The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1893-02-04

MS remaining Dtnlnu To- - Inio1T tnH
frightened dove in the blue muslin feath-
erS.
You look in the kitchen. Thistlcduwn,
aud I'll examine the cellar" he said, and
promptly obeyed. looked under the
dresser, behind the tables. even beneath
the great brass kettle in the corner, but
there was no burglar there.
1T must have been the cat Harden
brook" hawled l. "for-the deuce, how
came this dour shut"
gave the handle of the door an ener-
getic turn-it was fast locked
And now the truth began to dawn
dimly upon my perturhed aud excited
brain--the coast was clear. and victory
belonged to Bruce Hardcnbrook!
In vain I shouted until my lungs were
hoarsc-iu vain | ratified the relentless
door: nothing Int the echo rewarded my
efforts. Nor was the scene of my invol-
uutarY confinement particularly invit-
ing. II was dark. close. aud intensely
hot-a circumstance easily accounted
for by the fact Of white hot fire glow
ing away in the range and no particular
circulation except that of Croton bugs
across the floor! | sat down IN the brass
kettle and wiped the streams Of pprspi-
ration from my forehead-a modern st.
Bartholomew.
gnashed my teeth and upset n whole
colony Of frying pans in despair.
| sprang up and ratified the door once
more shouting at the top of my lungs,
but all to no avail | kicked Mt the walls
I l.. . 4
the guitar case Vain Efforts might
as well havo attempted to make myself
heard from the great dungeon of the Bas-
tile. And then remembered the proba-
ble turn that affairs were taking up
stairs and uttered n hollow groan.
IF ever get out Of this fiery furnace
alive. said | to myself cnergeticallE.
I'm let girls and matrimony aloner'
So the time crept away, every moment
seeming like an hour and | heard The
sharp little kitchen clock strike &, o and
10, with keen sensation Of despair at
every time. Should never escape? Was
! doomed TO he roasted alive:
At length the monotony of silence was
relieved by the sound Of footsteps coming
down the narrow stairs. and job Cor
don's voice exclaimed:
MARY - Hannah - Kathleen where
the mischief are you all; What's the
kitchen door locked for? I'll discharge
every skin Of you, or-hello!-t thieves!-
murder!-police"'
And honest job fired his revolver aim
lessly into the kitchen and flung heavy
chair after it,
Gordon! stop-hold on-it's Tor
quatus Thistledown!'
"Thistledown in my kitchen! don't
believe u word Of it! Police, | sayr'
But it Is |. and I'm nearly dead. Stop
your bawling and listen 10 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 he good enough
to tell me what all this is about? come
home at 10 o'clock and find my house
open and empty. | 90 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 he
reft Of his senses
First ! interrupted. where are
Harlenbrook and Fanny
Where: How should | know? An
other mystery, presume"
No mystery at ALL sir. said well
known voice ~ Bruce Harleubrook came
quietly mp the front steps and into the
hall with Fanny leaning uu his arm, the
pomegranato checks a shade redder than
ever, and ibc bright hair glistening
around her face; here we both are
And where have vop been;
"Oulv To be- married -ir!''
Married. cried /.
Married. ochoad Mr. Gordon.
"Nuu told mo IN yuur note. papa, to
accept mm promptly ialieTed Fanny.
"But didn't suppose won were going
tu l'e NJ prompt ss all this" said the dis
-omftcd papa
remniued tu bear uu more. What de-
feated general cares iu llryer and survey
thu scoues pl his ruui and discontinue;
Turning deaf ear to Gor,lons apologies
aud eutreatips resisting Bruce's hypO-
critical rpndoltnrp ant Fanny's melting
eyes whore laughter and compassion
blended into hewitrling lights / put on
my hat aud shook the dust nf that man
sion on my feet at once and forever.
And thar WAS my last courtship, ,--Buf-
falo News