The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-11-02

expedlents.
Well, good by, Miranda
He bobbed his sandy head and gave
her the brief, business like kiss which
expresses about as much affection as a
dig IN the ribs.
Good-by, Myrtle
Good-by, pa said Myrtle.
She was an angular child OF I2, with
pale, hatchet face, pair of round, wa.
terry blue eyes, and all air of alert timld-
ity.
And now, said Mrs. Pierce, bristling
with expedlents, we will see to that
window.
She was locking the door after her
liege lord.
How. map
Come and help ! was the terse and
indirect reply.
The house was a frame dwelling
which stood in the meager grounds al.
lotted to the majority of even those city
houses which are not rigidly blocked.
The kitchen window looked out on q
narrow strip of back yard, which rar
directly to the alley in the rear.
Mrs Pierce lit the gas, revealing myr.
lads of water bugs scuttling around the
ROOM
Oh, ma !!
Well?
She was exerting all her strength tc
put down the perverse window.
I'm so afraid of the bugs. Let's &C
upstairs !!
It's burglars, not bugs, you'll have tc
be afraid of if we don't get this window
fixed, grasped Mrs. Pierce with grim
emphasis, as she realized her forts to
persuade the obdurate frame were fu.
tile, as her husbands had been.
We'll have to 60 down stairs anc
bring up a couple of washtubs, she
added.
Her particular ability was beginning
to exhibit itself.
When they had brought the tubs up
stairs and placed them before the win
dow they filled them from the kitcher
faucet.
Between them she placed a chair
and thereon balanced frying pans, breac
pans, gem pans, jelly cake pans and pie
pans.
Then she produced a hammer, 4:
string and a couple OF double pointee
tacks.
The tacks she drove in lightly at eacl
side of the window casing and ran ths
string through. One end of it she tiec
to the handle of the dinner bell and the
other round the neck of bottle of am
monia.
Directly in front of the sill she placed
large mustard can, with the lid very
lightly laid on.
1t did not contain anything SO milo
as mustard, though. 1t was filed t.
the brim with cayenne pepper-Nata
cayenne at that.
Now, declared Mrs. Pierce, steppin!
back to view the result of the labor,
any burglar gets IL there without GU
hearing him, it's queer story. He
certain to founder into the water, knocl
down the tins. ring the bell, break th'
bottle of ammonia and get the red pep
per into his eyes into the bargain. Ant
serve him right, too in aggrleved anti
cipation of possible intruder.
Myrtle's round eyes were rounde
than ever.
Oh. ma, it's worse than dynamite
amt it Oh, ma, you're an awfu
smart woman Amt you, ma?
Miranda Pierce smiled the smile G
appreciated supremacy. But she onl
answered modestly:
| have a genus for expedients, Myr
tie.
When, after having made final re
viewing round of the house they wen
up stairs to bed, the spouse of Davl
Pierce produced revolver, which sh
tucked under her pillow.
Now if we hear the crash in tn
kitchen, Myrtle, I'll just open the win
dow, fire off the revolver, and yell, Pc
lice!
Myrtle shuddered reverentialIy 4;
such heroic resolution.
Oh, ma, you're awful brave! sh
whispered, as she got into bed and CO,
cred her head up tightly in the clothe
The night wore on-a warm, mois
dark August night. Mrs. Pierce, pre-
foundly confident of the success of h'
barricade, should an entrance be a
tempted-or rather assured in such
case she would be aroused, and brlmf
OF other equally clever expedients-
went placidly to sleep But wide awak
half sufocated, shaking with terrc
Myrtle covered by her side.
Eleven
How could her mother sleep whit
those terrible burglars might ever nc
be creeping up the back yard2 Anoth
hour of agony dragged by.
Twelve
There was the clink of a bell as