The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-18

but the man twisted III his seat and
squinted over his shoulder 10 look out OF
the window at the street below. He held
his breath and gripped the edge of the seat
with both hands as the train wound
around the great S at One Hundred and
Tenth street, and heard him gasp:
Great jehujerl Mandy Ann, will you
locker this If we should tumble oif"-
She gave n savage yank at his coattail
and literally hissed; Turn around, We
blamed fooli Other folks amt skeered,
so guess the keers is all right. If you
keep pawkin aout the winder, somebody'u
suspect we're from aout of taown."
So he Strengthened about and sat as
ouiet as be could until One Hundred and
Sixteenth street station was reached. AS
the guard called I'm at the door, the woman
popped up. whispering hoarsely 10 her
husband:
''Ths airs the place Cousin Jed told us
90 git off Stir yer stumps."
They hustled out on the platform and /
followed, not a little interested to know
how they would get along. The man car
ried large old fashioned carpet bag, and
his wife led the way toward the stairs.
saying as she did so;
''We'n Jest foller t'other folks an do as
they do. Keep yer maouth shet, Eph-
rain, an they'll never know haow green
We be-.
Straight TO the elevator in use Mt this
station they went. The woman entered the
car and stood up straight and dignified,
like the others she saw about her, al
though WAS sure she could not imagine
what they all crowded into that little place
for, but the man set down his carpet bag
and then stared all around him in amaze
ment.
HWu1li I'd like ter know"--
He didn't explain what he would like TO
know, for his wife gave him poke in the
ribs that cut him short. Some of the pas
sengers smiled, and boy in the corner
snickered. Then the elevator man yanked
the sliding door 20 and gave pull at the
rope, sending tho car downward with "a
swish.
A shrek of terror broke from the old
lady's lips and she clutched frantically at
of fainting.
"The haouse il fallinr' she screamed.
swell all be- kilt sure as we liver
And then, almost before she could catch
her breath for another squeal, we were at
the bottom, and the door was opened. The
truth dawned on the rural pair at once
and as the woman Strengthened up stiffiy
the man grinned in sicllly manner, NUT
tering;
"Wull, be hangedr' Then he turned
to the elevator man, reaching into his
pocket and producing the foot of a wool
en- stocking IN which some money jingled.
"That airs the slickest way of gittin
daown stairs ever Seed" he nodded
knowingly. sit jest beats all mater Haow
much ye charge a tripf Iwant to pay fer
me an Mandy Ann"
When he was told there was no charge,
he gave long whistle indicative of his
surprise, picked up the carpet bag and
walked out, his wife following. When
they were on the street, he turned on her
triumphantly, sneering:
"Wull, you're smart, / swannyl Tell
me abaout keepin my maouth shet Ev'ry-
body in that air thingamajig mowed we
was green jest cause you squawked when
she commenced to go down. You're so
darn SMART
She snapped him up short. "Thatll
do, Ephraim You was the one that made
IA fool of yerself when you tried to pay for
ridin daown. Ev'rybody LATED at We.
That capped the hull thing. Don't you
talk to me IL you don't want to hear from
1t later"
Evidently he had no desire to hear from
1t later, for he kept still, and they wander
ed away in search of policeman who
could direct them to Cousin Jed's.