The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-07-11

whit.
You are discharged" said Mrs.
Cavendish, firmly-''at once!"
Miles SUNK away and disappeared.
Mrs. Cavendish went up to her room,
and after ministering as well as she
could to the wants of the poor little
victim of measles she threw herself on
the bed with wet towel bound around
her head and despair in her heart.
There's one comfort" said Mrs.
Cavendish, gloomily smiling, IF he
discharged Lucy, 1 have sent away
Milesw
Mr.. Cavendish had an unusually busy
day in the city. AS he was hurrying
toward the depot in the afternoon he
remembered that his mission to Mr..
Virgins famous Intelligence bureau
was yet unfulfilled.
''Confound i'll" said Mr.. Cavendish
to himself. However, tomorrow will
do just as well. My mother did with
out any help at ALL"
At the station no buggy was i'm wait
ing.
II wonder what that lazy villain
Miles is aboutpn said Mr.. Cavendish, "a
dark frown gathering upon his brow.
''He may think he's got snug place of
it, but I'll teach him I'm not to be trifled
with
When he reached Althea lodge every
thing was disorganized. Ethel was
pulling the feathers out of the pea
cocks tail; Bob was galloping around
the barn-yard on the back OF Pounce,
the pony.
Were having such fun, pa!' he
cried. ''Pounce hasn't been fed, cause
l couldn't find the key of the oat bin,
and the COW is lost. Such fun"
where is Miles?" roared the father.
MAS discharged him."
what forp"
"Cause he talked saucy to her."
Mr.. Cavendish stood moment star
ing at the pony and the peacock, the
boy and the girl.
"Ethel," said he, 'let that bird go.
Robert, get off the pony at once and
come into the house,"
Ethel obeyed reluctantly, Robert with
alacrity.
We've got company" chirped the
latter youth-'company, pa! most
forgot to tell you. And mas in bed
with headache. and there's no one to
get them any supper. Hooray!'
Mr.. Cavendish hurried into the house.
The parlor was undusted, yesterdays
flowers were wilted in the vases, and
the fire had died into mass of feathery
cinders. Through the open door was
visible the dining-room, with the re-
mains of the breakfast still visible-as
dispiriting 4 scene as could well be be-
held.
And there, in the midst of all this
forlornity, sat Mrs. Burgoyne, his sister
from the west, to whom he had fire.
quently boosted of the perfection of his
wife's housekeeping arrangements, and
u Mrs. Ridgway, who once, years ago.
had been a sort of old, sweet beau of
his. OF all people, he was most anxious
that his home should appear pleasant
in the eyes of those two women! And
now
He made the best of it, however. He
extended to them an ostentatiOusly
hospitable welcome, hurriedly built
up blazing camel coal fire in the
CRATE, and fastened upstairs to where
poor Mrs. Cavendish was deluging her
forehead in cologne and endeavoring
to twist up the wet braids of her heavy
hair into company order.
julia said he, what does this
meanp Miles gone"
Il discharged him." said she, reso-
lutely. you said / was perfectly
justitiable in doing so if he spoke i'm
pertinently to me. And he did So"
"But what am L to dop"
Precisely the question l asked you
this morning"
Mr.. Cavendish had nothing further
to say for himself. He simply muttered
some kind of an anathema between his
closed lips.
"Do you know" he said, that there
is company downstairs"
Yes; but until this moment l have
been unable to leave my bed"
"My dear" he said, compassionately,
putting his arm around her shoulder,
''does your head ache so hardp"
1T is better now, James"
Il do believe" slowly observed Mr..
Cavendish, ''that have been Il fool
"Oh, james,"
passion with poor Lucy. And all about
nothing, too, when one comes to think
of it."
Mrs. Cavendish laughed Historically.
I'VE all make mistakes, James," said
she. wait n minute. dear. I'll go
downstairs with you now, if you'll
give me your arm. l couldn't ask
Your sister and her friend up here with
the children sick with the measles,
could I?"
WHO is with them now-the child.
red, mean?"
"A handy young girl from the viii
lage-Lucy's sister"
'Couldn't-couldn't she help us with
dnner?" ventured Mr.. Cavendish.
'Shc is too young. Besides, she has
had no experience. But james"
Yes, Julia"
"Open confession is good for the
soul" said Mrs. Cavendish. Lucy
came back to me about two hours ago.
She said you had sent her away, but
that she could not bear to leave me ut
such II time. She is getting dinner
downstairs now"
''She's Il trump" cried Mr.. Cavern
dish.
Scarcely had he introduced his wife
IN tho ladias in thp narlor than the