Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-10-05
A PA z RIOTS
ca NE1'AKER
lOrfHnal.1

WIZ COuiluS " our fdSt cent, ana
was no nearer finding anything to. do
when one morning took up a paper
to examine the want column, when
| came upon this:
Wanted.A person to take charge of q
pet during owners absence.
Thinking that l might make a few
dollars week BY keeping the pet in
our rooms determined to answer the
advertisement In person, since the ad-
dress was given.
found an old lady who in appear
ance reminded me of pictures l had
seen in Dickens "DOmbey and Son"
Of Mrs. Pipchin, only the lady who re-
ceived me was spinster and her
name was Miss Brattle. The pet she
required a caretaker for was a par
rot. When proposed to take it home
with me she declared that Alonzo
would not be cOntented away from
home and whoever took charge Of him
| must stay in her house, which would
be kept open during her absence. She
was kindly old lady. and l told her
how l was situated, whereupon she
told me l could bring my mother to
stay with me. Since the salary she
offered was considerable for such a
work, after talking the matter over
with mother we decided to accept the
proposition.
The house was to be left in charge
OF manservant and his wife, No one
else was expected to be there unless a
nephew Of Miss Brattle should take
It into his head to come to the city.
Miss Brattle departed for three |
months absence, and mother and l |
took possession of suit OF delightful
rooms. OF course we were Gin clover"
the whole house to ourselves. not a
creature to intrude upon us. But one
morning the manservant informed us
that the nephew. Mr.. Chester Graves,
would be there for dinner and would
occupy the room which had always
been set apart for him. We were sor-
ry for this. but hoped he would spend
most Of bis time elsewhere. Indeed, the
servant told me that usually when In
II |
ness or ut his club.
Mr.. Graves proved to be q young
man of twenty-five. He was very AHA
bic, chattcd pleasantly at dinner and
afterward proposed three handed
game Of cards. Mother never plays
cards, so declined also, but the young
man remained with us and did not go
put till we went upstairs
l expected that Chester Graves
would stay in town but few days !,
,r at u,ost a week slrAe the man .
servant said that was his customary
'isit. He remained seysfat weeks, :
pending most Of the early part Of the :,
evenings with mother and me. Then he
vent away. but In week he was baek
gain. Mother was not at all well and
fr. Graves dsc!ared that lie should be :.
,nely In snch a ,srge house without y
ny one to keep him company mother :.
aid had better remain ip tias Dsrlor =
II he went to his CLUB, which was =
bout 10 o'clock. y
Well. Mr. Graves was in the city ~
loFs thar half the time during his a.
units abstaas and insisted on my ~
eeping him eompaay every evening ="
ter dinner till 10 o'clock, We usually &c &c
i in the drawing room. Aionzo being .. 81
lged In the library adjoining. Bon,s- Z"
w | felt that he served for chap w
on.
At last Miss Brattle wrote that she
ould be at home fl few days. and RI,
y heart sank at the prospect or leav- to
z such pleasant quarters for our us- m,
viting rooms. Mr.. Graves was In the ~
y when his aunt's letter came, and nv,
said lie you'd remain and welcome mr.,
r. thought iris WIS partly because mr.,
wished TO cheer me t,y. seeing that No,
was plunged In melancholy. Mss soe
attic arrived about half past OF 40
iock one evening. Mother had gone ev
bed, but AR. Graves and l met the T"
lady at the dees. The first thing .I
. did was TO go into the library 70 see dat
i A'oAzo was all right iilen we TOO
ce sat IN the drawing room chatting.
esently tie old clCck in the hall
eezed out ten slow strokes, :.
Ten O'clock, Chester!" came q voice sta
III the library. "
lr. Graves cast frightened glance "
ne. while I-wcll. | was IN an agony ing
terror. For heavens sake. what "ar
re was 10 GONE? cou
One more kiss, swrs; heart" ."
Iiss Braitlf possibly ti.ie,!; pot all
e noticed the parrots teinarks had apo
Chester looked sheepish, ! blush y
to the roots Of my hair. Then what the
uld the abOnlnablc bird do but see
.ech. You shan't"' Il SHALL" fol
ing up the last remark by an imi.
on Of q dozen or more smacks. Sy
r. Gsaves' embarrassment and my that
tale blnshss gave his aunt per- The
ly true account OF what mad been one
spiring during her ABSENCE. With y
word SIZE arose. evidently with "a
intention Of leaving us 10 make our ~
us in our usual way, but as she BIO
going out Mr. Graves stopped her
hgd not asked me to be his wife.
had neyely chosen q suspected to ID
tims pleasantly with me. But he "a II
true man soa, peY that We were ness
int. spoke like maa,
unit Sara" he said. II am indeot- Pscia
o you for going away and getting nave
eeper for Alouzo. though he ia ingto
ungrateful to give US away, for |
pleasure in presenting you to my
lised bride" ID
nat an unhiushing lie! ""
ter our marriage Miss Rrattle con- kno"
ID that upon seeing me and hsar- ieho'
my story she had used me Tor a
to draw her nephew away from =.
life. Had it not been for the par. ~
he plan might possibly have cost De.w'
ear, though my husband says not on
ROSAMOND ALICIA BCDD. IT,