Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-01-31

fS ~AOUAO VIC 1OOb VI JOnuSL OAu
tree, and TARTAN and all that sort of
thing. But can'tI"
you might if you chose" said Her
bert, boldly plunging into the subject
nearest his heart.
Il shall like to know how" said she
incredulously.
%You might be my wifeI" he spoke
out, @and if you would, oh Ethel, you
should wear woven pearls or rain-bows,
if they were to be hadI"
ooh, but that's nonsense" declared
Ethel.
%No, it's not" said Minton, upon
my soul and honor"
%Do you mean that you like me? said
straightforward Ethel.
Il love You," declared Herbert.
So they became engaged, and the
bellies of the Thousand Island House,
who wore the delicious Nile-greens"
and so-forth, looked enviously on and
wondered what was the charm of dark
serge dresses, hair fastened up by
plain shell-comb, and great blue eyes
with long lashes.
But before the fishing season on the
st. Lawrence was fairly over, Mr.. Min
ton came to his fair fance with per-
tarbed face.
Ethel" said he. Il have bad news
for you"
"Bad news?" She looked up earn:
estly in his face. SIT can't be very
bad, with you standing there alive and
well to tell it, dear Hubert"
81 have lost my fortune" said he,
hoarsely. "The old lawsuit 1 told you
of, which has so long been pending, has
been decided against me. am poor
man to-day, and have come to give
you up the troth you plighted me, so
brief while ago."
"But ] won't take it." said Miss
Langdon, decidedly. Dear me, it
wasn't your money I fancied, Hubert
Minton, it was your
''My own darling!" said he with
trimming eyes; "but thank Heaven
I'm not a positive pauper yet. I have
house to live in-not in any very in
viting locality to be sure-and [ will
write essays and critiques for the maya
zines, and you shall paint pictures and
Aunt Miriam shall keep house for us!"
ga house, eh?" said Ethel gravelv.
'"That's great deal hetter than moth
ing. For aunty and know by sad ex-
perience how hard it is to pay rent, or
rather not to pay it. We were turned
out of house once, for being behind
with the rent.
"Impossible!" cried Minton, indig-
nantly.
Eyes, indeed" said Ethel, with
the utmost solemnity cts too
true. 1t was before 1 found out
that had any genius for drawing or
painting. and we were trying, vainly
enough, to live on Aunty's poor little
pension as soldiers widow. I don't |
know that I blame the landlord so
much. 1 suppose people like their
money when it's due"
people needn't be savage!" said |
Herbert. II should like the chance of
kicking that landlord down stairs!"
1t was the agent" said Ethel, "a little
bandy-legged, snuffy fellow, with a per-
petual cold in his head and eyes that |
didn't look the same way. But l was
revenged on him!" with a peal of
laughter.
"You? How?"
"You won't tell anybody, will you?"
coaxed Ethel, because 1 was silly, |
girl, and I shouldn't |
think of doing such a ridiculous thing |
now. I fastened an old tin fsh-horn !
in the fue of the kitchen chimney and |
hung a yard or two of iron chain be- |
hind the parlor CRATE, so that when
ever there was light wind one heard |
the most doleful squeaks and groans
and sepulchral ratings! And 1 told
old Granny Higgins, the colored !
woman, who washed for us, an outra-
geous story about ghosts that I had
read in some old German book-and |
do you know, I've heard that the house
has never been rented since! Wasn't |
it capital revenge on old Muggins?"
"Capital!" said Hubert was the
agents name Abraham Muggins ?"
Exactly" cried Ethel. How could !
you possibly guess?"
"And the house was situated in Hem |
lock Place, No. 1872"
"No. 90 Hemlock Place, of course it
was" nodded the girl with wide epen
eyes.
What rare piece of luck" said HUI
bert. "If it hadn't been for the ghost |
that house would have been sold along
with the rest. But nobody considered a |
ghost to rank among the more desirable |
modern Improvements of the day, and |
so it comes to pass that we have yet |
roof to cover US, my bonnv Ethel"
"What" cried Miss Ethel. was
was it your house, Hubert?"
Il confess to being the ruthless land
lord" said he with laugh. And Mug
gins was my agent. But upon my word,
1 knew nothing of the circumstances of
the case"
%But you oughtlto have known, HUI
bert"
"Of course I ought; and shall know
better next time l own half a dozen |
blocks of houses"
Which won't be just at present, said !
Ethel.
NO, I'm afraid not"
The young couple living now in No. |
90 Hemlock Place, are very poor, very
aOufoDkoH oud not 81 all L.