Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-01-25
Mrs. itansfieid's Clever Plan

I have made a discovery, John said
Mrs Mansfield looking up from her knit
ting.
John Mansfield, retired merchant, al
derman and mayor of BroolltoWn, looked
up from his paper.
"A discovery, my dear?" he said, as
summing his best magisterial manner.
Pray what is the nature of this remark
able occurrence p
L find that Miss Ansom has a pho
toeraph of yourself, which she treasures
Ill secret"
What do you mean, my dear?a cx-
claimed Mr. Mansfield
If you think my eyes deceived me.
perhaps you will believe your own! 1t
is in the first drawer of her dressing
table, if you wish to satisfy your curl
0sity."
Mrs Mansfield, do YOU think that |
am going to steal into a lady's room and
pry into her private affairs ?" cried the
magistrate, rising. You forget yourself,
madam!"
Nj. Mansfield went upstairs in high
dudgeon to make some alteration III his
dress preparatory to going out.
Having dressed himself to his salts
faction, Mr. Mansfield left the room.
| Suddenly his progress was checked by
| the sight of MISS Ansom's Wide-open door.
With cautious look round, he noise
lessly entered the room, partially closing
the door behind him. He opened the
drawer boldly, and-yes, there it was
the very first thing that caught his eye
his own photograph!
Horror! Somebody was coming!
4 light step Oh the stairs. and sweet
heralded the approach of Miss Ansom
herself!
Don't be alarmed, Miss Ansom.
beg!" he cried, seeing that that lady
looked dangerously like shrieking. Ell
my unexpected and ignominious appear
ance fills you with amazement, no doubt"
Mr.. Alansfield!" she ejaculat ted, in
tones of incredulous establishments
Err must, of course, explain and
hulnbly apologize for my despicable con
Duct"
His worship then proceeded, with
abrupt and ierky sentences, quite devoid
OF their usual fowery trimmings, Co eX-
plain his presence in her room.
Greatly to his relief, she did not look
very angry when lie had finished. She
said nothing at first, but, opening the
fatal drawer, produced somewhere from
its depths two more photographs, which
she put into his hands, saying:
You see, [ have photographs of other
members Of the family as We'll"
Mr.. Mansfield gazed at them in aston
ishment. They were pictures of his wife
and son,
why, who gave you these, Miss An
5om?''
Jack she replied, simply, with low
cred eyelids and a pretty flush on her
face
"Jack!" he replied. MY son?''
Yes she whispered.
But II do not understand! I was
not aware that you had ever met him
He IS in South Africal'
1T was for my sake lie went there"
she replied, softly.
There was silence for a few minutes.
Then you are the young-er-lady
whom my son wished to marry in OPP
position to my Wishes?'
Yes" she nurmrred.
Mr.. Mansfield thought deeply for the
next few minutes. After all he liked
Miss Ansom immensely; and if he still
proved obstinate, she would. of course
leave the house, and perhaps this morn
ing'5 ridiculous adventure might be men
TONED, and-yes, he would be merciful
We'll, Miss AnsOm, | need hardly say
that ycu story has astonished nee be
You'd measure. But | will not disguise
from You the fact that, during the time
you have been with us You have won my
highest esteem, and, III fact, | regard YOU
with feelings of paternal affection. We
must write to that young scamp ard have
him home Meanwhile-''
With Il cry of JOY Miss Ansom flung
her arms around his neck and implanted
a kiss on his nose.
At that moment the door opened and
Mrs. Mansfield stood on the threshold
with hands uplifted in horror
My dear" he cried nervously, 81 am
going to write to tell Jack to come home.
This young ady has promised to be his
wife. She is, in fact, the young lady
about whom we had that foolish quar-
rel"
Mr. Mansfield at length managed to
slip away, conora tulating himself on the
| success with which he had extricated
himself from an unpleasant position.
After all, he was glad of an excuse to
welcome his boy home again.
But perhaps if he had heard what
passed between his wife and future
daughter in-law when they heard the hall
door close behind him he would have real
| lied that they had scored on all points.
Dear, darling Mrs. Mansfield" cried
Miss Ansom, embracing Mrs Mansfield
afresh, how good Of YOU to have me here
IS your companion, and then to devise
his clever plot Why, it was quite 4
irama."
IN which you played your part very
veil. my dear!" replied the old lady,
batting the girls cheek affectionately-
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