Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-04-30

HARDWOOD yelling Thieves! robbers!
burglarsr' at every jump. Rushing
through the hall and the library, to the
extension, the intruder made graceful
exit through the window, to the grape
vine trellis, followed by the now thor
oughly aroused Harwood.
The old wooden trellis was evidently
not equal to the emergency, and with .
noise of a young cyclone, it fell. Har-
wood landed in such way that he was
able to get his grip on the retiring free
trader, though for moment only, yet
long enough to gain possession of Con-
stances jeweEbox.
All this pleasant little scene had
been accompanied with due amount of
noise; in fact, even a policeman was
awakened by the din, and after the es-
cape OF the thief, Harwood lost con-
seriousness until he felt the grip of the
officer on his collar.
1t required some little time, but he
finally became aware that his ankle was
horribly sprained, and that the worthy
city guardian had arrested him as the
thief If he could have caught one
glimpse Of his appearance, he would
have forgiven any one the mistake.
He resembled job lot Of mud and rags.
The officer was deaf to his attempts at
explanation. He simply looked at the
facts: here was his prisoner, with some
OF the plumber, a jewel-case, in his
grasp.
Fortunately for his sprained ankle
and his general comfort, at this stage in
the proceedings Miss Constance, who
just returned in time to participant in the
excitement, came to the rescue with the
servants, while his aunt, in state OF
pleasurable exhilaration at the thought
that the attempted larceny of her dia-
monds would be mentioned in every So
ciety paper, was an interested observer
from her chamber-window.
When Constance found that Har-
woods sprained ankle and generally
wrecked appearance were the result of
his struggle to save the precious heir
loom, her gratitude and solicitude made
him feel that his experience was almost
enjoyable.
The combination Of the grip and the
injured leg confined him to the house
for several weeks; but, as the fair maiden
had developed f1rst-class case Of ''LG
grippe" after the night of the dance, it
was great consolation to feel that she
was not far of, and, also, that the
dreaded rivals designs were, for the
present, foiled.
But this feeling of contentment was
short-lived. His atfluent aunt suddenly
realized it was the season when all fash.
ionable freaks fed to Southern chimes,
so taking her niece and their respective
and individual grips, they started South.
Alone in large New York house,
surrounded by sprained ankle, four
servants, and the grip, Harwood found
was not conducive to buoyancy of spir-
its. To be sure, he had letters, nice, in
teresting letters, from Constance; the
thought that his sprained ankle was
caused by rescuing the jewel-case, made
her gratitude bloom forth in eloquent
epistles, and, besides, the influenza had
so toyed with her chaste features that
1T made her appearance in public out of
the question at present, so even letter.
writing was enjoyable.
HARDWOOD tolerated his surroundings
for few days without breaking up the
furniture; but when he heard that the
persistent rival, with case of grip for
an excuse, had followed his shrine to
southern climes, he began to feel that
inactivity was intolerable, and, after
writing and burning numerous heart.
rending letters, he seized a cane in one
hand and his grip" in the other, limped
into cab, and started for the train.
1t was the afternoon of lovely.
spring-like day when he reached their
l. l.
afiuent aunt, he learned that Miss Con-
stance had so far recovered as to under
take ride, escorted by HIM.
He finally settled himself in a sunny
corner OF the piazza, and was trying to
pretend that he was not impatientlv
watching for two riders to appear in the
dim distance, when suddenly, with cries
OF alarm, nurses and children came
rushing from the driveway on to the
steps, and a second later, runaway
horse with disheveled rider dashed
madly round the corner of the hotel.
HARDWOOD Harrison weighed one hun
dred and eighty pounds, had never
pulled in a college race, had avoided
football matches and tugs of war; con-
sequently, when an emergency came he
was in good condition. Without recog.
nizing the rider, and entirely forgetful
of the ankle, ihe. sprang across the piaz-
"a into the street, and, moment later.
his one hundred and eighty pounds was
swinging on the bride of the runaway
horse.
The grip on several occasions separat-
ed him from his idol, but this time the
grip-the grip of his right hand
brought them together. Yes, very
much together, as Constance fell in q
deed faint in his arms.
A few days later, a gentleman might
have been seen with a carefully ban
daged ankle and a large look of
happiness, seated by the side, yes, very
close by the side, of coRtented-look-
ing maiden-some of the hands were
clasped-
He might have been heard to muir.
muir: "But how about my hated rival?"
''Oh" she whispered, last week
promised to be sister to himr"
''Then he did really offer himself?'
"Yes, but never TO mo. Why, were
you so blind as not to see he was in
love with my sister, Their conversa-
ton was then interrupted by mutual
gripping cough.-Will Phillip Hooper,
in Demorest's Monthly.
BACHELOR LYBARITES.