Middletown transcript., 1906-05-26

L
clothes Eastman was bespatter-
ing with muddy water from pan
near BY. Then, apparently in
sheer wantonness. he caught a
pair Of socks and ground the heel
between two rocks, held up the
damaged cotton was not satisfied,
and reattacked them with savage
energy.
Margaret let the branches
close. The earth swan with her;
her heart was shriveled with pain
She ran back to Kate, white-faced
and staring.
He's crazy, she whispered from
stiff lips. Mr.. Eastman has gone
crazy! Come and see!
The Irishwoman, full If buoy
ant curiosity, scuttled up the hill
behind her slender guide, with
an energy which kept her close
at Margaret's heels.
Be aisy, she cautioned the girl.
Madmen is dangerous, ashore !
But when she gained the van
tage of seeing unseen, and looked
from Eastman, grimly earnest in
his work of scientific messing, to
Margaret's horritied eyes, Kate
was taken with a spasm of laugh
ter that shook the shrubs into
commotion and made Eastman
spring up with his hand on his
hip-pocket.
Who's there's? he shouted,
iercely. Come out, or it'll! be
the worse for you!
Kate broke through the cop
pice, with streaming eyes, dou
bled over as far as, her embon-
point would permit.
Sure and would ye be afther
shootin holes in our jackets wild
yer pistol ? Amt ye done dam
age enough, ye destructive
divil ? Och, luke at the eyes of
him, staring at ye, Margaret, as
thore! Sure, ye give him the
worst fright of the two!
Kate, you've betrayed me,
Numbered Eastman.
Kate collapsed on the earth,
and rocked herself to and fro in
volcanic convulsions of joy.
Sure an'it's lyin' yezare The
colleen come on ye quite be acci-
dent. An thin she tears back
to me- Howly mither she cries,
Misther Eastman has gone
crazee !! Come an see q! An sure
| thought it was throuble about
yer mine-I forgot yer scheme
abaut the duds.
Scheme cried Margaret.
An thin Iseed yer Iirnest face,
Jack Eastman, an veg a-poundin
thin pore innocent sucns An
I turns to the yit more innocent
face of the colleen bawn standin
beside me, wit the skeered face,
harkenin to you a.growlin' and
swearin How cud | hilp |
laughin'?
How could | tell th r. were
ladies near? stammered East
man.
Och, niver take no shame to ye
for a good round oath. 1t blows
aft the steam and saves Il broken
head monny time; it's mesilf
that's tried it. An the two Of
yez listen to NEEDN'T spile any
more good clothes wid yer mu
tual foolishniss, but go to loIse-
kapin' like siusible couple an
save the good duds to wear.
Kate! shouted Eastman, strid-
ing forward, fercely But Kate,
with IA totally unsuspected agii-
ity, turned and fed leaving the
couple to reinstate their lost dig
nifty as best they could.
Suddenly, Eastman wheeled to-
ward Margaret, to meet wither-
ing scorn.
But he found that she also had
collapsed on the ground, her
shoulders shaking; not with
laughter, however. but with a
passion of sobs.
Now l understand, she choked.
Now | see what a poor little f--f-f
fool you've made of me! All
those clothes you bought your
self; and you made up a story
about those o-o-o-other mem
O-o-o-o-
Eastman's rage vanished. He
made haste to rescue Miss Gra-
hams sense of Importance, also.
Margaret, he cried, recklessly,
throwing himself on the turf be-
side her, don't you understand?
don't you see
I see I have been living on CHI