Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1897-12-15


enter the adjoining house as tenant to-
morrow"
Not IL l know 1t. madam 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 menagerie and
my garden into bowling wildernessf
The house may remain tenantless for
ever, but Herr Schmidt and his mon
stroslties shall not enter there"
Herr Schmidt, my dear, Is merely
a naturalist"
81 know It," stormed Phineas. 1--WE
heard of these piaguey naturalists be-
fore. I've no desire to come down stairs
some fine morning to find ringtalled
monkey sitting Oh the window sill act
ing as referee while the kangaroos and
crocodiles play leapfrog over the flow
er-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
portion of my property? If l choose
to let 1t to naturalist, even though he
be foreigner, am perfectly justified
In doing so.
This was true enough, and Phineas
Gained down.
Herr Schmldt's collection of mon
strosities,' rs you call It," went on Mrs
Peel, probably contains nothing more
dangerous than a deaths head moth
In bottle. Anyhow, l have no inten-
ton 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 car
RED off a young and handsome woman
from 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
dimlnutive Phlneas Peel was always q
mystery to her acqualntances. The we'd
ding was an accomplished fact before
her relatives had recovered from the
shock caused by the announcement of
her engagement.
Mary appeared to be happy enough
too. Phineas, taken as a whole, was
not bad sort of fellow. He was jeal-
Gus, that was true, but his wife came to
regard that as an extra proof of his
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 was
young and handsome-far too hand
some, Phineas thought.
VERY 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 q week we
shall have the house and garden over
run with every conceivable variety of
reptile, from the beastly lizard to the
boa constructor"
And Phlneas stalked Indignantly
lOrtH Will tHe merry lauSnter or his
wife ringing in his ears.
A month or more had passed, and so
far the fears of Phineas had proved to
be groundless. Herr Schmidt's mon
trositles" had been kept well within
bounds, and US yet Mr.. Peel had not
seen so much as n 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
lsfied until he had got rid of him.
"Confound that fellow muttered
rhneas one evening as he sat on an
upturned bucket behind the pea sticks.
Hes prowllng 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.
Hello. What the deuce is the mean
Ing of thls?"
Down the garden path tripped Mrs.
Peel. The naturalist was evidently ex-
pecting her and greeted her with a
smile that almost brought tears into
the eyes Of the furious Phineas.