The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-10-24


My dear" she said, without parley,
''where is your husband?'
''Nhy, he has gone to Sing Sing" re-
piled the hostess, wondering at her call
e-'s manner. She was still more sur
prised at what she heard next
''When I was a girl we were taught TO
be truthful above all things. You are
younger than !, and perhaps times have
changedi but prefer that my daughter
should not meet you after this"
And then she swept away, full of dig
nlty, TO lay before Bay Grove the prob
lem how any one man, no matter how
wicked he might be, could be in
Auburn, Elmira and Sing Sing within
month. As for Mrs Blank, she was
very indignant, and then she wept, and
then she was indignant again. Then
She wrote a letter.
The letter brought an answer in the
shape Of young man in a slouch hat,
who came down by late train and went
directly to the Blank cottage. lie sat
with Mrs. Blank on the piazza, and
they talked earnestly for a long time.
1t was nearly midnight when the con-
ference ended. Then the young man
started for the gate. Mrs. Blank fol-
lowed him, and they stood talking to-
gether by the post for two or three
minutes. 1t was a beautiful, clear moon
light night and anybody in the neigh
borhood could have seen the young man
kiss Mrs. Blank when he went away
He caught very late train for the city
Now nobody in Bay Grove would viii
inEly play the eavesdrOppcr or the spy
That goes without saying. But, as
matter of fact, several pairs of eyes say
the parting in the moonlight, and 4
many pairs Of ears heard the man say
We'll, dear, III be down here in
week, and then it won't matter wha
these people say or do"
y pretty woman, with a husband IL
three iails in 4 month and a mysteriou.
midnight visitor! Bay Grove was scan
dalized. There could be no doubt after
that that nobody in the village knew
the offender. She seemed to have
gained invisibility. Nobody saw her
when she went out; at least, nobody
give any sign OF seeing her. Even the
scapegrace gave her up which meant 4
great deal, for he believed that he had
only his wickedncss to pride himself
uPO2-
Sax days passed and caller again
rang the doer-bell at tho cottage. He
--+A-AfAA vi II "a SAAuutT llLE tle wire
seemed 20 be getting rusty for want of
use. That touched him, for ne was the
landlord and he hated to see the prop
erty dcprcciate. He had come to tell
his pretty tenant that she must secI,
other quarters. She paid the rent regu-
la-ly, but pressure had been brought to
bear upon him-and his family had So
cial aspirations, and he couldn't afford
70 disregard pressure
He stammered, but was firm. Mrs.
Blank was amazed, but loquacious. He
explained that the cottage must be
vacated at once. She declared that
such a proceeding was unbeard of. She
tried 10 break down his resolution, but
failed. Then she showed signs of get
ting hysterical.
''Oh, if my husband were only here"'
she walled.
Yes, madam, If he were, but he
ain't.' That was as near TO sarcasm as
she landlord ever came. He was I phi
lanthropist by nature and a preserver
Of the village morality by necessity.
'HIlllo, what's all this?" said some
body in the doorway. Landlord and
tenant turned like a fash. Mrs Blank
gave q shrek Of delight and threw her
self into the newcomers arms. The
landlord looked disgusted. He merely
saw young man in a slouch hat, no
doubt the midnight visitor.
Il think you had better go as soon as
you can, both Of you"
well, that's cool. I've paid the rent
OF this house and l mean to stay, es-
pecially as it suits my wife, or did until
the neighbors went crazy" This was
from the young man.
The landlord looked dazed. Your
wife?' he said. why, then, you're her
husband?''
Naturally" said the young man,
dryly. And now," he added. whats
all this to-do about any way?'
He heard all about 1t in the next ten
minutes, although it was a sadly discon-
nected story. Still he got the gist of it
pretty clearly. Then he addressed the
landlord:
Look here; you don't deserve an ex-
PLANTATION, but I'll give you one. My
business is to see things and to write
about them. l have been employed by
a magazine to describe certain features
of prison life in New York. To see
them l have had to study the prisons
carefully, and it has taken six weeks
of hard work. In that time I've had
just time enough to spend one evening
at homo and then hurry back TO work.
And now l come down here for rest
and find that you people have gone
mad and treated my wife disgracefully.
Somebody is going TO smart for this"
As matter of fact, a good many
persons did smart, but only mentally,
and, therefore, they survived and were
anxious to make amends. The land
lord withdrew his demand, and agreed
10 put in new well-curb. Those who
knew him say he suffered enough over
this to atone for all he had done. Then
came flocks of feminine visitors to the
cottage, full of tears and explanations
and contrition. The Blanks had de-
termined to go away, but these good
people couldn't hear Of it They show
cred the cottagers with attentions, and
then shey did something that settled
il that the Blanks would continue in
Bay Grove. They played their trump
card. They gave Mrs. Blank dinner
and Mr.. Blanks determination TO de-
part gave way. He and his wife are
the pride of Bay Grove now.-N. Y.
Times.