Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-07-20

tears and ran hysterically upstairs.
''Oh, Felix! what's the matter?"
asked Rosamond, half frightened out
of her senses. Had I better go
home?"
.'By no means, my dear Rosamond,"
said the major. '.You see have mar.
ried woman with temper. But
she'll be all the more charming when
that fault is rooted out of her charac-
ter
The major went upstairs and tried
to open the door. It was locked
"Justina," he said gently, sit is I.
Let me in.'
81 won'tp' snapped the bride.
"Will you come downstairs, then?"
II will not come out of my room
until that woman is out of the house!"
sputtered forth Mrs. Delaford.
every we'll, my DEAR said the
major, and he returned to the drawing.
room with unruffled philosophy.
Mrs. Delaford adhered to her re.
solution, although it was much tried
by sundry peculiar sounds she heard
on the outside of the door.
''Major Delaford has carpenters at
work, altering the house," thought
she. eft makes but little difference
to me in any case. l shan't stay
here"
At the end of the third day, how
ever, she concluded to go downstairs.
But when she opened the door, 10, and
behold! her egress was barred by
grated iron door.
"Mercy upon us!' cried Mrs. Della
ford. "What is this?"
''Please, ma'am," said the little
maid, who had brought her up her
meals three times day, "It's master
as had it done"
''What for?" cried Justina.
please, a'am," said Hetty, trem-
bling all.over, don't you know you're
crazys"
'.lnsolent minion," said Mrs. Della
ford, "call your master at once"
Major Delaford came Immediately
upstairs, with Rosamond Bly, clinging
in frightened sort of way to his arm.
"How do you feel now, my dear?
he asked, solicitously.
''Im we'll enough" snarled Mrs.
Delaford. ''Open that door quick!'
''Mad! Very mad, indeed" said
Major Delaford, in a sotto voice, turn
ing to Rosamond.
''Ruffian!' cried the bride, chow
dare you speak SOP"
Getting violent' added the major,
shaking his head.
'Let me out, sayr' persisted Mrs.
Delaford, rafting at the bars. ''What
does this absurd mummery mean?'
Perhaps strait waistcoat would
be advisable" said the major. "But
as long as she remains tolerably man
ageable, shall not send her to an
asylum"
Mrs. Delaford began to>cry.
ooh, Felix, how can you talk SOP"
"Poor thingr' murmured the major,
compassionately. ''The hardest part
of insanity must be when one becomes
partially conscious of its deadly
DOOM"
"Mrs. Delaford shut the door
rather vehemently and began to cry
hysterically.
'T'm not mad!' said she. 81 won't
be made mad woman OFF,
But how to help herself-that was
the question. The door was barred
effectually-the windows opened upon
the dead wall of an stitution of the
Fine Arts, and were three stories
above the ground. She might have
shrieked herself hoarse in that direc-
tion before any one could hear her.
She sat down to think. What could
she do? What was to become of her?
Did that dreadful hint of Felix con-
cerning the asylum really mean any
thing? For once in her life the late
Mrs. Washington was actually fright
ened.
"Has my temper really been so ter
rible," she asked herself, ''thut peo-
pie mistake it for-I can hardly
breathe the word-insanity?"
1t was a new idea; she pondered it
carefully and cried bitterly over it.
When Hetty came, as usual, with
her napkin-covered tray Mrs. Della
ford's face was pale and tear-swollen
''Hetty," said she, "will you ask
your master to step up here for few
minutes?"
Major Delaford obeyed the sum-
mons at once.
"Well, my love-" said he, "what is
it?"
tFelix," said Mrs. Delaford, burst
ing into fresh tears, 81 have acted
very foolishly. 1 beg your pardon.
Aud beg Rosamond's pardon, too"
Major Delaford opened the grated
door at once-Justina flew into his
arms and then and there was a re-
conciliation after the most approved
style.
Mrs. Delaford was as sweet as q
June morning after that and if ever
she manifested symptoms of a relapse
all that Major Delaford found neces-
sary was to allude, in gentle way, to
lunatics and asylums.
And Mr.. Ulysses Clinklethorp never
could imagine by what means this
modern Petruchio tanned his dark
ayeI Shpaw