The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-07-23

enOulQ cnOo6o Tor q husband. II mar
ned him It would be only to please you"
"Fie, Kitty, you are not that spiritless
sort Of girl a. 10 marry simply TO please
your old father" said Childer pettiShly.
"But tell me, is there not some one else.
some old friend or playmatel"
81 never had but one" said Kitty,
looking down with . pretty blush, land
you have forbidden me to think Of him.
Look here, Kitty" be wheeled sud-
denly around and probed her eyes with
his own, do you wish to save your old
father from shame. from humiliation,
from slanderous tongues, perhaps from
something worSel Would you be willing
to sacrifice yourself, child, and marry to
save him from such Q sad fateT
"Oh, not Mr.. Rigsby," cried Kitty,
clasping her hands and looking the very
picture Of despair.
mo, no, my child. . very different
man Would you be willing to marry
Mark Spoford, the son Of my enemy, !
may say my intimate enemy, to save
your old father from disgrAcer
Kitty threw herself into his arms,
clung to his neck, kissed him passion
Ately, rapturously, and pressed him to
her heart.
Marry MarkP Oh, father, don't you
know | love him dearly, have always
loved him, that we were engaged when
I was Eve years oldT
There, there. that win do; but there
Il something else you must agree TO,
Kitty" and the old man let his voice
sink to . whisper; lyon must elope with
him!"
Kitty made great eyes and then burst
into 9 peal Of laughter. "Elope with
Mark, and with your aid and consentl
What dreadful, monstrous, direful thing
have you done, papa, to bring you to this
pass2"
Don't speak Of 1t, Kitty" said her
father, with groan. "It was all mis-
take-a wrstched, miserable blunder-
but it can be made to wear q damnable
look. It might act on mans life like
. blight, . mildew, q creeping, inidious
mold. It has taught me q lesson, Kitty.
l am going to give up the club and
games Of chance and hot whisky toddy
at late hourA Ny old haunts will know
me no more. Henceforth shall devote
my evenings to your poor mother. l
shall endeavor TO regulate my conduct
on the strictest rule Of propriety, AhemT'
"Well, dear papa" said Kitty, . little
smile peeping out Of the corner Of her
mouth, II will endeavor to save your
fair fame by the sacrifice Of myself, and
q. A. laaa IL Ill
certainly need your devotion"
The same day, at dinner, Mr., Childers,
with severe parental severity, inquired
Of Tom II he had disposed Of the mastif,
whereupon Tom admitted that he had
placed that peerless canine with Higgins.
"Well, sir, about the pistols"
Tom suIkily asked II he could not
keep the pistols and practice shooting at
Q mark OF in the wood, . good bit away
from the house.
"No, sir, you can't" returned the irate
old gentleman; next thing you will
fancy you hear noises in the house at
night-people moving about down stairs
and you will shoot me or one Of the
servants. Bring the pistols here and l
will put them under lock and key, at
any rate. while your mother is ailing,
that she may not lay awake nights and
frighten herself over the possible mur-
ders you may commit"
Tom brought the pistols, and saw
them locked in his fathers desk with
gloomy forebodings and much III dis
guised resentment against the head Of
the house.
For the next few days Mr.. Childers
remained at home most Of the time and
attended b some repairs going on about
the place. Kitty's window on the Spot
ford side was now permanently open.
Tom slept in that part Of the house, and
he began TO complain Of strange noises
after midnight. He described them as
. ticking, . buzxing, stealthy move
ments. murmurS Of conversation, and
series Of gentle raps such a. are heard
BY the Spiritists. When Tom, spoke Of
these things In the morning ct the break
fast table his father pooh poohed the
matter and buried himself behind his
newspaper. Kitty mildly suggested that
Il might be chimney swalloWA
But Tom had theory Of his own. II
was ais notion that o band Of burglars
who, some time before had been operat-
ing in another quarter Of the town, were
now shadOwing the house, having learned
that the big mastiR had been removed,
preparatory TO q raid on the family sil-
yer. One night he determined to watch
and try and ferret out the mystery. A
little after midnight the noises began as
usual Tom slipped stealthily down stai3
in his stockings, and, strange to say,
heard sound like q kiss and the ilutter-
ing u woman's dress in the darkness.
He trod on air without making sound,
and the next moment came bump up
against . man on the landing with whom
be grappled, getting his arms about the
portly person and giving him . tremen-
douS bear hug.
"WhO the devil are you" cried . IA
miliar, stifled voice, ''and what are you
up tor
"FatherI" exclaimed Tom, as be
struck match, and found the old gen.
tlsman fully dressed, bent double with
the embrace he bad received, and in .
towering rage.
"What are you doing, you cub, run
ming about the house ct this hour Of the
nightT
"And what are you doingr
"Ito rome Of your buEnesS. I've Q
right 10 walk about IN my own house
when ! please, haven't n"
Tom sneaked away 10 bed, and slept
20 lats. the next morning he was not
present at the breakfast table When
Mary, Tie maid. ruished "a with white
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