Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-10
A-WIIM1NG ToN DEIAwA1E Thursday NOVEMBER 1895.


rather laughing stock. Still, it
amuses her to think she's getting up q
filtration. And, after all, there's no
harm done. y tfs
"Bean't there?" reioined John, in q |
very significant tone ''oh, benn't |
there, Muster Charlie?"
"What do you mean, John?" ] ex-
claimed.
HMean?" retorted honest John, evil
IDENTIFY exasperated by what no consid-
cred my wilful obtuseness. "If thee
cannot see, thee's no better nor fule,
Master Charlie.
"You don't really mean that you
think anything serious is likely to
come of these foolish fiirtations with
Major Mallaby9"
tDepends what thee calls serious.
Some folk might call marriage serious.
Some mightn't. That's what's coming
of IT. anyways
Pooh, man. Impossible! Why,
aunt is TO- ~,
"If she was So and the marrying fit
took her, age wouldn't be no hind
rance, as it amt a-been to many silly
old women before now" answered
John, sententously. And, warn
thee solen,nly, Master Charlie, that if
you Ut UT DObll Vi US tiOtil ihbDiltlO
at once, Major Mallaby will marry the
mistress. Which is the same thing as
saying that he'll get her to leave. i'm
the property said John, with
| troubled shake of the head, "she
being in that weak, foolish state, as
she'll do anything at the word of one
! who gets an influence over her"
| Ididn't laugh now, Johns solemn
| xsnrIu x,,ata bnp snnipo t1 alarm mo i
knew he was shrewd old fellow, with
| a very keen insight into things, and
| by no means the sort to take fright at
| nothing Besides the result which he
| feared, even il only remote chance,
| was fraught with consequences too dis
astrous to be lightly disregarded. l
therefore said:
| "What's to be done, John? How are
we to put a spoke In the majors
| wheel?"
John rubbed his bald head thought
lE"I'd like to forbid the major the
4 hoose, :" he said after while. "But
doot we can't very well do that,
neither of us being the master of the
establishment -
| And then, after another pause, he
broke out regretfully: "Ah! Master
! Charlie, Master Charlie, what a pity
thee'rt thee aunt's nephew, and cannot
marry her theeself. That would be a
gram way out of the difficulty, indeed,
Il it wasn't for the table Of affinities. y
| Greatly, john" / smiled, "even if
| wasn't within the forbidden degrees,
could hardly bring myself, at my age,
to marry an old lady at 70.
'sThen thee'd deserve to lose the
property for sticking at such a mere
trife, Master Charlie," retorted the
there! That being impossible, it's
wasting our time to discuss it. We
nun think, Master Charlie--we nun
think what can be done, I'll give the
matter my attention; and thee nun
give it thine. In the meantime" he
added, "keep ABBOTT the hoose, Master
Charlie, and il the Major calls, doan't
on any account leave him alone with
thee aunt. !"
Il With this caution and another warn
ing shake of his bald head, he retired
to attend to his household duties.
The Major did call that afternoon,
and l carried out Johns advice, taking
care to be present in the drawing room
all the time. Very glad, too, l felt
that had not neglected this precau.
ton. For from the way the Major kept
looking towards me, as if he wished
me at Jericho, and from the various
/ attempts my aunt made to get me out
of the room by transparent subterfuges
| to which [ declined to tumble--l
|: began to feel that the danger of which
; John had warned me was very present
| and real, and ! found myself wondering
that l had hitherto been SO completely
, and culpably blind in the matter.
: When the Major at length, took his
) leave, / was sufficiently polite to ac
company him to the front door. W.
: shook hands. Our respective manners
r were civility itself. But / think hi
saw that I smoked his game, Ant
detected lurking defiance in his eye:
as he babe me adieu.
D That night, when John brought mt
) my whisky and soda into the smoke
!, room. he asked me:
sl swell, Master Charlie, what did the,
Y make Of the majors manner towards
s mistress2"
v II didn't like the looks of things
) / admitted.
"And hast thee thought of any dodg
Q to outwit the major, Master Charlie?'
t ~ can't say I have. Have you
S Jehn?' -
81 amt sure. Goodnight, Maste
s Charlie. - go.
S Next morning he came to me again
this time with q very long, grave face
Il In his hand he held an open letter.
I "There, Master Charlie" he said
u "I've been and done what have neve
4 done before. This letter be for tn
4 mistress but l see it was from tn
: major, and opened it.
: II say! You shouldn't have don
Q that" demonstrated.
VI s.Should or shouldn't, l did, re
L torted John, half tlefiantly. "And Tn
& glad | did, too. The major offers tn
n aunt marriage in this letter, and he
Q going to call for his answer this after
e noon. " 4a..i
!. .'Phew," whistled, in great dis
q may. What's to DO done now?''
/ 4fMaster Charlie" cried old John
d very earnestly, the aunt must be 20
1 away this very morning, before tn
a major comes. +"
IN "But how's that to be done?''
IS II think ii can be managed" sal
it John, with knowing wag OF his bal
i head. Fortunately, the DOCTORS com
!. ing this morning to see the mistres
l. about her eyes. He's reel friend t
Is the family, is the doctor and doot h
Ie disfavors the majors designs near a
Ie much as you or l do. Now, if you
" see him first, Master Charlie, and cor
i fide to him the exact state of the CASE
/. who knows but what he'd find the col
dition OF the mistress eyes SO yer
10 critical that he'd order her up to Lor
A y. 49, II -. =.