Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1901-05-29

by my pnOt0Rrdpn. AlteI hoeoRs Az
ognition and handshaking, ushered
my honored relative into the parlor and
presented to him my newly claimed
offspring.
So far l had succeeded IN deceivlng
my uncle. but the worst | feared was
that when Mrs. Kingsley returned she
might object to my claiming ownership
In her child. Besides, to carry out my
deception | must find wife as well as
an infant, and Mrs. Kingsley was the
only one I could conveniently claim.
The only difficulty was to get her con.
sent to the deception, and this might
be done II | could secure private con-
versation with her before | introduced
her to my uncle.
| watched my opportunity, and gain
cd an interview with her before she
entered the room. told her, In few
brief, hurried words, the extent of my
difficulty, and how l had taken the lib
erty of acting as papa for her little one
| then told her must find wife some
where, and begged her TO allow me tc
Introduce her to my uncle In that ca
pacity. She laughed heartily at the
suggestion, said she could comprehend
my difficulty, and consented to my pro
posal. but warned me roguishly not t.
presume upon the occurrence.
We entered the parlor, and / intro
duced her as my better half. My uncle
was much pleased with her, and com
plimented me upon my good choice II
| the selection of wife. Mrs. Kingsley
| colored most charmingly at this com
pllment, and I could see she could
scarcely refrain from laughing.
A short time afterward Mrs. Kings
ley came to me, when l was alone. ir
an adjoining room, and saw imme
diately something very humorous mus
have happened, for the corners of hel
lips were breaking out into beaminl
smiles.
"Do you know, sir, into what ar
awkward predIcament you have gotter
me?" she inquired.
"What's the matterT asked.
"Why, your uncle came to me short
time ago and asked to see my marriage
certificate, as he said he had some
money to settle upon us Immediately
but wanted to be sure everything was
right first"
"Did you expose me" inquired anx
iously.
mo, sir, l did not, for never enter
into a deception or anything else by
halves"
"Then we must lose no time" re
piled; III my uncle is so anxious tc
have our marriage certificate, let us
put no obstacles in his way"
We lost no time, l assure you.
don't think Mrs. Kingsley ever got into
her Sunday clothes In such hurry in
her life before, while I spoiled two
pairs of suspenders in my frantic en-
deavors to be ION time" We quite as
tonished the parson by our haste, and
at the conclusion of the ceremony
would have forgotten to give him the
usual fee II he had not reminded me
of 1t.
We had secured the coveted marriage
certificate, signed and sealed, and were
now safely out of our difficulties, as we
thought. We had omitted one precau
ton, as we found when we had pre-
scented the certificate to my uncle. The
date was too modern.
"Why, how is this?" said my uncle
81 thought you were married over q
year ago"
$50 we were, uncle" said, solemnly
"How comes 1t, then, the certificate
Is dated to-dayT he asked In a voice
of thunder.
We were both struck speechless.
Come" said my uncle. II see there
has been some trickery here. Own W
to 1t, or I will never forgive you"
I did own up to 1t, and told him the
whole story. expected 1t would make
him angry, but 1t didn't, for he laughed
heartily, and said l was a clever rascal
and he was proud Of me.-Indianapolis
Sun.
Gubstitute fi,v poCE eta