Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-03-08
have respect Tor Williams opinion {
him, but said nothing, possibly be

have respect Tor Williams opinion OF
him, but 1 said nothing, possibly be-
cause only half heard what he had
just said himself.
elm no lady's man "-these were the
next words I heard-"but then,
judge, you're not in for fattery and all
that kind of thing yourself So now
I've got the chance, I'll just say the
thing I've got on my tongue to say.
Miss Butterworth, I'm 53 and have
been a widower two years. I'm not fit
ted for solitary life, and I am fitted
for a comfortable life with an Affection
ate wife to keep my hearth swept clean
and my own affections in good working
order. Will you be that wife? I have o
neat cottage
eyes," said /, Sin Lost Man S lane. )"
"Oh." he exclaimed, "you do not
like this place? Well, we could go else
where. am not set against the CITY
myself
"Nor against the comfortable little
income somebody has told you I pos
sessed, criedI. 81 see your disinterest-
edness, but should be sorry to profit
by it. Why, man, never spoke to you
before in my life, and do you think'-
"Oh, said he, II see you are not
above fiattery and those things. Well,
madam, know a tremendous fine wom-
an when see her without talking away
q dozen evenings on politics, religion
and what not. don't need to know any
more about you than can take in with
my two eyes, but if you would like a
little more acquaintance with me, why,
/ can wait u couple of weeks till we've
rubbed the edges little Off of our
strangeness when"-
when you think Twill be 80 charm
ed with Deacon Spear that I will be
ready to settle down with him in Lost
Mans lane, or if that will not do carry
him off to Gramercy park, where he
will be the admiration of all New York
and Brooklyn to boot. Why, man, if I
was so easily satisfied as that would
not be i'll q position today for you to
honor me with this proposal. am not
easy to suit, SO advise you to turn
your attention to some one much moro
anxious to be married than am, but
not before this mystery is settled in
Lost Mans lane. II you were an honest
man, you would ask no one to share
your fortunes while any cloud rests
upon your honor. T"
"My honor! Madam, be careful. 1
admire you, butt
"No offense," said l. "For stran-
ger / have perhaps INDUCED in q little
freedom. l only mean that any one who
lives in this lane must feel that the
shadow which enyelops it rests also a
little upon him. When that is lifted,
each one will feel himself man again.
From indications yonder that day may
not be far away. Mother Jane is like
ly source for such a mystery. She knows
just little enough to have no proper
idea of the value Of a human life. -
MADAM" said Deacon Spear, 81
have not that much interest i'll what is
going on over there" Here he snapped
his fingers. If men have been killed
in this lane-which / do not believe
she never had no hand in it. What
think is that it's all coincidence.
Each and every person who has disap-
peared has disappeared naturally. No
one has been killed. That is my theory,
madam, and you will find it correct.
On this point I have expended much
thought.
was irate; I was also dumfounded
OF his apdaoity. Did he think ] was the