The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-11
gist

upon his back, and there he lay, howl.
ing in crazy fright: Murder! Murder!
| Help! Help
simultaneously the gongs ceased
| their racket, the fireworks had already
| burned themselves out, and the roars
| of the cannon were heard no more.
| All was profound silence except Chol-
| ly's howls of terror. He was not con.
scious that anything had stopped The
eyes and ears OF his mind still. saw and
heard it all, and he continued to shrek
"Murderm and "Help!' until he had a
vague sense of some one raising his
| head and endeavoring to calm him,
saying:
"Mr. Lytewayte! Cholly! Won't you
stop? Don't you see it is all over?-
whatever it was. You are not hurt,
thank Heaven! and you shall not be.
am here TO protect you. Cholly! Look
| up! Don't you know me?'
Was it an angel who thus poured the
balm Of peace into his troubled soul?
Of course-since it was a woman; and
that sweet minister OF consolation was
none other than Flora's aunt, who as
an experienced widow, knew the inn
portance of Selling opportunities
Cholly recognized her at length, and
painted: 20, Mrs. Blodgett! You will
not desert me. You will protect me,
will you not9"
"Yes, dear; I will stand by you al
ways" she replied.
Eyes, always" he echoed. Thanks
You're awfully good"
By the time Aunt Jennie had assisted
the victim to rise from the dew-laden
grass and had him pretty near able to
stand alone, her brother-in-law, her
niece and dozen servants came run
ming from the house ard surrounded
her. To the unhappy young mans in
finite amazement the apparently very
irate Mr.. Blodgett burst forth at him:
What do you mean, sir, by such out
rageous conduct as this? Your sere-
made was bad enough; but to raise such
diabolical charivari is altogether too
much What do you mean by doing it?
How dare you? Explain yourself at
once, before call an officer and give
you in charge"
Cholly clasped his .disheveled head
with both hands and feebly gasped,
with an air of appealing to Heaven:
"Good gwacious! Is this veal aw
some hawid nightmare"
That was too much for Mr. Blodgett's
gravity; and even Flora, who had been
muffling her mouth with handker-
chief ever since she caught sight of
ChoHy, burst into a scream of ire
pressible laughter, in which all the
others joined, except the widow.
so sir!" exclaimed that astute captor
of chances, in a tone of grave and sad
reproof, you 60 too far. It is cruel!
You have given the young mans nerves
such terrible shock it will be won
der if he survives it Do not, 4 beg of
you, continue your merciless ijest any
farther"
Mr.. Blodgett stared at her . moment
in surprise, then asked, with,sarcastie
Formally: a~r
"Pardon me; but may inquire Il you
have any particular personal interest
in what happens to Mr.. Lytewayte2"
Decidedly have. sir. since he is. to
be my husband"
: "Ohi Is that SOP" he exclaimed; turn
ing to the young man.
"Y-y-yes, sir. if you please" STAN
1nered Cholly. but rather ruefuily.'
"Of course I please. Nothing could
please me better. I congratulate you.
Cholly; and you too, Sister Jennie.
What mistake I made! I thought he
was after Flo"
Mr.. Lytewayte looked as if DESTROYS
of saying something, but remained ST.
lent, and Mr.. Blodgett continued:
''That puts different face upon the
whole matter Come to the house and
let us get you in better shape, Cholly."
AS they walked up the wide graveled
path he said to his daughter, in low
tone:
III ow you fooled me, you little mink.
making me think he came for your
sake"
mo, / didn't; you never asked me.
You only said you wished you knew.
Nobody ever gets any knowledge by
just wishing for it. But he did come to
see me- Aunt Jennie just caught him
'on the bounce SO to speak. always
thought she would if she had half
chance
You don't seem to be heart broken
about it"
''Why should 1 be? I have been, for
three months, engaged to Gus Van
Zandt."
You have? and yet you have allowed
me to go ahead and waste all this
money on wiring and freworks-all for
no good
Allowed you! am not aware Of
your ever asking my permission: and
certainly you cannot say it has been no
good. Has it not got Aunt Jennie an
other husband?"
Yes. that's SO. And I've got five
hundred dollars worth of fun out of il
myself"
$50, at last. everybody is satisfied.
Except ChoIly."
HE don't count He is only the hus-
band y. Ii. Connolly, in Demorests
Magazine.
No Need OF Help.
Mr.. Portlie-Patrick. I wish You