The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-04-04

savaes pleasure In being miserabls:
"Sonsbody's bssn telling her . string q
lee about nss. and I Am going to,strsnsls
"who il the cads" asked Carroll. "Teli
me and III help you do IT,"
The calmness Of his friend somewhat
staggered Bob. "He II either innocent"
he thought, or else Q cousummate hypo-
critic. There n no"-
At this critical moment Burton groaned
aloud and brought his nst with resound-
ing whack down upon the innocent gate
post. "Bob," he almost shouted In his
excitement, "shoot me-, erase me; am
the guilty party. I'm the biggest monde
script In ten oounties-In walk around
for the next year 80 that I can kick my
self"
swell, out with it. TsIl mo the worst
at once" =
swell, Bob, tho way Of It was this:
There has been q rumor about these
parts-perhaps you have heard of it-that
/ once asked little Venus to be my wife.
Pm proud to say that ! did, and ! am ais
proud to say that the young lady had
sense enough to refuse me. We've always
been very good chums since, and I have
teased her often about you. She's In love
with you, dotes on you -"
Carroll" stammered Bob, "do you
really think sof"
"Think sof know 80; but she would
never confess it, pretended to dislike you.
One day / was rallying her about you IN
til she finally grew absolutely angry.
"Mr. Burton she cried. Il don't
care q snap for Mr.. Pearson, and you know
it,
"'Of course, Marjorie I said, Il was
only fooling. 1t would be quite too awful
IL you did care for an old married man
like Bob. He speaks very nicely about
you though, says he hardly likes your rude
ways, but that you are good fun and
almost pretty
"You see, Bob, I thought she would
know that I was joking, and the tempta-
ton was too goodto miss. never thought
she'd believe q word of IL. ! beg your
pardon, Bob, most sincerely"
It was far into the small hours OF the
morning when Bob and Carroll sought
their beds. They had smoked and talked
over old times and well-they had drank
just q little.
Carroll's butler, Anatole, heaved a
mighty sigh of relief as he deposited his
master carefully on his bed. "Shall /
fetch Mr.. Pearson hupstairs, sir" he
queried, respectfully.
"Anatole," said Carroll, with some
little difficulty, "Bob's gone drown him
self; sleep; good night"
Snow what can he mean by that"
thought the dignifed Anatole, as he
softly latched his masters door. "Drown
himself. Very likely he's drunk enough.
Well, it hain't none o. my business.
Hello! What's thatf"
1t was the limp figure of Bob slowly
creeping up the stairway. 1t stopped and
regarded the butler solemnly.
"An'tole," he vouchsafed, gravely.
"Tm dead. Drown myself; said ! would,
told Burton I would, 30 / did. Always
fore I'm up tell 'em I'm dead-drown my
SELF"
.Anatole bowed. eyes, sir; good night,
sir"
Eight O'Clock ona bright summer morn
ing. Seven pines, the summer mansion
of Mr.. Carroll Burton, Is strangely quiet.
The figure Of q young girl darts quickly
up the pathway which leads to the house,
stands irresolutely for . moment before
the door and finally pushes the bell.
els Mr.. Burton at homer" asks Venus
timidly.
"Yes'm," answered the butler, with q
slight elevation of the eyebrows, I" but it's
only 8 o'clock. Mr.. Burton is stif1 in bed.
Is the message important, Miss?"
"Oh, very; that is, never mind. Per-
haps you can tell me about Bob-Mr.
Pearson, I meanf"
"Yes'm. He's dead. Drowned him
SELF" Anatole shook his head sadly.
"Say, Anatole, you blithering idiot, I've
been yelling at you and punching the bell
for seventeen hours. Get me some hot
water and towels and q B. and g., and be
lively about it, you hoary-headed son OF
SOIL"
eyes, sir" answered the unmoved
Anatole. "There's q lady to see you, sir,
in the parlor."
"You lieI" shouted the incensed Car
roll from the next floor. Hurry up with
my water, will your"
The noise of hastily descending foot
steps was heard and Burton appeared in
his shirtsleeves and with his face covered
with shaving-soap.
"venus," he stammered. "You."
eyes, me-" sobbed Mistress Venus,
sand you are q miserable wretch to go
and let Bob drown himself. / loved him
and I hate you. And I'm going to drown
myself to, so I am and, oh, oh, OH
Venus threw herself prone upon the oak
settee and gave way to violent weeping.
Bob stole silently down the stairs and
over to where Carroll stood in blank dis
may, regarding the scene. He knelt down
and put his strong arms about Marjorie.
Half an hour later they were eating
breakfast together as happily as II moth
ing had ever happened.
Venus grew suddenly sober. "Bob,"
she said, tenderly, "you're not feeling
well. Your eyes are red and your face
is just as palel"
"My darling" sighed Bob, very feeling
ly, I" / nave passed q terrible night"
"He was quite overcome, I assure you,
Miss Marjorie," asserted Carroll, gravely.
"He could scarcely rise from his chair"
A sad smile overspread the stolid face
of the butler. "Miss Elmore,' he MUIR
INJURED, with Q deprecating shake OF the
head, 81 came near going for a doctor.
Would Won beHeye Il. MN. hactuallv