The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-25
CAUGHT RED-HANDED.

CAUGHT RED-HANDED.
Tie degree of reverentiai decorum
which Mrs. ChIoriada Tlmrons maintain
adrlirsi ticn TO all VINO visited i, Rev.
Sylvester Arbuthnot, her nephew, would
probably have dispensed with much o. the
formal ceremony II his wishes had beoa
consulted for for ell his ascetieism. al
most naughty reserve and solemn habits,
he was 2 clergyman OF much good sense
and even had moderate fund OF hui
NOR. But Mrs. TImmons had an exagger-
ated sense of the sanctided atmosphere
% the clerical presence, took both pains
and delight in fostering the awesome re-
gard in which she he'd her nephew, and
50 enforced the lofty code which she had
herself esta blishe1 IL The rectory that il
was q difficult matter 10 keep servants
who appreciated or enjoyed the linaita =
tons upon their liberties and animal
spirits.
Laughter. even in the kitchen. yard OF
out-houseS. was, for instance, cause for
dismissal. The presence OF male visitor
whether brother, cousin. parcel boy or
policeman. was sufficient TO invoke utter
Punishment Of cook or house girl who so
siEned against the proDrieties The gro
Gers boy must deliver his goods and
get him orders al long range; no man
except Rev. M. Arbuthnot himself must
pass the threshold OF the back and SIDE
entrance Mrs. Timmons permitted no
/ hands but her own TO fold and arrange
/ the garments Of her nephew. With hest
tating. almost trembling hands. she
made up his room. busted his study
and arranged his personal belongings.
4 was well understood that meme OF the
servants should even enter these sancti-
fed precincts.
Linda Svendsen. matronly Swede. of
| marvellous taciturnity, was now the only
retainer who had managed 10 survive for
/ Il considerable kline so many rules and
regulations. She was a model house
keeper and seemed to delight IN work,
/ since she was doing the tasks of two for
/ the pay of one. Mrs. TimmOns regarded
/ Ter IS treasure, and the absorbed pas
tor, if he noticed her ct all. must have
/ approved OF her retiring ways. her cease
! less industry and her solitary habits.
aunt Iimmons, said the grave young
I Clergyman one MORNINGS he watched
his aunt pour his coffee, Tor some time
l have been annoyed in very singular
way
Annoyed, Mr.. Arbuthnotr' she ex-
( ella med, letting q lump of sugar splash
1 into the coffee, annoyed? Is it some
/ thing about the house? | had hoped that
his was good week The mending has
tsen-
No. no. aunt. It isn't anything ike
that The fact IS, at least ! feel con-
vinced-not that it matters seriously-but
N almost sure that somebody has been
lingering my pockets.
The sasp Of dismay. horror. almost
hyster,cal, which flew to Aunt Timmons
cps was sufficient evidence of the mon
srous nature Of the ofense limited
NO. she whispered. forgetting the
coffee till he reached cut his thin. dry
hand 10 take Il. No 1t is almost i'm
possible, She has been such j perfect
servant-oh, Can it be that Linda would
darel'
Knowing. my dear aunt. that YOU could
not be guilty Of such an inCiscretion-'
a crime I should say" wheezed Aunt
Chlorinda.
I'm afraid it must have been. err
what's that her name is?"
And forthwith. in guarded and cons.d-
crate tones. the shocked and scandallzed
old lady and calm, patient but most dig
r'fied nephey outlined a system of esDi-
crage that must eithe- detect or prevent
any undue Investigation Of the pastor
rockets Re began 10 make a practice
ct leaving small coins in seldom used gar
mcnts. because he had noticed that the
contents of mis- everyday clothes were
never touched. one by ore the bats dis
peared. but neither Aunt Timmons nor
her nephew were any the wiser. Watch
81 they might they could not detect
Linda IN any Irregularities. and the only
result was Air. Arbuthnot' s conscientious
worry ct what he termed tempting the
weakIy." and Aunt Timmons' natural
hut unjustihed realization that If Linda
vas not the culprit she herself might be
open 70 suspicion. She discussed this
hateful phase OF tho matter, and was re-
vardcd and delighted at finding that no
such unworthy thought had ever entered +
his juGicious and generous mind.
Meanwhile. however. he had entered IN
to q pastorly and very confidential CORE /
spondence with ona af the most estimablc (
young women Of bis flock. ard. fearing 7.
that his servant might pry into the neces- /
sarily sacred contents cf these letters. he Z.
went secretly 10 the policeman who walk I.
ed about the neighborhood and sought his 4
advice
'''Try bit o. dye-stun. sir. advised tho I
policeman. Put a dash il your pocket /
book or wherever else you think there's !
Frying
And going to a drug store the annoyed !
clergyman bought few pinches Of car
mine dye which he took home end care 4
fully distributed IN sundry seIf-acdressed 4
envelopes already in his pockets
The next morning. sitting opposite his (
aunt at the breakfast table. ne was al
most ashamed u tell what he had done
He knew that his pockets had been ran
sacked during the night though nothing
vss missing But rather unusually
personal letter from ihc fair correspond
emit he found smeared with the ten-tale
6ye. therefore 1t was with an anxious
e5e that Rev. sylvester Arbut hn0t watch
cd for IdnCas entrance. As she passed
a platter of hot biscuits toward The center
o. the table be saw * Her finger tips
vere stained with red. But ne permitted
her to so out hefore he said
Aunt. did YOU notice Linda s fingers
Fingers J did not. Mr. Arbuthnot
Are they dirty2'
with c4rmire dive he said In fact
laid q trap for her last night and.
may say. she'E ccught-
Nhereuucn Aunt Tiramons, IN the horri-
6ed shock whtch her good heast sustain
co. gave q shrek and fcl over in swoon 2
WITH Linda s help he carried her upstairs
and himself rsr Tor tnc doct0- while the
unhappy servant hathed her mistress
brows with vinegar ard water. Presently
the excited young clergyman came back
with tho man ~ scie~ce who seized ~
old lady hand from beneath the coreriet
ard holding il .n his q feel her pulse
turned upon Mr- Ar5u,hnot and asked
WHAT'S this on heF handse
~ thiuk-ar least ] beiieve-it-s RI rInire
dye answered the r.retched tTaUthnnf
Linds IS vet mistress Cf TIE servants
quarters. bat Aunt Tmuous mas never
forgiven her-J0hl Il T.afterv.
Not SO Dry as That.
fFTom the Chicago Tr4hures
II had never travelled in q prohibition
state before. the English tourist was