Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-01-03

L u a.
partial TO the company OF burglars AMI
housebreakers. but what was man to
do thus charmnsly appealed tor
Don't he afraid. Fanny" said |
catching up the guitar case valiantly
making for the lower part OF the HOUSE
with that weapon of aggression Come
on, Hardenbrook-we' make 'ein stir
round pretty lively. OF We'll know the
reason why
to my expectations. had n,,lf feared
his remaining behind To comfort the
frightened dove in the blue muslin feath
ers.
"You look in the kitchen, Thistledown
and I'll examine the cellar" he said. and
| promptly obeyed looked under tht
dresser. behind the tables even beneath
the great brass kettle in the corner. bu
there was no burglar there.
lit must nave been the cat, Harden
brook" bawled |. "for-the deuce, how
came this door shutr'
gave the handle Of the door nm ener
getic turn-it was fast locked
And now the truth began to dawn
dimly upon my perturbed and excited
brain-the coast was clear. and victor,
belonged to Bruce HardenbrOok.
In vain shouted until my lungs were
hoarse-in vain | ratified the relentless
door: nothing but the echo rewarded my
efforts Nor was the scene of my invol
untary confinement particularly invit
ing. IL was dark. close, and intensely
hot-a circumstance easily accounted
for by the fact Of white hot tire glow
ing away in the range and no particular
circulation except that OF Croton bugs
across the aOor! sat down on the brass
kettle and wiped the streams ot perspi
ration from my forehead-a modern ST
Bartholomew.
gnashed my teeth and upset n whole
colony of frying pans Ill despair
sprang up and ratified the door once
more, shouting at the top of my lungs,
but all to no avail kicked at the walls
Il beat tattoo on the brass kettle with
the guitar case. Vain efforts might
as well have attempted 10 make myself
heard from the great dungeon Of the Bas.
tile And then remembered the proba
Dlt turn llldl tldlIs Ntit tanning up
stairs and uttered n hollow groan
IF ever get out of this fiery furnace
alive" said to myself energetically
IN let girls and matrimony alone!
So the time crept away, every moment
seeming like an hour, and heard the
sharp little kitchen clock strike 3. y and
10. with keen sensation of despair al
every time Should never escaper Was
doomed to he roasted aliveI
At length the monotony Of silence was
relieved by the sound of footsteps coming
down the narrow stairs and dob Cor
don's voice exclaimed:
Mary - Hannah - Kathleen - where
the mischief are you allI What's the
kitchen door locked for? I'll discharge
every skin of you, or-hello!-thieves!-
murder!-policer'
And honest Job fired his revolver aim.
lessly into the kitchen and flung heayJ
chair after it.
Gordon! stop-hold on--it's Ito,
quatus Thistledown!
"Thistledown in my kitchen! dou'i
believe word of It'll Police. | say!'
But it is l. and I'm nearly dead. Stop
your bawling and listen to reason"
said rather vindictively, for the slender
thread of my patience was rapidly dimin
ishing down to nothing at all. Let me
out where there's breath of fresh air
and III explain things"
The astounded old gentleman led me
up stairs into the gas lighted hall, mar
yelling much at the wilted appearance
that presented.
Now. then. will you be good enough
to tell me what all this is about come
home at 10 o'clock and hnd my house
open and empty. ] go down into my
kitchen and find the president Of the
Thistledown Petroleum company INJURED
up among the pots and pans! Am
asleep and dreaming, or have been be-
reft Of his sensesT
First" interrupted, where ar.
Hardenbrook and Fanny
"Wheres How should know An
other mystery. presume"
mo mystery at all, sir said a well
known voice as Bruce Hardenbrook came
quietly up the front steps and into the
hall, with Fanny leaning on his arm. the
pomegranate cheeks shade redder than
sver. and the bright hair glistening
around her face; here we both are.
And where have you beenT
'Only To be married, sir!'
"MarriedT cried |.
"Marriedr' echoed Mr.. Gordon
You told me in your note, papa, Ia
accept him promptly" taltered Fanny.
But didn't suppose you were going
70 he as prompt as all this. said the dis
comfited papa.
remained to hear no more. What de
feated general cares To linger and survey
the scenes Of his rout and discontinue:
Turning deaf ear 10 Gordon's apologies
and ntreaties-resisting Bruce's hypo-
critical coincidence and Fanny's melting
eyes, where laughter and compassion
blended into bewitching hghts-I put on
my hat and shook the dust Of that man,
sion off my feet at once and forever.
And that was my last courtship. Buff
falo News.