The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-08-11
LITTLE STORIES OF WASHINGTON LIFE
THE INSPIRATION OF PEDRO

pendent. Barney Casey had happened
In. and paid Mary so many compliments
that Dennis had apparently been moved
to rivalry. and ''Ye look like a rose to-
night in yer pink gown. Mollie." he had
said. He had never called her Molie
before
Aloysia was passing the monkeys
cage. when Pedro reached two lean lit
tie hands through the bars and grabbed
at hers
Poor little haste, he do be lonesome.
I'm thinkin'' she said. and she strOk-
ed the monkeys head while he chartered
approximately
Early next morning a stranger came
up the steps and rang the bell There
was no answer. He rang again. No
answer. He was about TO start away
when a man looked out OF the stable
door
Halo. Dennis" said the stranger.
Saints save US, it's the young mas
terri
What's the matter with your people7
Anybody In there7''
Sure. sir, they must be oversleepIng."
Dennis produced his key and opened the
door. A violent smell OF gas pervaded
the premise
For hlven's sake gasped Dennis.
and the two men rushed TO the library
door. whence the smell came But il
was locked. and so were the windows.
"Pll crawl over the ransom said
young Wilson promptly. Give me a
boost"
But Dennis was charging upstairs.
'Loysial' he shouted. Where are We.
dariint?"
There was no answer BY this time
neighbors were coming IN. and windows
were going I'D all around the neighbor-
hood. for Dennis was making noise
enough for wake. The two women.
whose rooms, through the transoms. had
been filled with the poisonous gas, were
walked with some difficulty from their
slumbers, and, half dressed, made their
way downstairs to see what had hap
pened in the library.
The door was a heavy one. but It
finally yielded 10 persuasion. and a mix
ture Of smells greeted the invaders. al
cohol being the principal Ingredient Of
most OF them The room was chaos
made manifest
In the corner stood the monkays'
cage, open. In the opposite corner stood
whist boards pulled out OF the drawers
and the cards scattered all over the
carpet. Opposite the desk. In the wall.
was a cupboard so cunningly fitted in
/ that only a few people knew where the
door was. and only they knew that the
key hung under the corner OF the man
tel This cupboard was open, and the
/ choice liquors II contained were soaking
/ L.
| of sixteen packs OF care ], empty bot
| ties. boxes OF coed cigars and a Jar
| Of tobacco. with several pipes. can clut-
ter up a room quite effectually- The
monkeys had finished the job by turn
| ing on every gas-cock in the room. and
there were six Of them besides the one
| for the gas heater.
| Nobody ever did know how :hey got
| out OF the cage. unless the catch had
| failed to work The monkeys them
selves were in no condition TO tell. They
! were strewed about over the floor IN a
TO revive.
The disgrace 20 a dacint house, said
| AlOysia, and she began to cry.
| What will folks think OF u.s." whim-
pered Mary. and she began to cry.
| Don't mind ii. dariint," said Dennis
and Barney. both together, and Dennis
| drew Aloysia OF into one corner. and
Barney drew Mary into another.
Young Wilson stood grinning at the
| scene. II guess everybody here knew
the dad" he said They will also
know that those poker chips were mine.
| There was never anything more than
duplicate whist played in this room
Then he sobered suddenly, but IL was
impossible to look very solemn in the
face Of that rOOpn. The condition OF il
was too unconventional.
Eventually there were TWO weddings
IN the old church a square away as soon
as young Wilson had settled HIS affairs
To think OF that haste, Pedro. hav-
ing the sinse 20 let himself out and do
ali that mischief" sighed Aloysia when
she and Dennis We're talking over the
matter after they had been married a
week or two
we've TO thank Pedro for maxim VI
me mind" said Dennis with a twinkle
in his eye. mo. faith. II was you all the
| time me girl, but 1 didn't know ii TIL
! thought ye was smOthered 10 death
Ye see. Mary she looked like a girl
fused TO know-back in the ould country
and I might have desaved mesilf intC
thinking she was that grim time"