Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-11-09


Wiping his spectacles nervously, YET
deliberately, Bullet proceeded to saddle
his nose with them, and then brought
long and critical stare to bear upon
his offspring, F4 81.
"Yes, you'll do he muttered, after
! closing the door leading into the bed
room. "A little fat aud red, TO be sure;
but there is no man wants "a pale and
die-away ghost for wife, A little
burned with summer suns, but all the
more healthy. Yes, you'll fill tho bill
nicely"
What does this mean?" demanded
Alma.
1T means that we are on the thresh-
old OF a gigantic destiny" replied the
old sailor impressively; that the hour
Of fate has sounded; that our ship Is
about TO enter port; In short that we
have hooked on to the world and are
about TO tow Ii away TO our cave to
digest 1t at our leisurel"
ayes, / see, " said Alma, perfectly be-
wildered, with mental inquiry az to
what was the matter with her parent,
but do please explain your meaning
more fully"
"YOu shall be enlightened. Let's
see, dear; how old are you? Is it IA, or
are you 1852"
"Do hear the manw returned Alma.
"YOu know very well that was 10 the
goth of last March"
Bullet opened his eyes TO their widest
extent, in unfeigned astonishment.
as it possible?" he cried. "How
time does fly, to be sure! Atithis gait,
/ am being robbed Of half my exist
ence Eighteen, are you? This ac-
counts for the presence of that worth
less beef-destroyer who has been hang
ing around you lately"
you refer to Mr., Keeri l suppose?"
Eyes, / do. Keeri? Heavens, what
O name for son-in-law He's not more
than half or three-quarters white, and
what white blood there is in him is ut
terly wasted. Get rid Of him, girl
get rid Of him. Send him about his
business. Turn him adrift-"
well, we'll, I've turned him adrift
already" interrupted Alma.
as this 80, really"
"Yes, three or four weeks since. II
you choose to recall the fact, you
haven't seen Mr., Keeri about the prem
ises lately" ..tv
"That's 30, sure enough, cried Bull
let, after an instant's reflection. "Some
good angel must have directed you.
You've got rid Of that fellow Just in
time. You concluded he wasn't good
enough for you, ! presume? You don't
want q scarecrow husband, or cheap
imitation, when you can get the real
thing, / always thought you both sem
sible and ambitious"
"But what has all this to do with
this young stranger"
"I'm coming to that directly Do
you remember your mother?"
Perfectly, OF course"
"She was ambitious, too. She was
literary lady-the daughter of a mis-
sionary who could read many written
languages. But the said missionary
was wandering sort Of prophet, and
in his restless attempts to convert all
creation he fell into the hands Of
Fiji chief who made q square meal of
him. Your mother was thus left faith
erless, and her mother was left penni-
less, and this is how it happens that
you have received nothing but your
good looks and your education from
your maternal ancestry"
Alma expressed by look her keen
realization of this lack Of pecuniary in
heritance.
"And as to my side of the house, the !
less said the better" continued Bullet. |
"I'm nothing but runaway sailor from
whaler Was nearly a blockhead to |
begin with. Never had any schooling |
beyond two or three cracks on the head
with ruler. Have learned all | know |
since was forty. Hadn't a dollar when |
I took 1t into my noddle, one fine morn
ing about twenty years ago, to give the |
old whaler the slip, but your mother |
managed to get me chance to pull a |
hand-press for the missionaries, and |
pulled 1t to some advantage. Advance
ing step by step, have paid for this
little homestead, besides securing q
good living, But you will see by this |
exhibit that neither your birth nor
your fortune will satisfy your reason
able ambition. You must look to an
other to give you the place in the |
world Of which you are worthy-name-
ly your husband And this precious
husband is foundp
"You refer to this young stranger?"
Eyes, Alma. In him you see your
future husband, unless slip up cussed-
ly in my calculations"
Alma advanced again on tiptoe to the
door of communication, which she
placed ajar, and again contemplated |
the features of the sleeper long and
earnestly. A flush of curious interest
appeared on her cheeks as she again
closed the door and resumed her seat.
FRO BE CONTINUED.
A New Cure for Appendicitis.
OF late years a fearful dread has