The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-07-15


A male bailiff here-here"
Miss Franklin was perilously near
fainting, and her tears were running
fast.
"Shall go and try and reason with
him?" asked Sibyl, by way of putting
! an end. to painful scene.
"Oh if you would be so kind; but be
sure and treat him like an animal, or
at least as an inferior, because he's
man, you know"
Sibyl ran down stairs and threw open
the door. She had intended asking his
business in a civil but firm manner
Instead she drew back with start.
"Sibylw
"Jack-Mr. Allingham!'
II heard Of your escapade, and that
is why l came in person, though l
did not expect the pleasure Of meeting
YOU"
He held out his hand, and she turned
away contemptuously.
''You are spying upon me-" she cried,
her anger rising. How dare you come
here like this?"
'You forget the house is my own"
"Oh-er-so it is. You-want the
rent? l am afraid we cannot pay you
just yet. If you will give us time. a
few days, Or"
I'm few days, nay, in a few hours
the bailiffs will be i'll unless the rent
is paid at once" he replied, firmly.
But, Ja-Mr, Allingham, you would
not be SO cruel?"
'Cruel? Were you never cruel?
What was my fault, and how much
mercy did you show me? Now it is
my turn, and no mercy will l give.
Can your companions or whatever
they call themselves pay me now?"
''No they cannot"
Every well. Good morning"
He turned away and she slammed
the door.
what did he say?" asked Miss
Tabs, anXiously, when she entered
the room.
"He is every inch a man!' replied
Sibyl, significantly.
III.
Before two more days had passed
the Spinsters' Society were acquainted
with the worst The members were
not afraid of the opposite sex, antago-
nistic though they might be, but they
had to acknowledge a terror of the
law. When one morning the house
maid answered a knock at the door,
the landlord promptly pushed himself
into the hall. He was accompanied
by a man, who held in one hand
brown paper parcel and an officia!
document i'll the other.
Good morning, Miss Cathcart," he
said, as she came out to meet him.
"You expected me, of course?"
II don't understand you"
"Really? There is nothing much to
understand. l am, in fact my own
bailiff, and only immediate payment Of
the rent will prevent my being quar-
tered upon you. This gentleman here
will prove the truth of my assertions,
as he represents the law. Just run
over this paper, please"
you brute" she calculated.
Sorry to inconvenience you-very.
! y debts debt, you know. But /
don't think you'll find me very trou-
| blesome tenant. l shall come at 0 in
| the morning and leave at in the even
ing, until the money is paid. That
parcel, Jenkins, please" he added to
the man. and discharged him.
The girl hid her face in her hands
and burst into tears.
Il always knew you were cowardp
she sobbed. "And now you've proved
| it,"
II hope not. If l come as my own
bailiff you should congratulate your
self upon having escaped so lightly,
for commOner man might have made
his presence intolerable. And besides.
l have brought my own food, which no
ordinary bailiff would have done.'
The bursting of this bomb in the
headquarters of the Spinsters' Society
did not tend to draw the members to-
ward the male sex, and immediate
steps were taken to realize the money,
matter of some difficulty.
'It's nothing short of a scandal"
plped Miss Tabs, between fits of hys-
terlcal weeping, when the news was
conveyed to her. 1T will be the talk
of the neighborhood. If it had been
Il commoner man it would have been
different, but him! And to have to
cook his mutton chops-ughv'