The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-10-05
A PRACTICAL JOKE.
BY 2. 9. PHILLIPS.

BIZ +. q. PHILIPS.
It did not end happily. not for Harry
aSeymour, that is to say; built provided
some excellent entertainment while it
LASTED, and Is talked about in Wickets-
field to-day. We were all of rs staying
in Wicketsfield, and Seymour had
fallen a victim to the destinations of
Miss Norah Car6onnel; possibly because
Wicketsfeld is o dull little watering
place, and there was nothing else TO
do; possibly because he knew, or at
leas: suspected, that she was w~orshiped
by Stephen Lambs worthy, and Stephen
Lambsworthy was bis especial bette
MORE.
l do not want to attribute unworthy
motives 20 him; as a matter of fact. ]
liked him very much; so let us give
him the benefit of the doubt, and say
he had grown to adore Miss Cardonnel
because Miss Cardonnel was adorable.
Anyhow it was plain thathe was hope
1essly in love, and though I had been
-honored by Lambsworthy's confidence
in the matter, 1 personally did not give
much for his chances.
No two fellows could possibly have
been more unlike than Stephen and
Harry Seymour. Harry, dashing, good
humored, high-spirited and handsome;
Stephen, meek, and with next
to nothing to say for himself That
both were very young was their only
point of resemblance. Thought l had
.gauged Miss Cardonnel's character suf-
fciently to prophesy which of her ad-
mirers would be accepted, presenting
they both proposed, and l confess /
was startled when Seymour displayed
such strong irritation at the news that
Lambsworthy was expected on the
scene.
''Confound him." he said, "whatdoes
he want here? Can't he read in town
just as well?" eve were supposed to
be examining for an exam. the three
of us.) "What does he want to come
bothering here for?"
well, you forget,"I said; Lambs
worthy may be said to. be the discov-
-erer of Wicketsheld. At all events,
neither you nor l would ever have
come down here if it had lot been that
he was always talking about It We
should never even have known the
Cardonnels but for him-remember
that"
Seymour growled. 1t was a fact that
Lambsworthy had introduced Us to
them, and Harry never cared 10 he re-
minded of it.
II don't want him. he said; 'Idon't
get on with him; he is your friend, not
mine, and he bores me. He is like a
young lady, and he wears spectacles."
He wears spectacles because he is
sshort-sighted," 1 observed; land as to
being like a young lady, that is all rot,
Seymour! Anyhow, if he is such a
complete duffer, why need you mind
his coming?"
What do you mean?" asked Harry,
sharply.
"You are annoyed at his arrival be-
cause you are afraid you may find your
nose out of joint when he appears l
say if he is such a duffer why need you
be alarmed?"
''Oh! pooh, pooh, rubbish" said Sey-
mour. II afraid of Stephen Lambs
worthy? That is too rich!-that is
really funnyr' He made a loud noise,
which l understood was meant to rep
resent laughter. "You won't beat that
if you talk for a month. Ha, ha, ha!
Why, you don't mean to tell me you
suppose for a single instant that a girl
like Miss Cardonnel would seriously
consider throwing herself away on 8
Aoodle like Lambsworthy?-a fabby,
invertebrate, feeble, faltering bundle
of nerves like Lambsworthy! Good
Heavensi Afraid Afraid of Lambs
worthy! Ha. ha, har'
well, that's all right" I said; 81
am glad for your sake you ! so conf
dent 1 assume, however, that you
won't deny she encouraged him when
we all came down here? Because 1
saw her with you, and l saw her with
him, and l say she did"
sShe firted with him." said Sey-
mour, ~tolerantly; ''she iirted with him
q little, yes. Why not? A girl must
+amuse herself. l do not complain of
that"
That's lucky" Ireplied; singular
~ your own peace OF
mind. His letter says he will be with
us tomorrow. He wants me to look
out for a room for him"
Cannot our landlady accommodate
the gentleman"
"No,n l said. "she cant-not with a
bedroom. that is! He will come in
here to meals, of course, but he will
have to sleep out of the house,
Seymour shrugged his shoulders, as
much as to say that be was really in
different as to the arrangements, and
lounged away in the direction of the
Parade, where / have no doubt he ex-
pected to meet the Cardonnels, As was
his daily custom
lam ashamed to say that / neglected
to engage a shakedown for Lambs
-sarthy that afternoon, and. as he ar