, 1891-01-09

the Dalts- missed ms IOOtlng ana feH
spawling in the mud.
Whatever will Elizabeth say when
she sees the state / am inf' he gasped,
as he picked up his bag and stick.
Naturally enough she will declare
that / have been drinking, and If the
children run to meet Inc, as they usual
ly do, they will take me fora DOGGY and
shrek like mad Hang country life!
| wish from the bottom of my heart
that | had never left Paradise Villa,
TufneIl park. oh, for the distant roar
Of London and n passing hansom!n .
II occurred, as Of curse it would,
to the unfortunate gcntleman's mind
that lie had taken the wrong turning,
and all wet and miry as lie was tried
the nev which happened TO be the
correct one.
As lie Enocked at the door there
came a pattering Of feet along the hall,
intersperscd with gleeful cries of Dad
dy's come homer
Keep the children back, Henry al
most shrieked; I've walked into Il
confounded pond, and am not a fit
spectacle for them to set eyes upon"
The servant broke the news gently
by skirmishing the youngsters into the
dining DOM. and informing Mrs, Bile
ton that ''mnstcr had met with a ter
rible accident"
This announcement produced symp
toms Of Mysteries on the part Of the
mistress of the house and terrific yells
from the threats of the olive branches.
and meanwhile tho long suffering
Henry was shivering ON the doorstep.
Let me in!" he roared; Il tell You
there nothing the matter. I'm only "A
little wet and muddy. Mary, you
monster in n pink frock. take "A months
notice.
His wife admitted him, but not with
that amount Of sympathy which the
occasion deserved.
ooh, Henry" she cried, uplifting
her hands, Il am afraid this comes of
your meeting so many friends in the
city"
My friends are not responsible for
a beastly foggy night, he reJoined
and have yet to learn that it il "a
habit Of theirs to push me into "A pond
and leave me to my fate"
With this lie stalked majesticaliy up
stairs, and in about half an hour re-
turned, like Richard, himself again"
lie would have eaten his dinner in
silence, but Elizabeth was full OF the
terrors Of the neighborhood. An ugly
gypsy woman met the nursemaid, and
asked a question respecting the age OF
the children, and what other motive
could the hag have but to steal the
darlingsi Then a mas with "a fearful :
squint in one eye and mn a-ggravating
leer had called TO know whether there
were any rags or bones to be disposed of.
Rags and bones indeedi' quoth
Elizabeth. The wretch wanted to ex.
anime the house tn see the easiest way
to break into it, " etc.
Finding that these items failed to
curdle her husbands blood, Mrs. Bile
ton harked back on an ever safe sub
ieot, and returned to tile attack on the
tradesmen of the neighborhood. Never
were such people to charge; she thought
that everything was cheap in the coun-
try, put nnd come to the conclusion
that London was the only place to
bring up n family on n moderate in
come.
The Goldfish you ordered arrived of
cuurse too late for dinner Elizabeth
wound up with, land weighs sixteen
pounds"-
Good gracious Henry interposed.
II told Eeles not to send u fish weigh
ing more than eight.
When | go shopping" Elizabeth
said, casting a whitening glance at her
spouse, Il take good care to see what
| am buying, and to ascertain the price.
No human being in his or her senses
would dream of giving ninepence a
pound for Goldfish at this time of year. "
'Ninepence n poundw Harry cried,
starting up. No, and l will never pay
II. Eeles shall send for the fish tomor-
row. Tll-Iu write n letter to the To-
cal paper and ruin his business. -
Elizabeth laughed sarcastically.
Nonsense o. said she; 1--WE must keep
the fish now and make the best of it.
Mary has hung it up in the lnrder,
SOL
There's an end q it." Bileton inter
rupted. Now, my love, if you don't
mind, l will enjoy a pipe and a glass of
whiskey hot, and then make tracks for
Bedfordshire.
1t was the witehing hour OF night,
and Henry had long since taken n berth
in the phantom ship which sails to
Shadowland, and was testing the har-
monte strength of his nasal organ to its
full extent, but Mrs. Bileton was wide
awake and thinking.
Perhaps she had spoken uukindly to
Henry, who certainly had his faults,
but was one of the best fellows in the
world. Had he not alluded TO a trip
to the west end of London, limiting at
the glories of a certain furrier's estab-
lishment, some move costumes for the
children, n new carpet for the drawing
room and What was thatl 1t was
something that caused Mrs. Bileton TO
start and shiver as If the warm bed.
clothes had suddenly changed to sheets
of ice. From below had come n hollow
thud, followed by the crashing of glass.
For n moment speech failed the af-
frighted lady; terror held her spell
bound and motionless. She expected
to hear the children scream and the
ervunts shrek; but nothing of the
kind occurred and Henry snored peace
fu1ly pt