Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-11-09
COMPROMISED.

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"fes," said Miss Isidora Ives, 'the
Tower is mine still, and I intend to
keep it. Everything else they have
taken away from me, because some
loggerheaded old ancestor of mine
signed his name to deed John B.
Robinson instead of John G. Robin
son. As if one letter of the alpha
bet could make any difference! I've
no patience with people The majesty
of the law, indeed! Pshaw!"
''But if the rest of the property be-
longs to your Cousin Robinson, SO
does the tower" suggested Mrs. Mil
roy.
II can't help that, "said Mis- Isidora.
"Here I am, and here I mean to STAY,
law or no law"
Mrs. Milroy opened her weak eyes.
Feeble as kitten herself, she could
scarcely comprehend such valiant re-
solution in another.
"But if they come here with the
sheriff, and posse comitatus, and
writ of his habeas corpus?" she fall
tered.
Them" said Miss Isidora, they'll
have to clear out again. Common
sense is common sense. The house is
mine, and mean to keep it. I've got
new bolts and bars to all the doors,
and l keep kettle of boiling water
on the stove night and day, and my
friend, Mr.. Jeffreys, who is clerk in
law office, has given me the hint never
to let in man with bag"
'Why not?"breathlessly questioned
Mrs. Milroy.
Don't you see?" said Isidora, snap
pishly. Because it will be full of
law papers. Writs and summonses,
and all that sort of thug"
"Oh!' said Mrs. Milroy.
The Tower was hers, and the tower
she meant to keep. And Rebecca,
her little maid, was stricken with
breathless admiration for her warlike
qualities.
''But, of course. ma'am," said
Rebecca, nobody can stand against
the law"
'I'll see whether they can or not!"
said Miss Isidora Ives. "Be sure you
keep the kettles we'll filled, Rebecca,
and don't let the fires go out day or
night"
And whenever she received through
the mail letter with legal appear
ance, or an envelope crested with the
firm address of Messrs. Tape 4 Str
ingham, her cousin Robinson's
lawyers, she invariably poked it be-
tween the bars of the CRATE, and
smiled vindictively to see the blaze.
''What are we to do with such n
case as this?" said Tape, whom he
heard all this.
''Put in n sheriff's officer at once"
said Stringham. ''The woman is n
trespasser, and has been all her life. F"
''No, no, nor said Mr. Tape, bland
ly. "She's woman. No harsh mea-
sures. 1t is Gideon Robinson's ex-
press injunction that all courtesy be
shown to the defendant. Well trv
something else before we proceed to
extremities.
And one pleasant October afternoon
when the air was all blue mist, aud
the setting sun shone as if through a
medium of Opaque gold, the landlord
of the Toplady Arms came putting up
the hill with a stout pleasant faced
gentleman, and rang the bell, which
echoed like double chime through
the tiny tower.
''Go awayW said Miss Isidora, from
the window. spying the tops of two
hats.
''Oh. ma'am!' squeaked Rebecca
over her shoulder. "shall I get the
gun?"
II beg pardon, ma'am," said the
stranger, "but-"
''Go away, say!" sternly repeated
Miss Isidora Ives. "Rebecca, bring
in that kettle! I'll have you to under
stand that I am not to be trihed
with"
But by this time mine host of the
Toplady Arms had simultaneously re-.
covered his breath and his presence
: of mind.
'Miss Ives," he puffed, stertorous-
ly, ''don't be frustrated! It's only
Israel Jenkins.
''Bless the mans heart!" said Miss
Isidora, 'why didn't he say so before?
And what on earth did you want here,
Jenkins?"
'It's lodger, Miss Ives,' said
Jenkins, who had married Miss Isl
dora's old nurse, and somehow felt
himself to be connected with the
family.
"A-lodger?" repeated Miss Ives.
"This isn't clearinghouse, man
alive!'
"Yes'm-I'm quite aware of that, -
said Israel, meekly. "And where no
offense is intended, it's hoped as
none will be took. But, knowing as
you was alone and unprotected
'T don't know what you call un-
protected" brusquely interrupted
Miss Ives. 'I've got loaded gun
| and n six-pallon kattla of hoilinn