The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-02-10

''Ihls Is an unlooked-for pleasure, he
said, raising his hat
''Ohl I-I-happened to meet Mr.
Abbot minute ago, stammered Mabel,
"and-''
"Spare your explanations, | beg, Miss
Merridew. | have the honor to wish you
a good evening, and to you also, Mr.. Alb
bot
Again he raised his hat, and turned on
his heel For some hours afterwards he
thought of the Thames and Waterloo
Bridge, or threepenn orth of laudanum
from the drug stores But he abandoned
those dark designs. Instead, he ceased
to be on speaking terms with Miss Merri-
dew and Mr.. Abbot, but took to coloring
meerschaum and flirting outrgaeously
with Miss Tomlnson. Miss Tomlinson
had never had beau before. She was
extremely responsive to Thomas Tanker
Vile
The weeks went by. One evening
Thomas was coloring the meerschaum soil
tary in his lonely lodgings, when he was
surprised to receive call from Sidney Alb
bot. He rose and regarded his visitor
with frigid stare.
''Sir, he said in his most formal style,
this is an unexpected honor
Abbot expression was self-satisfed and
jovial. He twirled his moustaches and
winked at the digniied Thomas.
Sir, - repeated the latter, 81 am at a
lorse to understand the offensive freedom
of yer manner -
''Tommie," replied Sid Abbot, still
cheerful and unabashed, ''T've got some
noos for yer. I'm engiged F"
Thomas Tankerville trembled with rage
and dismay. Otherwise he managed to
preserve an air of scornful calm.
This my be an interesting piece of in
formation to some, he said; "but yer'H
pardon my remarkin' that neither yer af-
fairs nor those of Miss Merridoo are any
think to me- =
But its not Mibel Merridoo I'm en-
gised to, answered Sid Abbot, winking
and smirking "It's Ermyntrood Sig
gers,
Ermyntrood Sigges Tommie gave
palpable start and gasp of relief
Yes, you juggins, laughed Mr.. Alb
bot Listen to me minute, Tommie.
It's bin funRy gime on through. Mibel
Merridoo--though yer weren't aware of
the fack-is my brothers wife sister.
And we've been pals, but nuthink more
than pals, me KNOWN the gurl too well,
this three years. That one surprise for
yer The others this, I'd set optics on
Ermyntrood orfen aud orfen before that
evening you came 10 me, and my heart
was lorst to the gur, while | ownly knew
her by sight. The question was how to
get introdooeed Our ownly two mootual
aequaintanceS was yourself and Mibel
Mibel, being in site Of strined relations
towards Ermyntrood, couldn do the trick
for me, so the tarsk revolyed on you. But
! didn' ike ter arsk yer, Tommie, being
airide yer might give away the show by
letting Ermyntrood know Id requested to
be interdooeed for yer never stands now
ehawnce with girl if yer mikes yerself
cheap TO her (which explines, also, | may
add, why | pretended to carry on with
your mash) So l consulted Mibel as to
how we best work it, and that shrood
girl-mide all the shrooder by her love for
ypu, Tommie-thort aht the plan which
was ackshally adopted. That the trooth,
ole man-the gospel trooth. Yer We been
made a eat s-pore of to secure yer own ap-
piness, with mine thrown in. So yer can
marry Mibel Merridoo as soon as yer
please; for Ermyntrood's kerridge now
longer stops the wy r
Thomas stayed to hear no more. 1t
took him but half an hour to find Mabel,
and in five minutes more he, too, was,
ike his friend, ''engiged =