The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-06-18

name, who lived in magnificent but
mouldy mansion just outside the town.
She was distinctly eccentric in dress
and manners, and particularly with re-
gard to a wheezy old poodle, rejoicing
in the name Of Alonzo. She simply
adored this fat beast. and had him
dressed up in pink satin coat and a
gold collar. Rumors were current
that he dined on oysters and cham
pagne, and kept banking account,
bat | believed these to be myths.
Anyhow he was horrid little brute,
with the most maddening habit of snap
ping at your heels; and one of his chief
pleasures was to fly at small children
and nearly 1righten them into fits. 1t
WAS not surprising, under the circum-
stances, that Alpnzo was cordially
hated.
"One afternoon | was walking home
from a tennis party, when suddenly
shrill feminine shrieks, mingled with
howls and barking of dogs, fell on my
ear. | hurried on, and, turning the
,rner, beheld cloud Of whirling dust,
a flash of pink satin, and Miss Almira
Muggins, wringing her hands and
screaming.
"a lonzo, my own darling-my sweet.
Help, help! The nasty wretch of a
dog! Help!
grasped the situation, and, feel
ing rather sorry for the distracted
lady, around whom a crowd of gaping
grinning yokels was gathering, made
several violent lunges with my racquet
at the two combatants, which took
them so much by surprise that they
let go. | promptly colored Alonzo
who, dishevelled and bleeding. his pink
satin coat torn to shreds, made futile
attempts to renew the fight with his
assilant, plucky little toy terrier.
Miss Almira nearly fell round my
neck, and began to feel bit ola tool.
So cut short all her thanks, and set
of with her towards her house.
gave the dog to the prim looking SER
want who opened the door. Then Miss
Muggins turned and said:
oung man, you have done Alon-
20 and me Il great service. and we owe
You lifelong gratitude. | shall lee
pleased to know your name, and shall
hope to see you sometimes. Now and
then Alonzo and | are lonely. Will
you take dish OF tea with me at four
of the clock tomorrow
."The old dame with her old-world
grace interested me, and promised to
come | told the fellows about it when
| got home, and they chaffed me the
whole evening, and indeed it seemed
funny enough to me when | came to
think of it.
Next day, little before -four ot
the clock, | set out for Miss Almira s.
Most of our fellows were lounging
round the gate, smoking and looking
out for the girls schools that passed
and | was greeted with perfect vol
ley of small wit as | passed out. |
didn't answer, but put on love-sick
and tragic air. enacted an imaginary
lovc-rassage between myself and Miss
Muggins, and took my departure
amidst applause.
"The same prim-looking servant
opened the door. The house had a
mouldy smell, but the hall was very
large and oak-panelled. She led me
down many dusky corridors, and ush.
cred me at last into a vast drawing.
room, at the farther end of which
distinguished with difficulty the little
figure Of Miss Muggins There was
an air of faded splendor about the room
every thing was SO substantial, so out
OF date, and yet SO picturesque, that
seemed in a waking dream, which was
IL It dispelled when the old lady rose
aad made me Il curtscy with the grace
OF the last century. bowed. and sat
down at her invitation. | came with
the intention of staying haIf-an-heur
and, when at last said goodbye.
found it was close on seven o'clock
She was really Il most interesting old
dame, and except for her devotion t,
that disgusting Alonzo, would have
been charming. Her house was quite
a museum, and she showed me some
: of her countless treasures. She had q
story to tell abo:lt each of them. anC
her personal "reminiscences were no,
less interesting. She had danced al
; the court OF George III and wept fOi
the loss OF Tratal lgars hero, and haC
rejoiccd at the tidings OF Waterloo: in
deed. she herself looked like a bit out
ot the last century, in her hrocadc,
sacqnc and high-heeled shoes.
Il readily promised to come again
and, despite the other fellows jokes,
) soon found myself at Miss Almira's
. whenever | had spare hour or two
| 1t seemed as if the treasures of that
house could never be exhausted, anC
together we undertook the task of re
arranging them.
"Iou'll think she was queer com
panion for a young man twenty, but
as told you, the Mudfordites were
: very slow, and l found little Miss AL