Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-02-05

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 Moreover a disquieting incident ai. most immediately happened, for one or the attendants, mistaking these peo- ple for guests, courteously attempted to relieve Aunt Martha of the sateEel which she carried. The lady, mistaking his motives, impulsiyely resisted, ana between them they dropped the bag upon the floor. It contained, among other things, 69-cent alarm clock which Aunt Martha had picked up at a bargain sale in one of the stores. The shock deranged the clocks mechanism, and the alarm went off with violence iustifying it's makers claim that IL would wake up anybody who was h'o1 dead.
 Aunt Martha would have taken her affidavit afterwards that the alarm rang for an hour and half, but it was probably not more than two minutes. Embarrassment quite unsettled the lady,s= possession, to such aR ex= tent, indeed, that she gathered the handbag to her bosom and implored It 10 be quiet, as if it had been child.
 Of course it was impossible to remain in the office after attracting so much attention; so Aunt Martha and the girls fled to . parIor upon the left, one of series of rooms ornately decorated.
 Mr. Stevens meanwhile approached the desk and inquired for his nephew. He was told to write his name on slip of paper, which was then inclosed in an envelope upon which a clochwork stamp imprinted the hour and min- ute Mir. Stevens was then taken i'll charge and guided to a seat beyond the office and on the far side from the par lors. He supposed that there must be some reason for separating male and female visitors in that way, and he was too polite to interfere with the rules of the house by requesting to join his wife and daughters.
 He waited several minutes. Boys went up and down crying out numbers. Mr. Stevens began to suspect that he might have number without know ing it, and so might miss his chance. He began to be anxious about his fam fly, and finally he stopped an attend ant, to whom he presented quarter, and then asked, confdentially. if there was any objection to his rejoining his loved ones. The attendant told him Co go ahead.
 He went into the parlor. but Aunt Martha was not there, so he inyestigat- cd an adjoining room on the left, and somehow got out into the corridor again where. losing his sense of diree= ton, he turned the wrong way and wandered off into regions that became more and more strange at every step. Finally he interrupted uniformed per son, who received a quarter and in re- turn gave minute directions for reach ing the office.
 T bet it costs more to call here than it does to live here said Uncle Billy, as he walked away.
 He brought up against the cigar stand where he had made the original inquiry. From that point, however, he knew the way to the office. Upon reach- ing that goal, he leaned over the coun- ter, and, taking one of the clerks quiet ly by the uppermost button of his coat, said conidentially in his ear: q have lost my wife and two children y
 T am sorry for your bereavement, 3 replied the clerk, politely, Nbut don't see what can do about it..
 At this moment an attendant rushed up and inquired if Afr. Stevens had sent his card to No. sos.
 .If No 698 is named Perkins, said Uncle Billy, irritably, T did1
 '.Yes, sir; Mir. Perkins. sir" said fhe boy. *He wants you to come up"
 And I want my folks said Uncle Billy.
 The situation was explained. and boy was sent as q guide for Mr. Stevens in his search for the missing women. They walked six miles, according to Mr. Stevens most careful estimate. and when the gentlemen fancied that they would never get back without some form of conveyance, they emerged into the office again.
 The clerk then summoned six attend dants; furnished each with deseriD. tion of the lost, and sent them forth. Uncle Billy gave each of them ten cents on the sly, and promised the winner half dollar. Then, by advice of the clerk, he was shown to No. eos.
 Sorry to have kept you waiting. Uncle Billy" said Mr. Perkins, as he grasped the old gentleman cordially by the hand; but thought probably Aunt Martha and the girls were with you' and as was taking bath"
 Taking bath!" exclaimed Uncle Billy.
 Well, had to do something or oth- CT" replied Mir. Perkins, "and there isn t much of anything else thata fellow can do il this lonesome place. Mighty fine bathroom. Want to take scrub before dinner. Uncle Billy? There's plenty of hot water"
 "Yes, I know it." answered Uncle Billy. I've been in it for the last hour. But this is no time for frivolity. Aunt Martha and the girls are lost lost in this great wicked place. And I've paid fees to every uniformed eriffa~