Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-04-07

| 1uGy IloNtu OIL, ttntl tIit ldU Jauy anu
were left alone in the summer house.
had hardly planned how to reach the sta
| bles when the entire structure-I speal
| of the fat lady's figlre-began to incline
| toward me, and the next moment / foun(
| that a flower crowned, youthful looking
bonnet was reposing on my shoulder, ant
the fat lady was sleeping peacefully.
II can't help it, " called out to Anthea
who gave ME cold look as she passed
| with the elderly gentleman. Anthea ap
peared to have accepted the trying situa
tion with considerable amount of com
| posture. mere man, although lrlnatic
failed to inspire her with terror. She hat
a theory, she said, that most men were
rather mad, and that those who were shut
up were not really much worse than many
who wandered at large.
| watched them till they came to a rost
bed, when / saw the elderly gentleman
| pluck one of DIR. Perks most cherished
blooms and present it to Anthea, bowling
| low and placing his hands upon his heart
Madam" heard him say, "take this
| poor bloom shade of DR.. Perks-"and
| If for one hour it serves to remind you Of
the stern old warrior who gave it to you
| let that be his reward
"Oh, thank you Sir Charles" said An
thea, and she took the rose and pressed il
to her lips before she fastened it in the
front of her frock
Shehumored him wonderfully we'll
| The fat lady awoke, and said, without q
| moments hesitation: 81 haven't beer
asleep. Where's babyP"
tHn,,n - cail thn 1-o,1ptr ,p,v, and Jf
and Mabel came into the summer house.
ooh, Mr.. Wells" said Mabel, "don't
you think if we were all to be very firm
we might get away now? There arc An
thea and-and Sir Charles Grandson
C'Ha, ha!' said the young MANI. and
think the other two are in the garden. Dc
please find them and let us go home"
She was nearly crying and looked very
white. So, leaving her, with some misgiv
ings, went to the garden to collect the
rest Of the party.
Here l found my unfortunate frient
Tapson prisoner on the top pof high gar
| den wall
The pale girl, it appears, had first Of al
made him fill his pockets with pears anC
plums, and had then induced him t.
mount ladder and sit on the wall. She
herself had followed and sat with her feet
OH the ladder, making it impossible fol
Tapson to descend except at the risk o1
breaking his neck
When came upon them in the garden
the feeble girl was still eating pears and
swinging her feet against the ladder
"You must let Tapson come down now, "
said, in a kind, firm voice. "We are go
ing home"
held the ladder till she had descended
and Tapson following quickly, we all
walked up to the house together. Here we
found the carriage waiting, and our leave.
taking was wonderfully successful.
Anthea said, II don't think any of you
need tell Augustus what it was like" And
we swore secrecy.
But the next day we had hardly finished
luncheon when Dr.. Perks drove up in his
phaeton, and by his side sat the wild eyed
young man, looking wilder eyed than
ever.
Mabel became quite hysterical "Don't
let him in! Don't let him in!" she cried.
II believe I'm half engaged to him. Oh,
please say we are not at home"
And then, of course, Augustus had ia
hear all about it,
II don't think Perks had any right to
place you in such POSITION" he said.
"And he certainly has no right to bring
his patients over here. I'll call and speak
to Perks about this tomorrow.
Our worst fears were realized when, the
next day, we saw him ride back, looking
most strange. His neckcloth was loosened
his eyes were full of tears and his face was
exactly the color of ripe tomato.
"My own darling Augustus, what is the
matter?" cried Anthea.
II have been threatened with apoplexy, u
replied Augustus.
"Oh, Augustus! How? What happen.
ed?''
IT rode to the i'll fated spot, replied
Augustus, land was slowly approaching
the house, when whom should meet
walking in the drive but that conceited
old ass, Colonel Blake'
II asked him what sort of patients DR..
Perks had at present, and he told me that
all the patients had gone and that DR..
Perks had given up his private asylum
work and only
"Go on, said Tapson, in hoarse whis
per.
Augustus looked at no one, which was
noble Of Augustus.
--"and he only has his own friends tc
stay with him now. ="
He told me that there is a certain Mrs.
Lawrence staying there now with her son
IA poet, believe--who is familiarly call.
ed Baby. The poet quotes his own verse
upon all occasions, am told. There II
another glest--Miss Langford, an heiress
staying in the house; a great catch, Col
Onel Blake said, ard sportswoman to
boot
"And-and who eises" asked Anthea,
with white lips and voice that shook.
"No one but Colonel Blake himself, =
said Augustus.
"But, i" said /, II solemnly declare to
you, Augustus, that they all seemed to
think that soda water wires grow on a
grass bank, and every one of them was
trying to find them.
II believe" said Augustus softly, "that
our old friend Dr. Perks is in the habit Of
illuminating that bank at night some
times. He hangs little lights on to wires
fixed in the grass; but the grass grew too
long, SO his friends said they would find
the wires and put them somewhere else.
There was to be quite a grand illumina-
tion, with, / understand, u cold supper
afterward.
"Cold potato pie, murmured Tapaon.
The silence that followed was 80 great
Tint we could hear Augustus eyelids NOV.
| ing as he blinked at the sun.--Pall Mall
Magazine.