Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-10-17
66 7E We can't agree, ma'am, it's
high time we parted company"

66 HF We can't agree. ma'am, it's
high time we parted company"
said Mr.. Barnabas Burlington.
MY sentiments exactly" said Miss
Patty Chickson. ''and the sooner the
better. according to my way Of think
ing"
Mr.. Burlington was portly individ-
ual, with a Roman nose. iron gray hair
and a stout, short figure.
Miss Chickson was tall and spare.
with little spiral curls and the remains
of a complexion, and with blue eyes
that had been passing bright twenty
years ago.
''There is an end to all human endur-
ance," observed the gentleman sternly.
Sir" said Miss Chickson, II have put
up with your eccentricities until for
bearance has ceased to be a virtue"
"A months noticew said Mr.. Buffing
ton. savagely fiourishing his yellow silk
pocket handkerchief.
You are quite at liberty to 60 at the
end Of twenty-four hours, for all !
carsy' retorted Miss Chickson with dig
nifty.
Madame. l take you at your word"
said the gentleman.
''slr. l shall congratulate myself II
you will," said the lady.
Mr. Barnabas Burlington had lodged
with Miss Patty Chickson for ten
years. He was rich and eccentric; she
was poor and proud. AS young people
there had been certain love passages
between them-or rather the buds of
love passages. which had never bios
sOmed into full perfection-and when
Mr.. Burlington came home from China
aud found his old pastors orphan
daughter trying to gain a scanty live
lihoOd by letting apartments he en-
gagged her entire second floor at once
and paid his way like rajah.
Poor girl. poor girl" said Mr.. Bar
nabas Burlington. But how thin and
old-maidish she has grown! l really
can't imagine how l ever could have
fancied her a divinity. What fools
young men are to be sure!'
Poor, dear Mr.. Burlington! How
stout and vulgar he has becomer' said
Miss Chickson. "And only to think how
slender he was once! How the dreams
Of ones youthful days do altery'
Mr.. Barnabas Burlington was not per.
feet enough to be canOnized and Miss
ChicksOn had her petty peculiarities.
The consequence was that little COLI
sions were inevitable.
And one day there came a longer
measuring Of wordy words than usual.
and Mr.. Burlington and Miss Chickson
formally parted.
"Ten years Is quite long enough to
tolerate this state OF things" said the
old bachelor.
I'm only surprised that l haven't
turned him away long ago." said the
old maid.
So when Mr.. Burlington had gone
away in a cab piled high with baggage,
Miss Chickson rang the bell for her
maid.
Barbara" said she.
"Yes, ma'am," said Barbara.
"Mr Burlington has gone at last"
$50 perceive, ma'am," said Barbara
"And won't he come back again.
ma 'amr'
Never" said Miss Chickson with
spirit.
"Oh," said Barbara, rather surprised.
'It will be necessary for us to reduce
expenses" remarked the mistress. "Of
course I cannot afford any longer to
keep 20 large a house a. this. Mr..
Burlington, whatever his faults, cannot
at least b accused OF parsimony."
Certainly not, ma'am," said Bar
bara. "Of all liberal. free-handed, kind
spoken gents"
barbara, you will oblige me by hold
ing your tonguev' said Miss Chickson.
"Certainly. ma'am," said Barbara.
Get me a cup Of tea" said Miss
Chickson. "and when I have drunk II
Z will go out to look for a cheaper
house In a less aristocratic neighbor-
hood.
Barbara brought up the cup Of tea In
Q quaint little Wedgewood teapot on a
Japanese tray.
Miss Chickson drank 1t in silence,
looking sadly at the fire.
Tea was, 80 to speak. Miss Chick
sons inspiration. When she was low
spirited or In doubt or puzzled, or in
any way thrown OF her mental bal
ance. she drank tea and straightway
became herself again.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Barnabas Burlington,
In the solitary splendors Of the West
End hotel, was scarcely less Ill at ease.
IL don't like this sort Of thing at all, "
said Mr.. Burlington to himself one morn.
Ing a month later. 1T isn't home-like
| Dott fpIo
always kept q cat. There's something
very domestic and coEy-looking about
q cat I'll 60 out and look down the
advertising columns Of the daily paper
and see what inducements they have
to offer in the way Of quiet. respectable
homes Tor elderly gentlemen"
So 1t came to pass that Mr.. Barnabas
Burlington sailed forth, not house
hunting, but home-hunting.
It was not q so readily disposed OF
business as he supposed. This house
was next to q livery stable: that one
contained q young lady who was prac'
dcing for an opera singer; the third
smelled as II the drainage were defec.
live; the fourth was too splendid; tht
Afth too shabby.
II don't know but that shall bt
compelled to sleep at the station
house." gloomily remarked Mr. Barna
bas Burlington, "fOr, come what may
nothing shall induce me to 60 back tt
that noisy hotel, where the waiteri
DON'T come until you have rung the bel
forty times, and the soup 10 served
hah cold"
H was Walking pAp&iYlly AlpQG 4