The Topeka state journal., 1901-06-08
HANGING OF THE CURATE.
IFrom the slseteh. ]

James ?
Beg pardon. sir. Thought it might
be important, sir"
Read it, them
Yes. sir" The paper rustled and
snapped. 1T says sir: Handed in at
| the Wayland Post"
..Vaylandi Here, give it to me-
Il thought it must be important, sir
James, I'll ring when I want you.
James bowed and made his exit, wnlle
sank into gaping arm chair to read
the telegram:
cras at 1:3O ANGELA
1t is a good thing for both of US that
my cousin Angela does not frequently
come up to town, for then she doesn
so often collapse with excitem ent and
/ don't so often suffer from fatigue
Never mind, this is a. lovely day, and
with such a companion as Angela, too
She is sure to appear in some wonder
| ful costume just arrived frorn Hed-
ferns; and then again, it's Saturday,
and she won't be able to drag along
/ Regent street, where it is continual
| lodging about Just to get a glimpse oI
rows of hats stuck on brass rods The
shops will be shut, and prefer the park
/ to millinery. The park with Angela!
must not disappoint her.
| James, James!"
you will get my best silk hat ironed,
and go along to Walker & Todd to see
whether that frock coat is ready"
Yes. sir"
And. James, you Will see to things.
| There will be company here
/ At a quarter past / was at St Pan
cras; at a quarter to the Bedford train
steamed in.
Jack, are you looking for me among
| the luggag ge? / had to run after you"
It was Angela. laughing, as gay as a
butterfly on the wing. Angela IS
bundle of nerves; but, oh, such pretty
/ and dainty bundlet
How charming you are looking to-
day, Angela"
Il am so glad you've cone and are go
ing to be nice. OF course, you got my
telegram, Jack2"
was it a telegram only? It read like
a police summons"
Don't make unpleasant comparisons
/ Jack. The rural sub postmaster hadn
i got change for a shilling. so I padded
/ the telegram out and had my moneys 5
worth. Jack you've got to take me for
a bus ride. want the front seat on
top. I adore London 'busesi
| How extravagant your alteration IS!
Come along, Jack. I like the look
| of that green one, and there's no one on
it. The driver has got a nice rosy face,
and the horses are gray ones There
/ now, Jack I call that deliohtful. Won
YOU buy up all the other seats, so that
we can run the bus the whole journey
as if it were our OWn2 You can give
the conductor a. rest, and let him come
up and smoke one of your choicest
cigars on the back seat
Angela. Angela. do take BREATH"
'sWhy. Jack. I haven't had a chance
4 to say a word since I said goodbye to
Aunt Prue at Wayland They made
| me go first-class. you know because of
my frock. and there wasn't a male to
1 talk to all the way. There was Miss
| Smith from The Elms, and her friend
i They always seem afraid Of me- Why
/ is it. Jack?"
%sWen. you know. Angela, other peo-
4 pie like to talk sometimes, even if 1T
is in a railway carriage"
T., = 1-,E5 +TVn
please don't correct me any more. 1
mean to have jolly afternoon. Where
/ are we going, Jack? Why don't you
tell me all the places and all about
4 them2 What is the good of a cousin
who lives in town if he doesn't show
| you the sights? That's why we have
| cousins. just so as we shan't be both
! cred with those mOnotonous guide
! books There's the name Russell
Square; why is it called Russell
Square? %
I confess my ignorance. but feel no
shame about it. How can you expect
me to know The only time I ever visit
it is when on my journey to Wayland
Hall"
''Then 7 excuse you. It's. 50 seldom
you come to Wayland Hall that you
will have to acknowledge your ignor-
/ ance of that very soon"
THAT is a very unknid cut, and from
/ you. AngelaI'
rs it? Wen it does seem long ago
/ Oh lookl The Holborn restaurant
| Why can't we go down F1olborn. Jack?
Ask the coachman to take us down to
the city. I am sure he will if you ask
him nicely. No. I'm not going to move
4 The coachman must have his own way
for once. Where are we now? don't
like this so much"
ssThen Drury Lane is better in winter
| The summer pantomime is not nearly
so pretty. Let US stop a bit to hear that
barrel organ. French piano, mean.
ct h -Fr,r n r crraf
we said he could have his own way,
| didn't we? Where do you think he will
take up. Jack?"
"Pfccadilly next
s'Piccadily? oh yes, know-fan Gus
for 'weepers' and fancy dress balls"
I'VE pass Devonshire house"
You did say pass didn't you. Jack,
4 though I didn't detect any accent"
Angela, really must protest."
'tThen protest.
&c You haven't told me how the Squire
is, and whether Aunt Prudence is cured
/ of the rheumatism-in fact. want to
hear all the Wayland news
IT'S soon told. Dad is having excellent
! sport, andAunty Prue is-JackI I haven't
seen an electrical cab yeti VIII you show
me one2 And what beautiful gates those
arei Whose house is that we are pass
ing?''
THAT is Devonshire House But you
We're saying, or going to say, something
about Aunty Prue."
80 was. Aunty Prue is matchmak-
| ing again--you haven't seen an electri-
cal cab yet have you2 DO you think
! there viii be any electrical 'buses2 I
wish he wouldn't drive SO fast 1t spOils
the pleasure. and it's not safe"
but the matchmaking"
'Yes, Aunty Prle warts me to marry
the curate. Isn't kind of her, Jack. Here
is another turn. I don't think I shall
like that way; may we go straight on ,
They are shouting for Hammersmith.
Come alongl We will go and call on
Walter and make him give US some tea.
Then I will tell you all about Aunty
Prue and the curate. I want Walter
I to know; Walter is so sympathetic and
! the curate is SO impossible. Walter lis