Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-10-17

10 see something that suggested our
patent to me-. and MIR. Seymour knows
an umbrella manufacturer who might
be interested in the matt even if
nothing more came of it,"
While her father pondercd she said to
me: 1--WE speak of it as our patent, al
though, as told you, we have no pat
emit"
Il could take my friend one of your
umbrellas this evening"" I said. What
awful lies we detectives have to tell!
Miss Robertson looked at her father.
"You are very kind" said the father.
"The trouble is, Mr.-Mr.-"
Seymour" the girl prompted.
"Ah, yes, thank you, dear-Mr. Sey-
mour-you are very kind. but we have
not one umbrella fit to show. My
daughter has not succeeded in sewing
the eye-glass piece in so that it holds
its place when the umbrella is opened
and closed"
Il can easily finish the one began
last" said Miss Robertson, eff Mr.. Sey-
mour could wait for few moments"
Most certainly cam" said l, perfect
y y happy, and willing to wait all night
If necessary, "and-"
Here / stopped to listen to queer
noise or succession of noises coming
through the half-closed door of the
next room. 1t was the sort of sound
that is made by pump when sucking
air instead Of water, or by person in
great distress from asthma.
NThofsc Nfrv yVsrr,s,, - -: = AF. M
ertson, Jumping up. "Please excuse me
for moment" She left the room,
closing the door after her. I had hard
~ begun to talk with Mr.. Robertson be-
fore she came back.
Mrs. Virgins says that supper will
be spoiled unless it is eaten at once
this minute. And, as 1t will take me
brella presentable to a real umbrella
manufacturer, may ask Mr.. Seymour
to take supper with us?"
Before the father could eid his re-
quest had assented, without attempt
to hide my pleasure.
"It is ready now, and on the table,"
she west on, ushering me into the next
room, which proved to be tiny room
even for three persons-so small, in
fact, that every time Mrs. Virgins ap-
peared from the kitchen Miss Ellen had
to rise and move her chair to let her in.
This room often reminds me-" said
Miss Robertson, 'of the lady who closed
her first visit to New York fiat with
the remark: Well, now that have
seen all the closets, where are the
rooms?' She must have come from Vir-
ginia, our old home; we have big houses
there. But if it is closet or no better,
it's our own. With Mrs. Wiggins"-
here the same curious sound OF a pump
in distress made itself heard-"that's
Mrs. Virgins now" and Miss Ellen
jumped up to allow that singular old
woman to come in with dish of roasted
rabbit.
When the door closed after her, Mrs.
Virgins has her peculiarities, as you
may observe" said Miss Robertson,
laughing. "rhat peculiar snort of hers
is something can't understand, ex-
cept as signal to open the door. You
see, l have to get up every time the door
is opened; and, as Mrs. Virgins usually
has her hands full of plates or carries
tray, she cannot knock"
"And to kick she is ashamed; or per-
haps she feels that it would be undig-
nifed," added Mr.. Robertson, with .
smile.
$50 she raorts," said Miss Ellen.
"And she can also cook" said I, for
the rabbit was excellent and cooked to
perfection, Roast rabbit was some
thing 1 had not tasted since came
from the country.
81 really don't know what we should
do without her, papa, dear. You see,'
turning to me, "she stays in the room
with my father great deal of the time
while am away, SO that she can get
him whatever he requires"
And so we chatted throughout the
meal, with but one shadow upon the
feast. 1 felt that was traitor. Here
was eating and enjoying the bread of
these good people and meanwhile plot
ting their ruin. Another weeks ac-
quaintance with the Robertson family,
and should be ready to throw the Ga
zette overheard and help the criminals
to escape. After the meal was over and
Mrs. Virgins had snorted at the kitch-
| en- door for the last time and gone
home, we sat down by the fire, and
while Mr., Robertson gave me some
what rambling account Of his re-
searches upon the Spanish Inquisition
at least it seemed rambling to me,
perhaps because of disturbing vision
upon the other side of the fireplace
Miss Ellen worked deftly at one Of the
famous umbrellas, and talked as clev-
| erly as I knew how, trying to divide my
remarks between the Spanish Inquisi-
ton and the patent umbrella. Very
much too soon those deft and dainty
fingers had finished their task.
There" exclaimed Miss Robertson,
with an accent of triumph, interrupt
ing her fathers graphic description of
the persuasive effects Of thumbscrews
as manipulated by the Spanish In
quisitors, 81 do believe practice makes
perfect. If that eye-glass falls out,
shall be surprised. Nevertheless, Mr..
Seymour, you can tell your friend that
this is the work of beginner. By the
way, it's my old school umbrella"
tested the work and shook the UNI
brella up and down. 1t had been SO
long since l had had taste of anything
like homo life, and this little glimpse
of q home had been SO grateful to me,
that was sorry to find that the glass