Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-12-02

his riding breeches and two suits OF
tweed, imported from England, fol.
lowed i'll rapid succession to the watts.
They were sacrificed on the altar of
his love, he said gayly to himself.
HIS man George was aghast ut the de-
vastatIon. and vainly demonstrated.
lie was promptly rebulred, and re-
ceiyed no explanation of the strange
havoc his master WAS making in his
wardrobe. He would have reported
the young mans unaccouutable con-
duct with his own suspicion that he
was mentally unbalanced to Mrs. Van
Swellum, but she had gone to the
country month back. Van Swellum
had promised to follow her in week,
but instead kept staying on in town
until now the summer was we'll adj
vanced
May flew by; June came and went;
July opened. At length one day Van
owellum stood in the middle of his
dressing room gazing about him at the
sartorial derelicts which George had
laid out for his inspection. He smiled.
81 guess" he said aloud, 'I'll have
to bring this business to close. Peo.
ple'll think I'm in mourning, if this
keeps on. Only one dyeable garment
left. That delightful brown and red
plaid that Cutem just sent over last
month. I'll try to-day, and perhaps
| can save it, ii she says Yes Oh,
my! What howdoe it'll makol [
guess Well so abroad for a while" He
chuckled softly.
"And my friend, the grining idiot
that handles cases. Well, I guess he'll
outgrow his grief"
lie folded the last dyeablo garment
in the bag and started away on his er-
rand. There was no one in the store,
for it was late in The afternoon. She
greeted him cordially as usual, as he
laid his burden on the counter and
slowly opened it.
81 have something I want to tell
you," she said with little blush and
little gush
"And l." he said firmly, leaning his
elbows on the counter, resting his
chin in his hands and gazing MS her,
''hnye something l want TO tell you"
"a -. But" she began, noiyoly, "you
have been SO good so us this summer;
you have brought us 50 much trade;
business, you know, was very dull be-
fore you came, and you have helped
us"
"Helped you?" exclaimed Van Swell
lum. Nothing has delighted me more,
Miss-er-er-" He hesitated, for he
did not know her hame.
"Well, you have" she replied, her
eyes lighting with gratitude. "And
jim and me are very thankful. You
see, you were our first customer, and
J. tell you we didn't take in much
money when we started the Ruination
Dyeing Company after our marriage-"
"Married!" gasped Van Swellum,
Strengthening up.
"Why, didn't you know Jim and me
were married." She criod. "Oh, Jim,
Jim, do come here! -
Van Swellum turned in time to see
the thin little young man enter tho
store from the ronr room.
'Haye 'em dyed black !" he cried,
tumbling the contents of his bag on
the counter. "l'il send for 'em,"
With that he rushed wildly from the
shop.
Not long after he stood again in the
middle of his room, the wrecks OF his
wardrobe about him.
"Baci," he said slowly, putting at
his pipe. "I1verything bIacll-mourn-
ing-itttinE emblem-the grinuing
idiot--confound him. Did he know
did she know? Confound it! It's
good they don't know my name. 70
think that such beauty would take
to such a whipper-snapper of n spec
imenl"
Van Swellum laughed ironically.
George !" he cried.
The man appeared mt the door.
George" said Van Swellum, SOL
emnly, 'i'm an ass. Don't you think
I'm an ass?"
81 don't know, sir" replied
George, stammerjng confusadly.
"Wcll, | am" said Van Swellum,
emphotically.
off you insist, sir, replied George
stolldly.
Van Swollum was lost in thought for
u moment.
George" he said, suddenly, "the !
Paris sGils tomorrow. Go quick, |
now, and telephone fer passages for
you and myself"
Tho man hesitate1. "About clothes,
SIR" he said.
'l'll go over in mourning" said |
Van Swellum, smiling. And when
George had withdrawn he added sud
denly: "And the Billions are in Lon
don. Confound it, it's fate. New ,
York Sun.
A Musical Dentist.
TTbnro - q 1aDI;sL IN g., E,,ra;,a,