The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1893-07-08

III, ne TOOK TO his bed. tAsE s%aT&:
= When this had been announced in
the local paper, Ianthe appeared at
Ter +" hers door, and would have hur-
ried to his room, but Mrs. Burridge-
who was very large wOman-stoOd
at the foot of the stairs. = g., ::Eaees
'You can't go up, MISS" she said.
'The sight of you will kill your pa: the
doctor says So" -. Il T.. .s%--
Ianthe went away, wringing her
hands. But she came again. -
This time Mrs. Burridge asked her
to wait on the porch until she; asked
'Poor Mr.. Spicer'' if he would see her.
When she came down again, she re-
ported that the, old gentleman had
armed himself with two revolyers, and
declared that he would put the twelve
bullets they contained through his
daughters heart if she entered the
room. g. !
Mrs. Burridge knew that Ianthe was
always in deadly terror of firearms,
and laughed in her sleeve as she adj
vised her to leave the house by the
back way, lest she should be shot
through the window.
''Your poor, dear pa seems a bit up
set in his mind, you see,'' she said,
'*and there's no telling but he might do
something to get himself electrocuted."
1anthe went home to Tom, and told
him all, and ended by saying: II want
to die now, Tom, I've driven my dear
pa crazy
Then she also took to her bed, at
Toms mothers house, and Tom was
very unhappy himself. Every one was
unhappy, but Mrs. Burridge, who min
istered to Mr.: Spicer, talked senti-
Y,1n f0
Wine-whey, and one evening when he
quoted Shakespeare to the effect that
sharper than a serpent's tooth it is
to have thankless child" burst into
tears, and saying, "and to- think there
are those in the world that fairly wor-
ship you, and you don't value it,
rushed from the room in tears
Mr.. Spicer was startled, fattered,
touched; when next Mrs. Burridge ap-
peared he said:
Mrs. Burridge, ma'am, you let fall
a remark that could but feel alluded
to- yourself, the other evening. have
long admired you, ma'am, but would
never give my daughter a stepmother.
Now, I have no daughter, and I offer
you my hand, if you'll accept it,
Mrs. Burridge wept again, and said
it was because she was so happy.
The news of the engagement soon
reached Tom in the hardware store
1t opened his eyes.
DO you know, Ianthe,'' he said,
that 1 believe your father never got
your letters. That woman has de-
stroyed them. This has been her plan,
all along
"You are right, Tom,'' said Ianthe.
And l do not believe pa would have
mn 1,,L
| once before that woman takes mothers
place!> Just have one kiss, one kind
| word. When she becomes his wife she
| will Danish me forever
You'll have to hurry, my dear,'' said
Tom, 1.-The wedding presents are going
| in. Mr.. Pratt has ordered a set Of ele-
CANT grocery and spice boxes at our
place."
Its all over, then," sobbed Ianthe
mot if you have grit,'' said Tom;
and the two communed together for
| long while.
Meanwhile Mrs Burridge was tri-
umphant. AS Tom said, presents were
pouring in. Now came silver, and now
cut-glass. Now pieces Of jewelry, now
| little tables and big clocks, and all
sorts of table linen. The japanned
boxes arrived, a standing lamp, a Bible,
and cushions galore, and lots of brio
a-brac. One evening she herself opened
| the door, to find outside two porters,
who carried between them a long, up-
right something, wrapped in linen.
"A wedding present, Miss" said a
third man. "A marble statue.''
"A statue?' cried Mrs. Burridge, de-
| lighted to be called ''mjss.'' s'Why,
! how lovely; who frOm?'
| .'The gentleman's card is on it, said
the man ''Now, if you'd sig gn my
book
| AS Mrs. Burridge stepped out on the
porch to do this, the two porters came
out of the house and banged the door
! after them.
you've shut me out" said Mrs. Bur
| ridge, laughing.
The two men expressed their regrets
! and walked away. Mrs. Burridge r11ng
! the bell. There was no answer. She
rung more loudly. Indeed she rung and
| rung again; no one answered it. The
maid was in the hall, but nothing
| would have induced her to turn the
dead-latch, for no sooner had the
statue been set down than it seemed
| to come to life, cast it's linen cover
| away, and stood before the astonished
luaiu WIN claSped nandS and streaming
eyes, Ianthe and no other
Don't open the door; don't let her
| in until see papa!' she said.
mot if I die for it, miss,' said the
maid. your papa is in his room run
up-run up miss
A moment more Ianthe had burst
into her fathers room and flung her
self at his feet. And he gave sort of
roar, and took her. in his arms. and
kissed her = >- -
s.'sMy little grip he said, and then she
told him all, and he believed her +. q
It was Mr.. Spicer himself who opened
the door for Mrs. Burridge, at last. Il
'I've been locked out nalf an hour,
love- she said, "and where's the sta
tue ?" AS Is: i. -ss== -$css= VI
His reply astonished her. You abem-
Unable wretch!' he said Don't call
! me your love--I'ye a mind to put you
in the state prison. I know all about
you, at last. You've stolen my poor
little daughters letter, turned her from
my, door, and pretended I threatened to
shoot her Go uD stairs get yol1r things