Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-10-25

There! She was coming that way!
What was to be done? A thousand
wild thoughts flashed through his
brain. He felt her hand upon the door
knob.
"There's a man in your room!!" he
roared out, in awful bass. He didn't
know how he came to say it. 1t was
the inspiration of desperation, prob
ably.
"Oh-h, ooh" sllricked Mrs. Smith,
and fled in terror.
1--WE got to get out of this before
anyone comes said Mr.. Bangs, giving
a push to the door. Horrors! it would
not open. There was only n way Of
opening it, and that was from the
outside.
A clammy perspiration covered him
from head to foot.
you stay here, and I'll go ill.," he
heard Selma say, in the hall. II amt
afraid.'
He put his eye to the keyhole, and
saw his sister enter the
"Selina!' he called, in a sepulchral
tone. "Sellna"
"Who calls me Selina?" demanded
Mrs. Green, dramatically, 1ourishing
the feather buster, which she had
brought along for a weapon of de-
Tense.
81 do" answered Mr.. Bangs. Its
'Rastus, your brother. I'm shut I'D in
this closet"
well, 1 never!!' exclaimed Mrs.
Green, staring at the closet as if she
expected to look it out of countenance.
let me out, and don't be Il fool.,'
cried Mr.. Bangs.
Thus appealed to, Mrs. Green ven
tured to open the door, and out stepped
Mr.. Bangs, with his skirt swishing
about his legs.
"For the lands sake..' cried Selma,
with uplifted hands, and mouth wide
open. "Why, 'Rastus Bangs!!'
IL thought I'd have a little sport"
explained Mr.. Bangs. looking about as
foolish as it is possible for a man to.
but you anne back too soon, and l
couldn't get it off, and slipped into the
closet. Help me out of the COMPOUNDED
thing, Selma, and keep it to yourself,
and I'll buy you the incest dress i'll
town."
"Selina! Selina.' called the widow
from the bottom Of the stairs. DO you
want any help"
Hurry up" exclaimed Mr.. Bangs,
"She'll be here III a minute"
'Tll tell you what I'll do said Sc
lima. eff you'll promise to ask her to
marry you inside Of three days. I'll help
you out of the scrape. Il you don't,
I'll call her in"
I'll dassent." groaned MI. Bangs.
'Then I'll call her." said Selma.
ell Will" said her brother, desper-
ateIy.
Mrs. Green gave a peculiar witch to
the strap, the buckle let so its hold,
and the skirt fell to the floor. Mr..
Bangs stood up a free
"Now, remember" said Selma. warn
ingly, eff you haven't proposed to Mrs.
Smith in three days from this timc-at
half-past six precisely, on Thursday,
the time'll be up-I shall tell the whole
story"
Oh, those three days! They seemed
three years to poor Bangs. He tried
seven different times to make his prom
Use good, but every time his tongue
Glove to the roof of his mouth, and he
was speechless.
Thursday, at 6 o'clock, Selma came
to him.
"Have you asked her, 'Rastus:" she
demanded, solemnly.
"No, 1 haven't" answered Mr.. Bangs.
II can't, Selma"
you've got just half an hours time
! left" said Selma, unfeelingly. Sup
| peril be ready in fifteen minutes. The
half hour'll be gone before we get
through eating, and 1 shall tell the
story the minute the tines up. Maria's
in the parlor, alone. If you want to
see her, you'll never get a better
chance"
"If you had any sisterly regard for
me- began Mr.. Bangs. but Mrs.
| Green cut him short with the remark:
GA bargains a bargain. Do as you
agreed to, or I will. Don't be a fool,
'Rastus."
And with that she opened the parlor
door and pushed him in.
Mr.. Bangs doesn't know what he
said. He never knew. But the widow
said he asked her il she wanted to
marry him. Being q truthful woman,
she said she did, and so the poor man
was spared the recital of the story OF
! his terrible fix.
SIT was lucky that it happened, after
all,' he told Selma, "for, if it hadn't,
L never would have got courage to
propose-never."-New York Weekly.