The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-11-17

Ny memory eN hat .Eaint is partie
dtaily clear, for the Executive Com
mittee Of the Ladies' Missionary So
ciety met at Hawkins home the very
day they moved in officially; and il
had been hanging over me, more OF
less, that the next assembly OF that
body was to be held at my own resi-
dence-
Not that am in any way unsym-
pathetic as to church work and be
uighted savages and such matters; but
when half dozen women get together
and discuss few heather and great
many hats and similar things, the
solitary man in the house is apt to
feel
At any rate, when saw Mrs. Haw-
kins enter my door that evening, the
first Of the Executive Committee to
arrive, l experienced a sinking SEN
sation for the moment Then I Sc
cured my hat mumbIed few excuses,
and disappeared to see how Hawkins
was spending the evening.
The inventor himself answered my
ring.
All, Griggs," ne remarked. Com
mittee talk you out of the house?"
Something of the sort admit
s ted.
Glad you came in. There's some
thing want to-but hang up your
hat
Hawkins I said, closing the door,
why do you pay large oVerfed Eng
g-T,
premises If it's necessary for you to
answer the bell? I'm not much on
style, you know, but
William? Oh, it's his night out,"
laughed Hawkins II believe the cook
and the girls have gone, too, for that
matter"
Then we're altogether aIone?'
YES" said the inventor, comfort
ably, pushing forward one Of the big
library chairs for my accommodation,
ale alone ia the house.
land it's a mighty nice house. I
mused, gazing into the next apart
ment, the dining-room. That's a
splendid room, Hawkins
isn't at?" smiled Hawkins, drawing
back the heavy curtains rather proud
". Most of the little wrinkles are
my own IDEAS too
'That sideboard?" / asked, indieat-
ing frail-looking but artistic bit of
furniture built into the wall
That, too combination Of side
board and silver-safe"
safe!" laughed. you don't keep
the silver in there?'
t'Why not?'
MY dear man, anyone could pry
that door off with a penknffe.' ;.
Admitted. But supposing your
anyone to be burglar. he'd have to
get to the door before he could pry
1t off, would he not, GTiggs?'
Burglars do not as a rule. find
great difficulty in entering the average
house 7 suggested.
aha. That's just 1.-THE average
housed" cried the inventor. This
isn't the average house. Griggs. The
burglar who tries to get into this par
sicular house is distinctly up
against 1T
..Indeed?"
Eyes, sir! The crook that attempts
nocturnal entrance here has my sin
cere and heartfelt sympathy.
Hawkins Patent Automatic Bur
gIar Alarm I suggested
what the deuce are you sneering
at?n snapped the inventor mo,
there's no patent burglar alarm in this
house
Hawkins Steel Dynamite-Proof
Shutters ?"
Hawkins ignored the remark and
busted himself lighting cigar.
Hawkins Triple-Expansion Spring
CUM" I hazarded once more.
..Oh, drop it, Drop it, cried
Hawkins. Positively, Griggs, your
efforts at humor disgust one. IN some
ways, you are as bad as woman !
GO back and sit with the Executive
Committee"
Whats the connection p
why, the thing expected to show
you in few minutes is the very
same one which my wife fought
against for two weeks, before she let
me put it into operation peacefully"
Hawkins burst out. There's where |
the connection comes in between your |
degenerate little wits and those Of the
generality OF women"
IF it was an invention, I don't /
blame your wife one little bit. Haw-
kins,' I said. Il can see just how
abe must have felt about
There's the evening. paper. if you
want to read spat forth the in
Fentor, poking the sheet across the
library table.
Herewith he turned his back
sauareiy upon me and settled down to
9 book
Hawkins was sitting near the win
DOWN fact, his chair brushed the
hangings. As sat gazing pensfve1y
at the back of his neck, q sudden
breeze swayed the curtains above
him
There was an undue amount Of
swishing overhead, it seemed to me.
Something near the top of the win
dow. and concealed by the hangings,
ratified distinctly: simultaneously a
gong struck sharply somewhere up
stairs
Hawkins whirled about. q most Re
markable expression on his lately sui
len eountenance As nearly as { could
anaIEze 1t, 1t was a mixture Of Joy,
excitement and trembling expectancy.
/ +,