Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-12-19
r Ow, Mary, I have spokenr'

enc mdtter once lot I'LL.
II heard you, DEAR" sweetly respond.
"a Mn. Feel; "and now, listen to me.
I have accepted Herr Schmidt's offer,
and he will enter the adjoining house
- tenant tomorrow"
mot II I know 1t, madam shouted
Phineas, Jumping from his chair and
bringing his fist down on tho table.
DO you think am going to have Rhyd
cottage turned into q menagerie, and
my garden into a bowling wilderness3
The house may remain tenantless for
ever, but Herr Schmidt and bis mon
0trosities shall not enter there"
'Herr Schmidt. my dear, II merely .
naturalist"
II know itv' stormed Phineas. i've
heard Of these plaguey naturallsts be.
fore. I've no desire to come downstairs
some fine morning to find a ring.tailed
monkey sitting on the window ell, act
Ing a. 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 ut her husbands fears,
and did not alter her determination In
the least.
"Has It slipped your memory, Phin.
&C.," she asked, "that Rhyd cottage y
Q portion Of my property II choose
to let It to q naturalist-even though be
Be q forcigncr-I am perfectly Justified
In doing Co."
This was true enough. and Phineas
calmcd down.
"Herr Schmidt's collection Of mon
otrosities.' ~ you call It." went on Mrs..
Peel, probably contains nothing more
dangerous than death's head moth IN
. bottle. Anyhow, I have no intention
% disappoint him."
But l."
"You will treat him with The respect
due from one gentleman 70 another.
Phineas," broke In Mn. Peel "And
now, dear, we'll dismiss the subject"
Phineas Peel was-though ct times
~ doubted ia lucky fellow. He bad
carried OF young and handsome WON.
IN from host Of suitors.
Why Mary Marsden had chosen 70 b.
STOW her hand and fortune On such q
plain, everyday sort Of fellow - the d.
minutive Phineas Peel was always q
mystery to her acquaintance. The
wedding was an accomplished fact bs.
foee her relatives had recovered from
~ shock caused BY the announcement
q her engagement.
Mary appeared to bs happy enough,
TOO. Phineas, taken a. q whole. wa
not . bad sort OF fellow. He was jeal.
ous, that was true. but his wife came
70 regard that a. an extra proof Of bid
devotion.
Had the proposed tenant Of Rhyd cot.
tage been an aged, decrepit, broken.
down old man. Phineas would have
stretched out the right hand Of fellow.
ship. But alas! Herr Schmidt wa
young and hands0me-far too hand.
some. Phineas thought.
every well. Mary" said Phineas, tax.
Ing his hat from the peg and making
for the door. you have overruled me a.
usual, and must be prepared for the
consequences. In less than week w
shall have the house and garden over
run with every conceivable variety Of
reptile-from the beastly lisard to the
boa constructor"
And Phineas stalked Indignantly
forth with the merry laughter Of hi
wife ringing In his ears.
A month or more had passed, and "a
far the fears Of Phineas proved to b.
groundless. Herr Schmidt's ''monstros.
ltiss" bad been kept well within bounds
and - yet Mr.. Peel had not seen "a
much - q strange caterpillar In bid
garden, which never looked better.
However. he was not happy. He had
taken an aversion to the new tenant
from the hrst. and would never bs eat.
isasd until he had got rid Of him.
"0oofound the fellow" muttered
Phineas one evening, - he eat on On
upturned bucket behind the peasticks
"he's prowling about on the other side
Ct the hedge again. Hope no won't
catch sight Of me, for I'm about tired
q bis oily tongue and eternal smile
Hullo! what the deuce b the meaning
Of this?"
Down the garden path tripped Mrs.
Peel The naturalist was evidently ex
pecting her, and greeted her with q
smile that almost brought tears into the
eyss Of the furious Phineas.
SSNNnA h~ ~nlA
joost . leetle late"
II was soon evident that this was no,
the hrst chat INDUCED In over the boun
dairy hedge. Though Phineas strained
his ears, he could not catch the drift OF
the conversation. Like a flash he re-
membered that Mary had often Of late
taken q stroll In the garden at dusk
Was this the explanation?
Phineas had been glaring at the cou
pie from behind the peasticks for ter
minutes or 20, when he saw his wife
TAKE . rosebud from his favorits tre<
and hand It over the hedge with 4
charming smile to the delighted Herr
Schmidt Then, with q pleasant "goot
nightw Mrs. Peel tripped lightly int
the house.
"You villain" Kissed Phineas. saw
agely, jumping from his seat and shak
ing his fist after the retreating agur,
In the next garden. TN pay you fol
this"
The rage Of Mr.. Peel was something
to be remembered. Nothing but blood
he vowed. would Obliterate his wrongs