Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1905-03-11

Nllempllu 10 HNITtl VII FVNt iNNi"SS
In pint of fact, in order to see you
mourn for him, he's hiding upstairs
while he's reported squashed in this
here railroad accident. It's a dretfu
one. He paid reporter to put him
In, mum, the first that happened"
Don't show me the dreadful thing"
said Mrs. Raspberry. "Oh, how could
ROYAL be so heartless-hOw could he?
No matter, I'll punish him, and I'll not
betray you, either. Tell Mr.. Raspberry
/ have the news, and let him spy upon
me when he pleases."
Eyes, ma'am." said Perkins.
she's got 1t, sir" said Perkins, ten
minutes after 1T was carried in
"Ahaw said Raspberry. Now | shall
see what grief my demise will cause,
Julius is there?'
eyes, sir" said Perkins.
And Raspberry, in sllppcred feet, re-
paired TO q peephole prepared before
hand in n door panel. All was silence.
''She is lying in swoon upon the
floor" thought Raspberry, with a
Qualm Of conscience.
But in moment he saw the lady
smiling and beating time to an air she
hummed with the folded newspaper.
"She has not read it yet" thought
Raspberry. "HOw delightful! / shall
see the whole"
He applied his eye more closely to the
aperture. Just then the lady spoke.
IF all we read is true, we are rid of
him."
Eyes, the old stupidr' said Mr., julius.
Il suppose he's left you everything"
81 hope So" said the lady. II shall
go into deep mourning and cap-the
| style becomes me-and | shall be q
dashing young widow as soon as dare
| hate being mewed up here. eh'H
| JrHNeI 10 tire waIerng places and en-.
| joy myself"
Good Heaven" moaned Mr.. Easp.
| berry. what do | hear?"
"And l will accompany you,r said
Julius.
Certainly" said the lady. And you
need not call me aunt any mere"
"Never again." said Julius. "But by
dearer name SOON"
ooh, so away! Don't. It's improper
so soon" said the lady.
Il shall dier said Mr.. Raspberry.
ooh, shall die in earnest"
But rage and curiosity rooted him to
the spot,
Julius had sunk on his knees before
Mrs. Raspberry, and taken her hand.
"You will be mine" he said.
ooh, yes, julius" said Mrs. Rasp-
berry; "but for FORMS sake we ought
to attend to Mr., Raspberry's remains"
"Bother" said julius. "Snce they've
smashed the old fellow, let them sweep
him away and finish it. What do we
want of him."
The horrible words broke the spell
cast upon Mr.. Raspberry; lie dashed
the door open and darted forward.
you'll find me more difficult to
sweep away than you imagine" he
cried. "Perjured woman, false and
wicked julius. behold me and dread
my vengeancew
Then Mr.. Raspberry shook both his
fists and lifted them heavenward, ut
which Mrs. Raspberry laughed more
heartily
You can laugh-yOu!" he cried.
eyes, l." said Mrs. Raspberry; land
when next you get up n little farce, re-
member that other people may be able
to do likewise For one rehearsal,
Julius and 1 have done very well.
Now, sir, beg my pardon for trying 10
alarm me. You ought to be ashamed
Of yourself"
Then yOu-you knew gasped Mr..
Raspberry. ooh, Adelaide, tell me you
knew"
II certainly knew" said Mrs. Rasp.
berry, "and prepared a little surprise
for you. If, instead, you had seen me
drop dead upon the floor, you would
have been happy cruel manw
"Thank Heaveny' said Mr.. Rasp-
berry, sinking into chair. "YOu almost
killed me, Adelalde-how could You!
And, Julius-ah, 1 suffered too much.
Sweep me away. AS joke it was bad
enough, but in earnest"
Then Mrs. Raspberry condescended
10 offer her lips to Mr.. Raspberry, and
Mr.. Raspberry consented to receive the
pr0ffered forgiveness, though he still
looked doubtfully at Julius; and dOmGs-
tic felicity was restored by the arrival
Of hot dinner, which. after the cold
refreshments of the past week, were
highly acceptable TO Mr.. Raspberry.
But Perkins," said Mr.. Raspberry,
as his valet performed his next toilet.
"But. Perkins, l will never try to play
a trick upon a woman again. I'm not
sharp enough for them. If l had
really been killed, she would have
grieved-eh, Perkins?"
Undoubtedly, sir" said Perkins;
land Mr.. Julius, too, SIR"
But for all that, nephew julius was
sent out to Paris as correspondent for
an important house, very shortly, and
found on his uncles death that his
name was not remembered in the will.
He had acted loo naturally, and Mr..
Raspberry never forgave him.--New
York Weekly.
WE EAT TOO MUCH.