Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-10
WAS HE A COWARD?


 the garden, "I do wish Harry were not such n coward" |"
 Are you quite sure that your hus- band is one:''
 Well, last night I tho .ght heard positively believe he was afraid to go down stairs.''
 Didn't he go:''
 "No; he insisted that it was only the cat and refused to get up.''
 And did it happen to be thieves. after all:''
 "oh, no. As q matter of fact, it was the cat, as he suggested But think it would have been more manly if he had gone. don't you:''
 Perhaps as he was convinced that it was the cat it was not necessary Still l admire pluck in n man, and I shan't have nearly so much confidence in Harry's bravery as I once had Now, want you to do me a great favor. Will you promise?''
 Anything in reason, my dear Kate "
 Well, l want you to play the bur glar tonight. I will give you tho key to the back door. and you must come in between l and ? o'clock and put the lower part of the house in disorder, just as if thieves had broken in and ran sacked the place. "
 But suppose Harry hears mc:'' ''I shall, of course, see that he does But am sure we shall find that he will be afraid to stir out of his room''
 ''Yet, if you should bc mistaken, it would be rather awkward for me He is a powerful man.
 ''I assure you it is perfectly safe, George. If Harry shows any disposition to go down stairs, I have only tO insist on his staying to protect me, and he is certain to allow himself to bc pcrsuad- cd"
 Might lie not fire at me out of the window
 ''There isn't such n thing as rcvOlv- CT or gun in tho house.
 ''Very well. Kate, will do as you wish, but yOu must not blame mo if anything goes wrong"
 ''Oh. it's so good of you, George. We shall just sec what Harry Is made of It will be such fun too By the way, Harry ought to be home before now. Let us stroll down the road to meet him" As they passed out of the house Harry Filters rose from the high back ed chair at the other end of the room, where he YVES duzing when they first en- tered and from which place of conceal ment he had heard, with great amuse- mcnt-for he was very good naturcd man-the whole conversation
 "A pretty little plot, Mrs Flittersr' he said to himself. with n laugh Tt will. as you say. Ike such fun-"
 
 "Harry! Harry!''
 "Yc-ycS, dear. What is it:''
 ''I am sure there's burglar in the house"
 "Listcn. Ycs, by love, yOu'rc right this time. Keep quiet while I put some thing on. I'll make it hot for him -
 Harry, believe there are at least three of them!'
 ''As long as they don't exceed that number don't mind
 But, Harry, they arc sure to be well armed!"
 II must take my chance about that. '' Mir. Filters was now moving toward the door, and his wife realized that he meant business "You mustn't endangCr your life. Harry! Harry. insist on your not go. ing. You will not desert your wife iu the hour of danger! Come hack. Harryr' But he had slipped out of the room and closed the bedroom door. turning the key on the outside, where he had placed it a few hours before. Mrs. Filters rattlCd the handle Oi the door and slrickcd tO her husband tC come back. But there was determination in his eye. and Inc went boldly forward to meet tho enemy. , Soon there was the must terrible up } ruar in the kitchen. and the night air was made hidCous with the sound uf th' smashing uf china and glass. uf thu shouting of mems voices and of thC breaking of chairs and tables.
 MrS Filters stool in her room terri fled and h1rrur stricken. They would kill one another, Why had she been g, foolish?
 ..It's all over. Kate. Strike light Let me wash of come of the stains o the battle
 ''oh, Harry. what has hapPcncd"'
 "A good deal, I am afraid. during tn last 10 minutes
 "Good heavens there's blood on youl handsT'
 : ''Ycs. it has been distributed prctt! f freely down stairs The painters ans '- paper hangers had better come in tnmOr t row. We shall be prosecuted for keep , ing unlicensed shambleS J. ''It was only one man:'' Il That is all. but he got the share O y threc.''
 X Gould you $40 what he was like d Harry
 c 'No, but can imagine what he re semblcs at the present moment" But, Harry, dear, is he badly hurt | I am so frightened d Well, I think they'll pull hin le through when he gets to the hospital ' y 'I hope you haven't permanently in 'f jured him" to "I think not, but have permanentf m instructed him in the wisdom of keeI D. ing his hands off other peoples property h. sprang on him like n tiger, and befor , he could utter a word he had been al ,a over the kitchcn-undCr the table, int f the grate, among tho pots and kettle r beneath the 1rcSser-cvcrywhc H h. ought to know his way around nc, " time As for the crockcry, I don't b' If Iieve there is a whole piece left We at ,d journed to the scullery, where cleane ,l the sink with him and kicked him oI xs of the door through the glass window ( il the conservatory" ,s 'Oh, HarTyl How could you be { ,h cruel? think you arc brutel" i Well, if that isn't richl The oth' = day you called me a coward for not g
 ing down stairs in tho middle of Il
 night to kick the cst. Now am bru
 for attacking n burglar empty handed!
 "'I certainly think you ought to hay asked him who he was and what he WI
 doing thcro and to have given him [