Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-12-16
THE NEW TENANT.

] $ THE: NEW
eeoooooooooo
row. Mary, have spokenr'
4 y in his chair a. II that settled
q ma1eec once for al
II heard you. DEAR" sweetly respond.
ID Mn. Peel; and now, listen to me,
{ have accepted Herr Schmidt's offer.
and he will enter the adjoining house
- tenant tomorrow"
mot II l know 1t, madam shouted
Phineas, jumping from his chair and
bringing his 6st down on the table.
do you think I am going to have Rhyd
my garden into q bowling wilderness
The house may remain tenantless for
ever, but Herr Schmidt and his mon
strosities shall not enter there"
Herr Schmidt. my dear, u merely q
naturalist"
Il know IT." stormed Phineas. "Fva
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 az referee while the kangaroos and
crocodiles play leap-frog over the flower
beds. No, n1adaml No naturalists for
Phineas Peelv'
Pretty Mrs. Peel never allowed her
temper to get the better Of her. She
laughed softly at her husband's fears,
and did not alter her determination In
the least.
Has 1t slipped your memory. Phin
cas-" she asked, that Rhyd cottage s
q portion Of my property II choose
to let 1t to a naturalist-even though he
be foreigner-I am perfectly Justified
In doing So"
This was true enough, and PhineaA
calmed down.
Herr Schmidts collection Of mon.
strosities,' as you call it," went on Mrs.
Peel, probably contains nothing more
dangerous than a deaths head moth in
q bottle. Anyhow, have n intention
to disappoint him."
"But l."
"You will treat him with the respect
due from one gentleman 10 another,
Phineas," broke in Mrs. Pesl. And
COW, dear, we1l dismiss the subject"
Phineas Peel was-though at times
he doubted it-a lucky fellow. He had
carried Of a young and handsome wom-
IN from a host Of suitors.
Why Mary Marsden had chosen to be
stow her hand and fortune on such q
plain. everyday sort Of fellow a. the d.
minutive Phineas Peel was always q
mystery to her acquaintance. The
wedding was an accomplished fact be,
fore her relatives had recovered from
the shock caused by the announcement
e her engagement.
Mary appeared to be happy enough,
too. Phineas, taken as a whole, was
not a bad sort Of fellow. He was jeal-
Gus, that was true, but his wife came
10 regard that a. an extra proof Of his
devotion.
Had the proposed tenant Of Rhyd cot
eage been an aged, decrepit, broken
oOWh OIu AAIuu, hthCdo WOulu hdNC
stretched out the right hand Of fellow
ship. But alas! Herr Schmidt wa
young and handAome-far too hand
some, Phineas thought.
VERY 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 |
II
shall have the house and garden over
run with every conceivable variety Of |
the beastly lizard to the |
boa constructor"
And Phineas stalked Indignantly |
forth with the merry laughter of his |
wife ringing in hts ears.
A month or more had passed, and 20
far the fears Of Phineas proved to be
groundlees. Herr Schmidts "monstros-
ties' 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.
SIZED until he had got rid Of him.
"Confound the fellow" muttered
Phineas one evening, as he sat on an
lpturned bucket behind the peasticks,
he's prowling about on the other side
II the hedge again. Hope he won't
,atch sight Of me, for I'm about tired
II his oily tongue and eternal smile.
Hullo! what the deuce u the meaning
II this?"
Down the garden path tripped Mrs
Peel The naturalist was evidently ex.
oecting her. and greeted her with a
Imile that almost brought tears into the
yes of the furious Phineas.
"Good efeving." he said You vos
oost a leetle later
1t was soon evident that this was no,
he first chat INDUCED in over the boun-
larry hedge Though Phineas strs Ined
,is ears, he could not catch the drift Of
he conversation. Like fash he re- I
nembered that Mary had often Of late
aken a stroll in the garden at dusk
Vas this the explanation?
Phlneas had been gIaring at the cou
lie from behind the peasticks for ten
minutes or so, when he saw his wife
AXE a rosebud from his favorite tree
md hand 1t over the hedge with a
smile to the delighted Herr
Schmidt. Then. with a pleasant good
light" Mrs. Peel tripped lightly into
he house.
You villainr' hissed Phineas, say.
gely, jumping from his seat and shak-
,g his fist after the retreating figure
4 the next garden, IN pay you for
his
The rage Of Mr.. Peel was something
be remembered. Nothing but blood,
e vowed, would obliterate his wrongs.
tut he would smile and smile and mur-
or while ha smiled Go{zfn0 q noontick |