The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1899-12-29


the shock to her nerves remained. The
assertion that her scare was all i'm
aginary, though repeated over and
over to herself, failed to quiet them.
There! 1t was somebody trying TO
get into the house! The front door
bell rang loudly. Then some one be-
gan pounding on the door. Myrtle
could hear 1t quite plainly. She sat
upright and listened. Never before
had she been awake at night and not
heard her father snoring. She missed
that rcassuring snore very much.
Could anything have happened to him?
Or perhaps the house was on fire. Yes;
it must be fire. She was sure that she
smciled smoke.
Giving sIay tremendous shake,
Myrtle slipped out Of bed, threw on n
dressing gown and hurried down 10 the
front door, where the pounding slip
kept up. In 4 moment she had the doc!
open; but, instead of n staiwart fire
man, in stopped her brother Edward
and his wife.
"Why, it's Myrtlc!" cried Edward
'"Che train was late and we thought
you were never going to let us in
We're nearly frozen and hungry as
bears. And how is mother aD1 every
body? Why, what's the matter7 why
don't you speak"
For obvious reasons Myrtle remained
silent. A moment later n second silent
figure crept down the hallway and
stood by Myrtle, and then ca0e Mr..
Hatch himself, hastily pulling Oh
few clothes as he came.
"Oh, here's father! He will cxpiai".
cried the amazed Edward rs the :E:ru
figure came gropiag silently d"v'n the
tHIfEht en5 EhHao Of the lGpg dRHnb halt ,oo "r i,
the middle Of the hall stood the pate"
nal Hatch. utterIng not oDe word Of
welcome to his beloved sOn.
A moment later Mrs. Hatch cuiar
down, visibly agitatcd and ulu,cl!
waving her arms. Behind her came the
two young men, one armed with Il
baseball bat and the other with II
poker. But not one word did they
speak. Isingiass piuster nag s,,lnc very
adhesive properties. and when ones
mouth has been glued shut for three
long hours one cannot be expected to
carry on an extended conversation For
several minutes the strange group
| yaZed at one another
Edward, they're all crazy! Let's 40
homc, anywhere, but do not stay in
this house," cried Mrs. Hatch junior,
with strong signs Of hysteria.
"SpeaE, somebody. can't you? For
| heavcE's sake. wish us n happy New
Year" cried Edward, taking his fright
! cncd wife in his arms.
But not Il word did any one speak.
The S!!cn, group shuffied shceplshly
: about. making weird and ineXpiicable
Sigr@. which more and more convinced
Edward that al the family of Hatch
had suddenly departed with their sew
cratl and Individual senses.
Mother! Father! Has it come to
this? VIII YOU turn Saur own son
away from your door at midnight with
ont one word Of welcome? What have
done? What has happened? Can no
one "p"ah?"
TIC answer 10 the last question had
10 be q distinct but inarticuiate mega
tive. Eva covered her face with her
hands and broke into sobs. "They
have turned you away, Edward, be-
cnusc-bccausc they think / have dis
honorcd the name OF Hatch. Some one
haS told them about-the-thc--apple
pies! Tell them. Edward, it was not
my fault, not my fault! I-I-didn't
mcan-I-Oh, | can't go oil! ] can't go
on" And again poor Eva broke into
Sobs.
At this point Myrtle slipped away
and came down stairs again with q
huge pair OF scissors ia her hands.
Without one word OF warning and be-
fore Edward could throw Himself be.
tween them she sayagely stabbed his
! father-at least so Ii seemed In the up-
certain llght-in the face with the mur-
dcrous weapon.
Saved! Happy New Year every
| body!' gaspcd Mr. Hatch senior catch
ing his son In his arms md shaking his
hands till they ached. "We're all glued
mp, my boy, every one Of us. glued up
with the sticliiest. most Internal sort
OF sticking plaster ever created. That's
right. Myrtle. Cut your poor mother
loose. Shes always best at explain
| ing
The wclkin rang with Edwards
laughter when his mother did explain
with much gravity, Just how they
| came 10 be found i'm such Dredica-
mcnt. and 1t took several gallons Of hot
water to wash away the traces Of that
| isinglass plaster. But there was n Sec
! Ond supper In the Hatch homestea
| that night, md, rs every one confessed,
1t was the Jollier Of the two,