Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1898-12-09

face Of the yard. This noiso had not
died away before there aros5 the long
wall Of the ove-tures to cat battle
"W-o-o-o-o-o-o, WOW wowl'
Softly and cautiously the footsteps
crossed tho room again. Again a bottle
broke and scattered. Again rose the
wall Of war.
There was nothing cautious about the
footsteps this time. Instead of tho cliDk
Of bottles heavy boot soles clattered To-
gethor. The time consumed in gather
ing ammunition indicated that an arm
full was being collected.
"T-f-f-t, wiokokI' yowlod a victim.
"Thank the Lord r. shouted the Hon.
Er. McShana. "Whoopr"
"There, by damn - they heard Mr..
McShane mutter. The silence Of Sun
day morning settled down again.
Tho Dlackstones slept righteously in
to daylight, but not so late as they bad
intended. At about the time folks up
the state go "a to feed tho stock before
preparing for church there came a rap
ping at their bedroom door.
"Billl Say, Bil!r' said a worried
voice.
"Wassermat?'' asked Mr.. Blackstone.
"Did you scud anybody into my
room to tako my sho,s out to clean
them?" asked Mr.. McShaue.
mo" responded Mr.. Blackstone.
whats upf"
"Tbey're gone, that's ALL" was tho
melancholy answer. "Irut them in the
closet when | went to bed-the enc that
isn't the nagnzino, you kncw-so that
in the excitement Of battle / wouldn't
get mixed Up and threw them, aud now
they're gone"
Mrs. Blackstone slipped out Of bed
and gingerly opened the door of tho
narrow closet that connected the two
rooms.
''lf 10 Put them ia here, !" she said,
peeriug in the darkness, "thty certainly
must be here"
She opened the door a little wider
and shriekcd. Her husband was beside
her in an instant.
"Lookl" she cried, pointing into the
closet. Look"
"For goodness cake. you people, >"
said a wondering Voice ia the nall,
whats tie NATTER"
The voice Of blackstone answered
him, enrnciating slowly and soleninly
%recounting a catalogue Of things.
Zone quart bottle Of mucilage, one
quart bottle of red ink, one quart bottle
Of green ink, Cne-half gallon jug of
whisky, Gre bottle of Ponds extract,
one box Of dry plates, two bottles of de-
velcper, enc large bottle of lime wa
ter
"Cno pair Of rusEcts. Tair bicycle
shoes," Ers. Blackstone took up the
list. "Tho skirt frame. Your big shoes,
your patent feathers, your winter
shoes
"Gone. oil gonei' they said in clio
rus.
"Have you found my shoes, yotf'
asked II voice from the hall.
"Ycur shocsl' bawled Mr. Black
stcnc. "You good for nothing bat shnrI
bait, steam snowplows. Oh, YOU
"WilliGmr' said Mrs. blackstone.
Her husband strobe ont into the bail
He took his guest by the scruff OF tn
neck and led him to the window. Their
, in the area they looked down upon suoI
an ink despatched gnmmy wreck as sci
dom man is privileged to look upon
On tho stone stops lny one dead cat
and by his side a huge, yellow, gor
stained Syracuse boot. The other roste'
under tho largest fragment Of the I'M
bottle.
II must hnvo got iuto the wronl
closet, after ALL" faid tho Hon. MI
McShcno after awhile. "And they cos
IS. 80"
His cas- went against him by defaul
the next day because be had to wait 70
Blackstone to go down town, his ow-
feet clad in tennis shoes, and order
full assortment of shoes sent to III
house "for a gentleman with the biz
: gest feet on Garth" Iut Mir. Blacl
stono was unfeeling enough to say /
didn't much care.-Ncw York Sun.