands.-.S. ID. Barnes, In Yankee Blade.