The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-01-05

there so long as she continued to abuse
him; but every now and then, just as he
was getting comfortably settled down
| with his pipe and his newspaper, she
would suddenly stop
HE would drop his paper and sit
listening with a troubled, anxious ex.
preston.
"sAre you there, dear?' he would call
out, after awhile.
"'Yes, I'm here, where do you think
am, you old fool? she would gasr
back, in an exhausted voice.
''His face would brighten at the
sound of her voice. Go on, DEAR he
would answer; 'Pm listening. like to
hear you talk
''But the poor woman was utterly
pumped out and had not so much as s
snort left
Then he would shake his head sad.
ly. No, she hasn't poor dear Susan.
flow of words he would say. 'Ah.
what a woman that wasr
cat night she would do her best, but
it was a lame and halting performance
by comparison. After rating him for
little over three.quarters of an hour,
she would sink back upon the pillow
and want to go asleep, but he would
shake her gently by the shoulder.
EYES,, DEAR he would say, you
were speaking about Jane, and the
way I kept looking at her during
lunch
Its extraordinary" concluded my
friend. lighting fresh cigar. "what
creatures of habit we arc"
Very" 1 replied. 81 knew . man
who told tall stories till when he told .
true one nobody believed It"
"Ah, that was very sad case" said
my friend
Speaking of habit" said the unob.
trusive man in the corner, 81 can tell
you true story that I'll bet my bot
tom dollar you won't believe"
Haven't got bottom dollar. but I'll
bet you half sovereign do" replied
my friend. who was Of q sporting turn.
"Who shall be judge?"
t'Iu take your word for it, said the
unobtrusive man, and started straight
away.
I'm going to tell you Of" he began
HE waa borp in the town. and fo1
forty-seven years he never slept
night outside it. He was most re-
spectacle man, dry-salter from nine
to four, and Presbyterian in his
leisure moments. He said that a good
life merely meant good habits. He
rose at seven, had family prayer at
half-past seven, breakfast at eight, got
to his business at nine, had his horse
brought around to the office at four
and rode for an hour. reaching home at
fve, had q bath and q cup of tea. played
with and read to the children (he was
a domesticated many till half-past six,
dressed and dined at seven, went round
to the club and played whist till q quar-
terpas. ten, homo again TO evening
prayer at half-past ten and bed at
eleven. For twenty-five years he lived
that life with never variation II
worked into his system and became me-
chanical The church clocks were set
by him. He was used by the local as.
tronomers to check the sun.
''One day a distant connection of his
in London, an East Indian merchant
and an ex-lord mayor, died, leaving
him sole legatee and executor. The
business was complicated one and
needed management. He determined
to leave his son by his first wife, now
a young man of twenty-four, in charge
at Jefferson, and to establish himself
with his second family In England,
and look after tho East Indian busi-
ness.
''He set out from Jefferson City OH
October and arrived in London on
the nth. He had been Ill during the
furnished house he had hired in Bay
water somewhat Of wreck. A couple
of days in bed. however, pulled him
round, and on the Wednesday even
ing he announced his intention of go-
ing into the city the next day to see to |
his affairs.
'On Thursday he did not wake till |
one in the afternoon. His wife said |
that she had not disturbed him. think |
ing the sleep would do him good. He |
admitted that perhaps il had. Any |
how, he felt very well and got up and |
dressed himself He did not like the
idea Of beginning his first day by neg
lecting a religious duty and, his wife
agreeing with him. they assem- bled the
servants and the children in the din
ihg-rooIa and had family prayers as
half-past one. After which he break
tasted and set off, reaching the city
about three.
''His reputation for punctuality had
preceded him, and surprise was every
where expressed at his late arrival He
explained the circumstances, however,
and made his appointments for the fol-
lowing day, to commence from $50.
He remained at his Office until late
and then went home. For dinner
his chief meal of the day-he
could manage to eat only biscuit and
some fruit He attributed his loss of
appetite to want of his CUSTOMARY ride.
he was strangely unsettled all the
evening. He said he supposed he
missed his game of whist, and deter
mined to look out for some quiet. re-