Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-01-21

lactS Wnlcn nau no unlmpOftant pear
ing upon my enterprise. The most
significant was that she was engaged
to marry a "hartist"-Which engage
ment having only been recently
formed, she was burning to communi-
cate to some one.
IAN artst?" | said with some sur
prise when she announced this piece
of fashionable intelligence; "an artist,
Ell? How did you come to meet him."
Yes, he's a hartist," she replied, as
sertively. "He draws the most lovely
pictures you ever see in chalk on the
pavement, and his colors is heXquisite
| met him in the square one night, and
he told me he'd fell in love with me
right hoff."
Bit by bit l drew the story of her
"hartist" lover from the silly but un-
suspecting girl, and when | learnt
that each night he entrusted to her
care a parcel, which he called for early
the following morning-which parcel
| was supposed to contain chalks-I be-
gan to feel that the case was develop
| ing.
'Enery-did tell you his name wos
| 'Enery-Mr Emery Talbot-lives a
| long way hoff," she said, $50, e sed,
wot's the good of is luggin' his chalks
along with i'm hevery time? So e
| just leaves 'em for me to take care of
at the harea door of night, and as
I'm up fust in the mornin' gives EN-
i'm out again when e calls. But it
amt so much to save isself trouble
as to ave word with me as he does
it. E as good as told me so last night,
though e is mighty particular about
his ole parcel all the same"
| was beginning to get interested in
that parcel; though | am free to con-
fess, that had l known, during the
three nights | had already passed un-
der Lord Cranthorpe's roof, that his
hospitality had been extended by proxy
to articles in the possession Of my
friend Number Three, my slumbers
would have been less childlike and
peaceful
My foot was practically healed, and
| was only hanging on as Lord Gran
thorpe's guest for my own purposes.
But now that | knew that the base
ment of his lordship's house was be-
ing used as sort of cloak room for
the storage of parcels containing a
| deadly explosive, my natural delicacy
made me feel how very desirable it
was that | should not outstay my well
come or trespass unduly upon my
hosts hospitality.
Hence | decided that the following
morning should witness my departure,
but as | preferred making my exit by
means of my legs rather than with the
assistance of dynamite, and as | pro-
posed moving only to the next street,
and notion this occasion at least
right away TO the next world, came TO
the conclusion that | should sleep more
peaceably if, before retiring to rest,
| could satisfy myself that on that par
ticular night, at all events, Mr.. Henry
Talbot's parcel contained nothing more
dangerous than chalks. So, instead of
hobbling off at nine o'clock into the
little room where my bed had been
prepared, | remained chatting with
Amelia. By-and-by she began to get
fidgety, being, as / could see, impa-
tient for the moment when by carry
ing a lighted candle three times past
the window, she could let her lover
know, according to the signal which
had been arranged between them, that
the other servants were at supper and
the coast clear.
The signal had scarcely been given
before there came a gentle tap at the
area door, and leaving me in the inner
ROOM hurried out Juliet-like to greet
her Romeo.
Here's the parcel of chalks, pretty
one" | heard Mr.. Talbot say Pat
them away carefully for me, darling,
and I'll call for them as usual in the
morning"
Amelia had left the door leading into
the passage slightly ajar so that | had
been able to play the eayesdropper
without leaving my chair, which was
fortunate, for the next instant she
stepped coquettishly into the room with
brown paper parcel in her hand,
which she popped into an open drawer,
and then, with a saucy nod to me,
popped out again.
Her lover seemed to be in a hurry
this particular evening, for | heard
Amelia say, "Wot, you amt goin' yet?
Put down yer at and coat and give us
| kiss"
Presumably the obedient Henry put
down his hat and coat as directed,
whereupon Amelia snatched them up
| playfully and running once more into
| the room where l was sitting, threw
them upon a chair, and returning to
Henry said triumphantly:
There! you shan't ave 'em back
again till you beave yerself. A nice
young man you are to walk out with
| gal and never even want to give her
kiss"
That's soon put right" was the re-
ply, and from the sounds which reached
my ears, | have cause to suppose that
Henry was as good as his word. Pre-
sumably, however, preoccupation of
some sort tended to make him less
| amorous than usual on this occasion,
fDr 1r,bn A