The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1899-01-13
"Pr-r.r.ow-wow!" The challenger

was drawing nearer. Not one, but three
voices answered him. For a moment,
as they converged, all was silent. Then
came masterly battlecry. 1t was like
that Of n 6-months-o infant who has
swallowed his bib pin.
"Will, said Mrs. Blackstone, "wake
up! They've come" He sat up and
rubbed his eyes.
In the next room they heard the
bump and pounding Of bare feet ON the
floor. They heard door open and tho
clinking of glass.
Goodness, WILL" whispered Mrs.
Blackstone, "I'd forgotten that you
could hear things in that room SO clear
ly."
Its n very still night" her hus-
band mumbled wisely.
The footsteps moved softly across the
room again. "Slum. .chunkv' The frag.
n!cnts of bottle tinkled OH the hard sur.
face of tho yard. This noise had no4
died away before there arose the long
wall of the overtures to cat battle
"W-o-o-o-o-o-o, WOW WONT"
Softly and cautiously the footsteps
crossed tho room again. Again bottle
broke and scattered. Again rose the
wall Of war.
There was nothing cautious about the
footsteps this time. Instead of the olink
OF bottles heavy boot soles clattered to-
Sethcr The time consumed in gather
ing ammunition indicated that an arm
full was being collected.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
"T-f-f-t, wiokok" yowled q victim.
"Thank the Lord :" shouted the Hon.
Er McShane. "Whoopv'
Boom-s!am-smash mash-slap-biffl
"There, by damn!" they heard Mr..
day morning settled down again.
The Blackstones slept righteously in
to daylight, but not so late as they had
intended. At about the time folks up
tho state go out to feed the stock before
preparing for church there came o rap.
ping at their bedroom door.
"Bill! Say, Billv" said q worried
voice.
"Wassermat?" asked Mr. Blackstone.
"Did you send anybody into my
room to take my shoes cut to clean
thcm?" asked Mr.. McShane.
No" responded MIR. Blackstone.
whats np:''
"They'ro gonc, that's ALL" was the
melancholy answer. Iput them in the
| closet when went to bed-the one that
isn't the magazine, you know-so that
i'll the excitement Of battle I wouldn't
get mixed up and throw them, and now
| they're gone"
Mrs. Blackstone slipped out of bed
and singcrly opened the door of the
narl ow closet that connected the two
rComS.
If ho put them in here" sho said,
pecring in the darkness, "they certainly
must Eo here
She opened the door little wider
aud shriclcd. Her husband was beside
her III an instant.
Lock" she cried, pointing into the
| closet. "Look"'
"For goodness sake, you people,"
sGid wondering voice in tho nall,
whats the matter?'
The voice Of Blackstone answered
him, enunciating slowly and solemnly
recountinG catalogue of things.
'Onc quart bottle Of mucilage, one
quart bottle Of red ink, one quart bottle
If green ink, enc. half gallon jug of
whisky, ono bottle of Ponds extract,
on,; box OF dry plates, two bottles of de-
vcloper, enc large bottle of lime wa
ter
"Cnc pair Of rnsscts one pair bicycle
shoes Mrs. Blackstone took up the
list. 'Tho skirt frame. Your big shoes,
your Tatcnt feathers, your winter
ShCeS'-
Gone. AZ gcncr' they said in cho-
rus.
"Have you found my shoes, YETI"
asked u voice from the hall
Your shocs!' bawled Mr. Black
stone. "Iou good for nothing but shark
oait, steam sGOwplows. Oh, you''-
William" said Mrs. Blackstone.
Her husband strobe out into the hall.
He took his guest 10y the scruff Of the
neck and led him to the window. There
in the area they locked down upon such
an lnii Lcspattcrcd gummy wreck us sell
dom man is privileged to look upon.
On the stone steps lay one dead cat,
and by his side II lugc. yellow, gore
stained Syracuse ECot. The other rested
rndcr the largest fragment of the ink
bottle.
II rust have got into tho wrong
closet, after ALL said the Hon. Mr..
49, SiNLi' "i'Si NNAiie. 2Eu tney COSG
IS. 80 "
His case went against him by default
the ECNS DAY because he had to wait for
blackstone TO go down town, his own
feet clad in tennis shoes, and order q
full assortment Of shoes sent to the
house "fcr u gentleman with tho big.
gcst feet On earth" But Mr.. Black
,tcEc was rEiccling enough to say ho
iidn t mUch C&-c.-tTcw York Sun.