The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-10-11


taking off her jacket and bonnet What
If she were to come to the closet? II
was altogether likely that she hung
| her things there. He felt as if he
were going to faint. Then he thought
of the ridiculous appearance a faintine
man in a skirt would make, and made
I'D his mind that he wouldn't faint
he'd die first.
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 q man in your room" be
roared out, in awful bass. He didn't
know how be came to say it. 1t was
the inspiration Of desperation, prob
ably.
"Oh-h. o-o-hw shrieked Mrs. Smith,
and fed in terror.
"Ive 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 one 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 in," he
heard Selma say, in the hall. Il amt
afraid"
He put his eye to the keyhole, and
saw his sister enter the room.
"Selinaw he called, in a sepulchral
tone. "Selinar'
"Who calls me Selina?" demanded
Mrs. Green, dramatically. fourishing
the feather duster, which she had
brought along for weapon of de-
fense.
II do" answered Mr.. Bangs. ITS
'Rastus, your brother. I'm shut up in
this closet"
well, I neverw exclaimed Mrs.
Green, staring at the closet as If she
expected to look it out of countenance.
"Let me out, and don't be 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"
"I-I thought I'd have little sport"
explained Mr.. Bangs, looking about as
foolish as it is possible for a man to,
'.but you came back too soon, and 1
couldn't get it off, and slipped into the
closet. Help me out of the confounded
! thing. Selma, and keep it to yourself,
and I'll buy you the incest dress In
! town."
s'Selina! Selinaw called the widow
from the bottom Of the stairs. "Do you
want any help?"
Hurry upr' exclaimed Mr.. Bangs
"She'll be here in minute"
"I'll tell you what I'll do," said Sc
lima. "If you'll promise to ask her to
marry you inside of three days, III help
you out of the scrape. If you don't,
I'll call her in"
IL dassent," groaned Mr.. Bangs.
"Then I'll call her." said Selma.
IL willv' said her brother. desper-
ately.
Mrs. Green gave peculiar twitch to
the strap, the buckle let go its hold,
and the skirt fell to the floor. Mr..
Bangs stood up free man.
"Now, remember" said Selma, warn
ingly, ''if you haven't proposed to Mrs.
Smith in three days from this time-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
ise good. but every time his tongue
Glove to the roof Of his mouth, and he
was speechless.
Thursday, at o'clock, Selma came
to him,
"Have you asked her, 'Rastus" she
demanded, solemnly.
mo, haven't" answered Mr.. Bangs.
Il can't, Selma"
you've got just half an hours time
left" said Selma, unfeelingly. "SSp-
peril be ready in fifteen minutes. The
half hour'll be gone before we get
through eating, and I shall tell the
story the minute the times up. Maria's
in the parlor, alone. If you want to
see her. you'll never get better
chance"
'If you had any sisterly regard for
me" began Mr.. Bangs. but Mrs.
Green cut him short with the remark:
"a bargains bargain. Do as you
agreed to, or T will. Don't be 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 if she wanted to
marry him. Being a truthful woman,
she said she did, and so the poor man
was spared the recital of the story of
his terrible fix.
'It was lucky that it happened, after
ALL" he told Selma, "for, if it hadn't
never would have got courage to
| propose-never."- York Weekly.