Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1896-12-10
CeN OW, Mary, | have spoken!"
NJ Mr.. Peel threw himself back

in his chair as if that settled
the matter once for all.
81 heard you, dear" sweetly respond
ed Mrs. Peel; land now, listen to me.
I have accepted Herr Schmidt's offer,
and he will enter the adjoining house
as tenant tomorrow"
mot if | know it, MADAME" shouted
Phineas, jumping from his chair and
bringing his fist down on the table.
"DO you think | am going to have Rhyd
cottage turned into a menagerie, and
my garden into n bowling wilderness?
The house may remain t%enantless for
ever, but Herr Schmidt and his mon
strOsities shall not enter there"
Herr Schmidt, my dear, is merely a
naturalist"
81 know itv' stormed Phineas. give
heard Of these plaguey naturalists be-
fore. I've no desire to come downstairs
some fine morning to find a ring-tailed
monkey sitting on the window sill, act
ing as referee while the kangaroos and
crocOdiles play leap-frog over the flower
beds. No, madam! No naturalists for
Phineas Peel"
Pretty Mrs. Peel never allowed her
temper to get the better of her. She
laughed softly at her husbands fears,
and did not alter her determination in
the least.
HAS it slipped your memory, Phin-
cas-" she asked, that Rhyd cottage is
a portion of my property? If | choose
to let it to a naturalist-even though he
be a foreigner-I am perfectly justified
in doing So"
This was true enough, and Phineas
Gained down.
"Herr Schmidt's collection of mon
strosities,' as you call it," went on Mrs.
Peel, probably contains nothing more
dangerous than a deaths head moth in
n bottle. Anyhow, | have no intention
TO disappOint him."
But /"
"You will treat him with the respect
due from one gentleman to another,
Phineas," broke in Mrs. Peel. "And
now, dear, we'll dismiss the subject"
Phineas Peel was-though at times
he doubted tia lucky fellow. He had
carried off n young and handsome wom-
an from n host Of suitors.
Why Mary Marsden had chosen to be-
stow her hand and fortune on such a
plain, everyday sort of fellow as the d.
minutive Phineas Peel vas always Il
mystery to her acquaintance. The
wedding was an accomplished fact be-
fore her relatives had recovered from
the shock caused by the announcement
of her engagement.
Mary appeared to be happy enough,
too. Phineas, taken rs n whole, was
moi a bad sort of fellow. He was jeal-
GUS, that was true. but his wife came
to regard that rs an extra proof of his
devotion.
Had the proposed tenant of Rhyd cot
tage been an aged, decrepit, broken
down old man, Phlneas would have
stretched out the right hand of fellow
ship. But alas! Herr Schmidt was
young and handSome-far too hand
some, Phineas thought.
Every well, Mary" said Phineas. talk
ing his hat from the peg and making
for the door, "you have overruled me as
usual, and must be prepared for the
consequences. In less than Il week we
shall have the house and garden over
run with every conceivable variety of
reptilc-from the beastly lizard to the
boa constructor"
And Phineas stalked Indignantly
forth with the merry laughter of his
wife ringing in his ears.
A month or more had passed, and so
far the fears Of Phineas proved to be
tiles had been kept well within bounds,
and as yet Mr.. Peel had not seen so
much as a strange caterpillar in his
garden, which never looked better.
However, he was not happy. He had
taken an aversion to the new tenant
from the first, and would never be sat
isded until he had got rid of him.
"Confound the fellow" muttered
Phineas II evening, as he sat on an
upturned bucket behind the peasticks,
"he's prowling about on the other side
Of the hedge again. Hope he won't
catch sight OF me, for I'm about tired
of his oily tongue and eternal smile
Hullol what the deuce Is the meaning
OF this?"
Down the garden path tripped Mrs
Peel. The naturalist was evidently ex
pecting her, and greeted her with
smile that almost brought tears into III,
eyes OF the furious Phineas.
Good efevlng," he said. you vo
joost a leetle later
II was soon eyIdent that This WAS no