Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-09-02

volubIy. ssNot : 'spoth Of arm, s'elp
me. Only hadmirin' Of EN-, that's
ALL"
ssrhen you will be good enough to
proceed on your way" retorted Lady
Lselia. "Mr. De Oruxa tell this man
to go away"
There was pause. Then De Cruza
observed in high voice that had q
curious lack of the commanding note:
Yes, do as the lady tells you. You
are not wanted here"
There was another pause. The
tramp looked from the woman to the
man. He moved q step forward, and
so stood between them and their ma
chimes. Lady Laelia commanded him
Indignantly to go away. De Cruza
drew back step in silence.
''I'm thinkin'," said the tramp, and
his tone had less of the fawning whine,
that pious and charitable lydy like
you nd be willin' to 'elp pore 'onest,
Woodworking cove with trife. !"
81 have nothing to give you," cried
Lady Laelia; "and honest men don't
NEEDLE with bicycles behind their
owners backs"
''I'm sbleeged to yer, lydy," said
the tramp, with an evil grin. CIVIL,
since yer are SO pressin', tyke the
purse yer hotter, and likewise them
pretty sparklers yer ave on yer
wrists"
'How dare your cried Lady Laelia.
"Mr. De Cruza, drive this ruffian
away"
Was there ever such horrible, un-
poetic, barbarous request addressed
before to an eminent bard?
Eyes, do go away. We have moth
ing for you," quavered De Cruza. eff
you don't go away | shall inform the
police about your
"Stow CANNON" cried the uncul-
tured intruder rudely, "or I'll smash
your tallow-colored mug fer yer. And
now, and over the dibs."
With quick forward movement he
caught Lady Laelia by the arm.
Help, Mr.. De Cruza, help" she
cried, struggling bravely with the as
sailant; and then, as De Cruza gave no
sign, she added Help, you coward
Do you mean to see me murdered?"
With his heart sinking into his
boots, De Cruza made doubtful for
ward movement with his hands ex
tended in fashion eminently unset
entific. But when the ruffian, fling
ing Lady Laelia to the ground by a
brutal effort of strength, turned upon
her male companion with a stick up
lifted and the glare of savage, the
poets heart seemed to fly out of his
body far away, and that illustrious
man fairly turned tail and fled in the
same direction.
If he had preferred to refrain from
this exhibition he would have heard
Lady Laelia' s cry of "Thank Heavens!"
as newly arrived bicyclist descended
suddenly on the scene and dashed in
to the rescue.
1t was little Hounslow.
The tramp came up to the scratch
nothing 10th, for his club and the small
size of the new arrival made him over
confident. Hounslow, however. was
as active as cat, and in excellent
condition. He lodged blow that
would have felled an OK, darted in,
countered heavily with his right, and
put in one straight from the shoulder
with his left. Over the other went,
completely knocked out of time.
Whereupon Hounslow naturally took
possession of the club and pitched it
far.
When Lord Hounslow repeated his
proposal to Lady Laelia, which he did
as soon as possible without the small
est delicacy, she owned that she had
somewhat altered her views not only
on the subject of moral suasion and
the dignity of being in the right, but
also with regard to the question of
height as a gauge of respect. She
said that she realized that what wo-
man wanted was man who was thor
oughly able to protect her, and that
she did not know any one who was
more completely competent for the
purpose than the present aspirant.
Therefore--
Mr.. De Cruza was not at the we'd
ding. Nor did he call on Lady Laelia
either before or after. He had many
engagements, you see. - London
World.