Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1890-08-16
CAUGHT In THE ACT.

cost so smnch nowadays to sup
portN wife!r cried impcrtinent Bryce
Thornc. casting a sly glance across the
table at Ola Fiskc. I'D propose to
somebody know Of this nigst. II ii
were not for her expensive habits"
Pooh! she wouldn't have you,'
laughed Ola. acornfully. her own
dainty tea-9own rather giving point 10
what Bryce had said. "Shc'd think /,
altogether too great a task TO BIO bur-
dcned with such a husband as you
would make. Think Of the cigarettes
you fumigate the house with. the to-
bacco you devour. and - and every
thing" y
That's 1t. Miss Ola; give it TO him. =
put in Phinnie ST. John. who had n
firm belief in what his mother, often
told him. "Phineas. you've got the
stuff in your pockets to carry you
through" and therefore did not care
how empty Of sstu1'' his head n,ight
be.
'Cigarettesr' repeated Bryce, maxi
ing aapair of big, round eyes ut Miss
Fiske. = '-eigarettes! Better say some
thing about tea. That's the third cup
you've taken this evening. Miss Olivette
Fiske."
II don't care II it is" retortcd Ola,
with careless serenity. Tea il fash.
ionable nowadays, and how much do
You imbibe Of il yourself. MIR. 1'hornep
You drink fer more tea than do,
doesn't he, Mrs. Doanc?"
Mr.. poanefs smile was perfectly nom
committal; she was that rarity. land
lady who pleased all her boaralers.
smiling AZ swectly on Phinnic st. John
when she said TO her, with charming
clearuess, II can sling rs much fod-
der'dossB my trunk as the nexs man,
~ upon Mrs. Livelign, who was n lady
60 perfect that no one dared address
her for fear Of making an error in
grammar. or committing breach of
etiquette.
Mrs. Doane. do drink as much
tea rs Miss Fiske?n appealed Bryce,
who seemed much hurt by the accusa-
ton.
Il really do not know Hammered
Mrs. Eoane. who would not for worlds
express an opinion concerning any of
her boarders' appetitcs.
''Of course not--nobody knows it.n
resumed Bryce swelling up pompously.
miss, Ohyetts. a consider that you
have slandered me foully, while You
why, You haycn't even the face 10
deny that sou have drank three cups
Of tea this EVENING""
Bryce Thor9e I'll pledge myself to
leave of drinking tea II you will III
wager nspkin-ring that you viii
break your pledge before. l do..' - -
Hear. hear! A beta bctl' cried
Phinnie ST. John, jubilantly.
"Fil take you up on that. I'll bet
2 ring that you will take the first
draught."
"A napkin-ring, ssid." returned
Ola, coloring eighty.
Bryce. turning to a table full OF smil-
Ing boarders. Watch the pantry,
Mrs Dosne'' sra sWl
Mot T." returned she. III Ola
gets hungry she can 60 to the pantry
any time she likes.''
Can't II" exclaimed Bryce in great
establishments
'Of course.r Asscnted Mrs. Doane.
by Jove! you'll both need watch
mgr cried Phinnic ST. John. and
- l have nothing to do. I'm the one to
do it."
Dear me. Mrs. Doane. sha,n't put
. paddock on the pantry door?u sug-
gested. NJ Shylock. who was a car
lady. & -
After this Ola was Obliged % take
water at all the little tea-parties where
she was invited, and her pretty tea
gowns seemed almost a mockery to
her.
Bryce Tborps, and Phiunie 81. John
followed kerl about. too, telling the |
story TO everybody; and her, friends !
were laughing. knowing well how
much she loved n cheering cup, and
how delighted the two Young men
were with this opportunity of lingering
in the wake OF pretty Ola.
oh. you'll see me around with a
napkin ring hanging to my watch
chain. before long" Bryce would
say. Il don't care thing about the
the stuff. you know"
And Phinnie watched and watched
until he grew weary. and began to |
lose faith in the stuff in his pockets. |
fearing that it would fail to bring him
oil the prizes Of his life after all.
One day he communicated the joy-
Gus intelligence to them ut luncheon.
I'm obliged to go away this after
noon. Some OF the rest OF you will |
have to watch our two tea-driukers.r
Nobody volunteered, and Phineas
did not seem in the least disappointed.
Ola was q copyist, who did her |
work in her own room, and. toward
dusk. her manuscript all ,Iaintily finish.
ed she sauntered down into the sit
ting-room.
No one was there. Mrs. Doane was
missing. loo. and Ola, could not re-
sist great temptation.
IN 60 down into the kitchen and
make me a cup OF tea" she laughed to
herself my head aches so from that
everlasting writing. and Bryce Thorae
will never know"
Ten minutes later the teapot was
steaming away gloriously upon the
range, and the fumes of Olia's favorite
green beverage pervaded all the air.
Horrors! There was sound OF rush
Ing footsteps along the hall. Is
1t could be nobody but Bryce Thorne,
for no one else could get away from
business at that hour.
Ola had Just time to thrust the tea
pot back into the dark corner where il
was usually KEEP. by Mrs. Doane.
The door opened, and Ola. from the
corner where she had taken refuge.
could see Mr.. Thorne pcering cautious