The herald., 1893-05-25


she beheld the clock; "but you will
please return my dress In its unfinished
state. / shall require your services no
longer"
With which words she founced out of
the little room, leaving Priscilla more
than ever astonished and mystified.
What can have been the matter with
herr" Thought the dressnaker. Can she
know my Augustus, and could he have
been paying her any addresses? I must
ask him when he comes"
1t was already near noon, and but a
short time elapsed after Mrs. Mayblos-
SONS departure before the fascinating
Augustus put in an appearance
He, too, caught sight of the clock, and
his manner, which had been ardent and
loving at his entrance, suddenly changed
to one of fierce rage and wild jealousy.
False, tickle womanp cried he In q
melodranatic air rs it thus you be-
tray the fond faith which my too trust
ing heart has reposed in your
Augustus" exclaimed she, terrified
at his excited manner and tragic tones,
''what do you meanT'
''That clock" cried he, pointing to the
innocent cause of all these complications.
"Why-why," stammered she. "Did
you not send me thatT'
II send you a hundred dollar clockF'
exclaimed he in tones of bitter scorn.
81, with salary of $t5 weeki You
cannot deceive me. You know that Mr..
Mayblossom bought that clock at our
store this morning. You know that he
sent it to you, and you received it. You
took this costly present from a married
man. Oh, Priscilla, I thought more of
you, but now all is over with us. My
love is dead, and live but for revenge. !"
He clapped his hat over his eyes and
rushed out of the room, leaving Priscilla
nearly frantic with fear and grief
Meanwhile Mr.. Mayblossom had quiet
ly spent the morning attending to his
business. and now, during the MONDAY
recess, was slowly vending his way
home, full of blissful anticipations of a
loving welcome from his wife and utter
ly unconscious of the storm that was
gathering on his domestic horizon.
He reached home and was greatly as
tonished to learn from the cook that,
though dinner was ready, there was no
wife in the house to share it with him.
She had come home in terrible rage,
had gone directly to her room, remained
there few minutes and then left the
house.
What could it mean2 He went to his
wife's room. 1t was empty. There was
no clock on the mantelpiece. All, what
was that? A letter addressed to him and
in his wife's handwriting. He hastily
opened it and read:
Forever farewell. By tho time you read this
letter shall have returned to my parents YouI
deceit is discovered. have learned all. First
went to the dressmaker's and saw the clocl
there, and then l went to the jewelers. and
made that you bought it and sent 1t tc
| her Do not seek me, for am forever lost to
you. Your heartbroken ANNIE.
Sensible, good natured George burst
into fit Of merry laughter as he read
this epistle.
Here's fine mix up" muttered he,
land all because my wife happened to
place her dressmaker's card among mine
when she was arranging my cardcase
yesterday. Well, suppose Pll have to
go after her and explain"
He went into the library below pre-
paratory to leaving the house and dis
covered lying on the table another letter
addressed to him.
"Hellor' exclaimed he as he opened
and glanced at the epistle. More COM
plications, and all on account of that
clock. Let me see:
"MR. GEORGE MAYBLossoM-In need only state
that Miss Priscilla Dusenbury is, or rather
was, my affianced wife to prove my right to
call you to account for your infamous conduct
of today. No man, and married man at that,
shall give presents to one love- or rather have
loved, and deny me the satisfaction due to a
gentleman. By designating a gentleman to
confer with Mr. Clark, friend of mine, in re-
gard to the necessary arrangements, you win
confer a favor on yours, etc,
AUGUSTUS ToMK1Ns.
'Hoity toity," cried Mr.. May blossom,
fairly convulsed with laughter. "a duel,
as | ivei Hang that clock anyway l
wonder what will turn up nextf"
81 will" exclaimed voice melodra-
matically.
He looked up from the challenge he
was reading and beheld Priscilla stand
ing before him, wrathful as Nemesis
and holding the unlucky clock in threat
ening attitude.
"Mr. Mayblossom," said she, II have
come here to tell you that l want none
of your presents. If had known that
you sent me that clock, wouldn't have
received it. 1t has already robbed me of
my lover, and you can take your infa-
nous gift back again"
With that she hurled the poor clock to
the floor, and the glass globe was shat
tered into thousand fragments, the
pretty Cupids lost their arms and heads,
the carved flowers were broken, and
nothing remained of the beautiful but
unlucky timepiece save a mass of ruins
"You giddy, headstrong girli' ex-
claimed he angrily. ''Now you've done
the damage without listening to a word
of explanation.
Il want no explanations from you,
SIR retorted she haughtily, leaving the
room.
AS she descended the staircase she en-
countered Mrs. Mayblossom with her
mother, sensible practical woman, who
had induced her daughter to return and
seek an explanation of the apparently
suspicious circumstances from Mr.. May
blossom.
A fistic encounter between the wife and
the dressmaker seemed imminent when
the front door opened and Augustus en-
tered.
The young man had tracked his sweet
heart to the very house and had come to