The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1899-04-20

eXcCDt supervise operations, hut he
found three loyal friends to whom he
confided tEa situation a>d his p0rpoSa
and they agreed to look after details.
The curtain rises upon thcU little
drama at exactly 7:15 in the eVcu!ng
Scene. TIE front steps Of Captain hau
| sons house. A cold drizzle continues
throughout. The first conspirator en-
ters, trips up the steps and pulls the
bell After a slight pause the door
opens and the old captain appears, look
ins out into the wet.
''Is 11t4t;ss Hanson at homer inquiries
the conspirator
Eyes " replies the captain, t1T'ing to
recognize the visitor "Will ye walk
inT'
Thanks, no." is the reply. II just
called to say that it is a very uncom-
Portable night, moist ara windy, and
she really ought not to think Of going
out Good evening" And the first con-
spirator trots down, leaving the captain
in open mouthed amazement.
Offended, but too surprised to do or
say anything, he slams the door and re-
tires
Five or six minutes pass, and Con-
spiratOr No. 2 comes striding confident
ly along mounts the high stoop and
rings the bell.
''Is Miss Hanson at homer asks the
visitor of the old gentleman
eyes, she is, responds tie captain
"What do ye wantf'
"It's a very dirty night, " remarks
the conspiratOr with engaging frank
ness "and she really ought not to ven
ture out. -
big seas and great galesl" roars
the captain in tremendous rage "Ye
get out of herel' And he makes a dash
at the self appointed adviser, but the
latter is On his guard and skips down
the steps unharmed
Ten minutes are then allowed to lapse
before the third conspilator appears on
the scene. He, too trots up the high
stoop and rings the bell, but. having
rung he prudently retreats half way
down again and waits. Almost imme-
diately the door swings open and the
irate captain howls:
"Well? How is it?'
'Is Miss begins the third con-
spirator; but the captain waits for no
more. he makes a mad rush down the
steps, roaring savage imprecations and
evidently bent upon violence, but the
third conspirator, anticipat ting just this
attack, nimbly jumps cut Of the way
and fees. The captain, choking with
unappeased rage, returns to his home
and the three conspirators and the dis
cardcd lover gather under a convenient
doorway across tho street.
They had not long to wait, Henry
Whitman, with commendable prompt
ness, pattered up the steps at 40 and
rang the bell The captair~r"s i.--,~ait-
ing. foT tie 4ot,ops<sssl .iiSs-os:' y sand had
not left the bell pull when the door
opened, the captain emerged like an
ocean greyhound out Of a fog bank and
fell upon the caller before he could ut
ter a word. 1t was hammer and tongs
for about a second and then such was
the force of the captains onslaught
that both men rolled down the steps
and came to stop in heap
Whitman yelled the captain bel
lowed, and Lucy. ccming to the door,
screamed. The conspirators across the
way sncaked off in great delight at their
success. and it was well they did so,
for had they remained they would have
witnessed an anticlimax that would
have been unpleasant for them. Lucy,
recognizing her lovers voice, promptly
went to his relief and caressed his
bruised face in way that Jack Darrow
would not have liked to see. The cap
tain, too, though still mystifed and
wrathy, apologized handsomely, and
when later the truth about the con
spiracy became known to him he made
full amends to Whitman by doing all
he could to hasten the wedding Chi
cago News.