The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-07-19

OF the HoUU every year Until that lupu-
dent cat dies
".Until he dies!'
Dalton kissed her. Then he danced.
He would have stood on his head, but
the children had assembled to take part
in the family gloom and such an up
sending of the parental anatomy he
deemed ruinous to parental authority,
Funny it never occurred to me be-
FORE he said.
"'What never occurred to you be-
FORE? asked Mrs. Dalton, astonished by
his actions.
THAT Madison jerks had been look
ing mighty feeble of late and is liable
to drop off almost any day. returned
Dalton, scanning the chandelier in a
meditative fashion.
Mrs. Dalton scanned the carpet pat
terms. She was good woman, and her
mind and heart did not bend easily to
a suggestion of crime; but $500 a year
for bloated, lazy, good-for-nothing cat
when the children needed
Trough on rats wouldn't do, would
it?' she ventured, still cycling the pat
terms.
mo answered Dalton. That pes
tiferous lynX-eyed executor would in
sist on an autopsy, and have the courts
set aside the legacy on the grounds of
malfeasance in office, contributory neg
ligence, or some other of his legal quib-
hles.'
Disappearance is also out of the
question, too, | suppose" continued
Mrs. Dalton, managing to raise her eyes
from the piano legs.
"'Quite,' returned Dalton with de-
cision. Madison jerks must meet with
fatal accident. He sleeps in the hired
girls room, doesn't hep
"'Yes,' said Mrs. Dalton, wondering
ly, but what has that got to do with
Madison jerks ill-health or sudden de-
mise?'
Nothing much,' Dalton replied,
only this is the hired girls night off,
l believer
"'It u.s. returned Mrs. Dalton, still
perpleNed.
Every WE'LL continued Dalton, let
her stay away all night
She always does Mrs. Dalton an
swered, and would have questioned Dali
ton further, but he said the interview
was at an end for the time being, so
she went about her household duties.
at was half-past ten when Mrs. Dial
ton shifted the air vigorously and sus-
piciously. Her hair was in curl-papers
and Dalton had already turned in.
Don't you smell gas?' she inquired
anXiously.
MY dear, retorted Dalton from his
pillow, your overactive imagination
will be your undoing.'
Nevertheless, she visited the chill
dren's rooms, the parlor, the dining
room. and the library before she was
satisfied that it mi ht have been trick
of her Imagination or lack of olfactory
discrimination.
Early the next morning she was
reused from a sound slumber by loud
rap at her chamber door. The hired girl
stood without, sobbing Historically and
trembling violently.
It's about Madison Jenks,' she CUR
gled, wildly. L didn't know l went out
last night and left the gas on, indeed, l
deed, / didn't.
Mrs. Dalton followed the hired girl
to the latter's room. The odor of es-
Gaping gas which saluted her nOstrils
nearly overpowered her, and she was
forced to gasp for breath. The hired
r;,.1 ho1 in, 10
dow. Mrs. Dalton entered as soon as
she deemed it safe. There on his silken
pallet lay Madison jerks, stark and
stiff in the eternal sleep.
"'Never mind, Katie she said, kind
ly, to the distracted girl. Accidents
will happen. The escaped gas will not
be deducted from your wages, so don't
worry
".But Madison Jenks-what will Mr..
Dalton say?' sobbed the hired girl.
".Of course, IN very, very sorry that
Madison jerks is dead, Katie said Dali
ton, when beseeched by Mrs. Dalton to
soothe the perturbed girl, for l loved
him, as did we all. Mr.. Briefs, the eX-
ecutor, will probably come home with
me to dinner, and then you must tell
him how it happened. Here's dollar
to buy perfume for your ROOM
Dalton wore a black necktie and a
grave expression when he presented
himself at the office of the executor
that morning. You have called at "a
most opportune moment began the eX-
ecutor, as soon as Dalton entered, for
I have important news for you. We
have discovered another will of your
aunt, which subsequents the one pro-
bated by seven months. In this one.
which shall have recorded at once, 5000
a wear is allowed for the maintenance
of your lamented aunts cat, although