The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-11-21

sheets under his coat and gathered his
scattered senses he said: "Who was it,
my dear?'
THE postman, who wanted to know
if he had left the right letter. 1 told
him that it was all right"
''Was that alp" asked her husband.
Eyes, my dear"
HE wanted nothing else?"
'No, Horatio."
''You are surc?"
| Certain, my love"
''There can be no mistake, and you
are not telling me fib?"
Not a tib.''
'And you never did tell me fib,
Hannah"
Never"
"Well-then. Hannah-well-I will
get the curtains ready, and you needn't
hurry" said Mr.. Hornbill, as he left the
room.
His wife wondered at his actions, but
was glad to be alone for minute, as
the postman had given her letter that
he had forgotten to leave before; and it
had aroused her curiosity, because it,
like the mysterious document that her
husband had received, was marked
''private."
When Mr. IIornbill entered the parlor
he found the street-light insufficient for
reading purposes, and returned to the
sittingroom so suddenly that his wife
had barely time to thrust her letter in
her pocket
you l'"l better arrange the curtains"
he said, or can't tell the tops from
the bottoms"
Very well, my dear; you needn't
hurry" she answered, as she left the
room.
Mr.. Hornbill at once opened his let
ter, and smiled when he saw it was
from his sister, who had arranged lit
tie surprise for Hannah in the form of
play called THE Tin Wedding" which
was to be given by herself and her
| brother Horatio the next night, and
which was to be kept profound secret
! by the two performers. The words of
| the play were inclosed.
"Let me see," said Mr.. Hornbill, in
soliloquy, as he looked at the play: II
am in love with Arabella-quite nat
ural-a as we part | say: One more
kiss, Arabella,' and then"
Here he was interrupted by the very
sudden entrance of his wife, who aske
what did you say?"
Nothing, my dear"
"Who is Arabella?" she asked.
''Ara-what?'
"Arabella.'
"Was she invited to the tin we'd
ding?"
Never! Where is she?"
81 don't know her, my dear"
"You should not speak to persons
whom you don't know. Horatio,
heard you say Arabella, as l entered,
and want you to explain"
Certainly, my dear; for you see
was reading aloud from the paper and
read her name"
Mrs Hornbill thrust the paper in her
hus stands hands as she said: "Show
me the name of Arabella in that paper
if you can"
Mr.. Hornbill took the paper with
trembling hands and looked up one col
umn and down another as he remarked:
81 don't remember whether it was in
the market reports or Congressional
proceedings"
perhaps it was g shipping item, y"
suggested his wife.
Eyes, very likely" he said.
''Or perhaps it was a-a-lie," she
said, as she burst into tears.
He tried to soothe her and to explain
that it was only joke, and that he said
it was in the paper just to satisfy her.
Forgive me, Hannah he said. 1T
was my first flb. You only imagined
that you heard me say Arabella."
'Then leave me to compose my
nerves." she answered. And he had no
sooner left the room than she brought
her mysterious letter to the light and
saw that it was written by ner brother.
who said he had a surprise for Horatio
in the shape of new dress-coat which,
to quote his words, sis a much better
present than tin wash-boiler." Mrs.
Hornbill's reflections were interrupted
by the door-bell and the arrival of the
tailor's boy with the coat referred to.
She could not resist the temptation to
open the package and take look at it,
though John had said not to open it,
and to keep it secret until the next
evening; and so great was her delight
at the sight of it that in a moment of
playful thought she put it on and
walked about the room. But her fun
was brief, for she heard her husband
coming, and just as he entered one door
she went out of the other and, leaving
the coat in the hall, returned to the
sitting-room.
"Where has he gomez asked Mr.
Hornbill.
"Who?' she said.
THAT man"
"What man? There was no man here"
But saw him go out of the door"
"Oh! that?"
Eyes, that"
''Oh, il was the postman who had lost
letter and thought he might have left
it here"