Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-03
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 4*%44
ANGEL OF A CUPBOARD,

w ItNtNl lHtlHhtNNh W WV ''HllANi
eyes Of men, except robed and
crowned, curled and frilled and tuck
cred, In the veriest fullness in fact
OF their glory, That is why II was
rash OF Miss Ethel Baines TO go from
the place Of washing her hair, in what
was quite an old dressing town, down
TO the library, there 20 dry her long
tresses before the fire. She might
have pleaded that no one could posi-
bly, call at that hour, That was u GER
tainty, or next door 10 II, So she sat
in comfort before the glow, and
thought the pleasant thoughts of a
careless angel, Now and again, when
the fire got into her back, she would
rise for GOODNESS sake and look In the
mante-glass 10 see that II was clear
and without flaw. What she saw In
IL was, at least, more than ilnwless,
and something beyond compare, so
many people would have thought, and
Miss Bames was not disposed TO qucs-
zion the fact herself
But she turned paler than she gem
orally liked to look at hearing sud
den knock Mt the hall door, followed
by Capt. Baines CHEEKY voice;
"Ah, Colmoraud! delighted to see
you-come into the library and smoke.
We shall have II all to ourselves in
there"
The tread Of Capt BOnes and his
visitor came toward the library door,
Miss Baines shvered. Mr. Colmoraud
of all other people! The idea Of
discovery was too ignominious to be
faced. Miss BNines, gathering the
long strands Of her hair In one hand
MS though they were skirt imp
her, looked for some way to es g,
Through the door she could not y,
unless she wished to be taken e
handed, so to spenk--in her quiet old
dressing gown; nor could she fly
through the windows, Behind the
curtains temporary shelter might be
found, but how unsafe,
Suppose her father drew them to
get n breath Of ozone, MS she called It,
or Mr.. Colmoraud stumbled against
them, and lighted apologize upon her
toes. There remained only the cup
board--tight-ftting-n musty, abom'
Unable place, but seldom visited. II
wns not the haven where she would
would he; yet, since time pressed, Miss
Baines, shivering and decided, slipped
in among the chaos of maps and
dusty tones silently, like n cat. And
the door of the library opened.
'"You wanted to see me?' Captain
Baines was saying, cheerfully
"Yes," said Mr.. Colmoroaud, who
seemed unusually hesitant, ION n very
serious matter-Nt least to me. You
see, I'm Off to India tomorrow, UNI
less"
"Cant do better than india" said
the captain. Nothing like the elm
ate, IL you don't take too many pegs.
Splendid place. Polo, plenty Of shoot
ing-not too much work, you know /
remember when | was In those parts
I used to tell old Jigbury-you-ve
heard me speak Of old Jgs?"
Eyes" said Mr., Colmoroaud meek
ly.
"Well, as was saying" went on the
captain, "old Jigs was in India then,
too-Modras way, Stuffy down there
except in cold weather. You're not
going to Madras, eh?"
"No, to the northwest provinces.
The climate is not so bad there, is II,
even for ladies?" Mr. Colmoraud put
the question with eagerness.
stopping climate" said the captain,
innoccntly. Nothing ladies like bet
ter. Why, old Jigs used TO say that
his first wre-and he had a good
many; regular old sen dog, Jig; wife
in every port married once month,
don't you know;said he'd never been
to church without hearing his banns
called--his first wife simply wouldn't
come away. Tiger-shooting all day,
Sporting woman, she was, Buried cut
there, | believe"
"But she liked the climate?" said
Mr.. Colmoraud, uncertain what moral
to attach to this story.
"Wouldn't have been buried there II
she hadn't" said the captain, logically.
1T suppose not said Mr.. Colmoraud
obviously. "But II was about getting
married that I was going to ask your
opinion, or rather about-about--"
Miss Baines ~ the cupboard forgot
for moment that she was being as
phyxiated. and began to take an in
terest in the conversation.
"Come now" said the captain, iov-
tally Miss Ethel pictured to herself
his innocent lcarl, "you're not think
ing Of It yourself, eh? One of the
Hemant girls, Miss Ruby, eh?"
"Under other circumstances" said
Mr.. ColmorOud, growing bold, 81
should be grateful for the recommen-
dation. But the fact is, came around
to ask you, as I'm off to India, If you
would mind, you and Mrs, Baines, il
If I asked Ethel to go with me as
my wife,
"Ethel!" repeated the captain, fab
bergasted. "You don't mean Ethel?
Never thought of it. Ethel, now
she's a good girl--I'll say that, but
expect she's too fond of her dad to
leave him"
"I'm afraid So" said Mr. Colmoraud,
sadly. "But would you mind IL I
asked?"
"Certainly not" said the captain,
heartily. "There's no one I'd like
better---no one. Wait minute; I'll
call her down and see what she says
TO IT,"
Mp,,t y hnnnn Mr. Cnlnnrnnd tnrri