Evening star., 1896-11-07
BY DAVID SKAATS FOSTER.

open. and great many .an up into the
buildings and got out on the roofs, with the
foolish idea that they might -.,p,;l-e il.
Ihen 1t grew darker. and it was i'm. os-
slpie any longer to dSting Lish Iha balloon
from the clouds, and Jack and !. who had
followed the rabble hither tnd tnther in
lhelr errauc chase gave the thing Up and
turned our steps homeward
Now, fer the first time, we thought of
looking at our watches, and jenkins found
to his d!smay that it was nalf-past .
O'Clock For two hours he had been parted
from his angel. as he persisted in calling
hef. whereas ne had promised to return in
an hour. l gave the matter naturally no
concern. but with my companion it was
different He fairly led me on run to his
house. On the way he seemed 10 be dis
tralt ana preoccupied, he answered my re-
marks at random, and it was very evident
that there was weight of goodly dimen-
sions upon his mind Why" thought 1.
will a man, who is born TO the nobility
OF freedom. voluntarily. yes, longingly,
make slave of himself to a creature in
petticoats. so that he trembles at the an
ticipation of her displeasure?'
When We arrived at the house, Fra
Jenkins received us calmly and with sus-
piciously gentle tone. With me she was
coldly, but studiously, polite, and ]. no.
ticlng that her manner had still further de-
pressed my unhappy friend. took leave
of the couple with all haste possible. and.
retiring to my chamber, threw off nv
clothes and crawled into bed. for had had
a trying day of it, and proposed 10 get a
good nights rest.
1t was rot to be, for Just then the Jen-
kinses commenced to talk. That is to say.
the angel talked and the victim. once in
three or four minutes. gave out faint and
Submissive monosy Liable. Their chamber
was evidently next to mine; the partitions
were not over and above thick, and
could very we'll distinguish the tones. the
manner and the infection, without the
words themselves reaching me. Her voice
was low, it was plaintive, but at the same
time insistent ami it was monotCnous; and,
ever and anon, came that one protesting.
defensive and melancholy word from John
Jenkins At 10 o'clock turned over toward
the wall. and stuffed the sheet into my
ears. and still l heard it.
Their door was opened and closed, and in
that moment 1 heard the words: six
months ago you would not have forgotten.
If l could have believed mother the
rest of the sentence being lost by the shut
ting of the door. l arose and paced the
floor in vexation, for the dull and wearing
n!urmur of the voice gave no signs of abat-
ing.
More than aught else I fear a talking
woman, and in my misery. l yet gave
thanks that l was not tethered to one
At II l flung myself upon the bed. and
fell asleep and dozed awhile. and then the
voices stopped. and 1 suddenly awoke. as
one does on a steamship when the screw
stops revolving. l felt sense of blessed
comfort. but it was only for a moment.
She was apparently but resting. Once
mere that stream of words commenced to
flow. She was off again. 1 noticed now
that there came no response from the cul-
prit. That meek and deprecating punctua-
ticn had ceased entirely. Was he dead?
The suppositon was most plausible.
AT u there was no change. and l arose
and dressed myself completely and opened
the French window and looked out into the