The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-06

, But inasmuch as there was woman
ihS the case with me, ! remained un-
| da,inted, and, much to my horror. The
picture was knocked down to me for
1850
But no tfrilof victory went through
me on hearing the glad news. On the
contrary, yng,ic terror seized me, ana
my palsled knec-caps cracked together
Ike castanets. At an auction 1t all hap I
pens 80 quick that the whole business IS
over before YOU have time to eaeriehce
any sensation save that of remorse.
When fully realized the elephant that
was on my hands namely horror clutch
cd me III It's benumbing grasp. knew
that l would have the COMMANDMENTS
Chief surprised all right-n fnct, fcro-
cIousiy astonished. but the hour Of my
repentance came too late,
Feeling like a man who had murdered
his grandmother and knew that tho glib
bet surely awaited him. negotiated for
the hire Of q dray. The picture, by the
way, was one Of those ample canvases
that can only be t,,inrtered IN structure
especially built to contain them. on the
contrary, our ho,isc Is about the same
dimensions as a good ninety cent Noah's
ark.
A distinct feeling Of relief came over
me when finally saw the dray disap-
was my sense OF complacency at the
thought that ! would not be at home
to share the Queen Bees surprise with
her
But neither complacency nor relief
were destined long to hold sway, for
three quarters OF an hour later the dray
drove up TO my office and In 1t reap
pcarcd the giant picture.
With heart as heavy as a chunk Of
-. r 4, {o1,, - an nyio
"Cap'n, said he with a grin as he mopped
from his bronze brow great beads OF
Precipitation which betokened a mighty
struggle but recently over, de lady gay
dis yah thing rioan long on 4 her place.
and dat no SIGH withdrawing Is a-gwine
cum on her premises. 81 When 7 'sppstu--
late wif her and tole her youse bought
II on account OF de packet boats. she
say IL you flung way 70 money on sich
painted canal and git yourself drownded."
After gazing sadly on the dust be-
grirned Bridge OF Signs and the arid
waterways and after holding brief
council OF war with nyself-1 kne " now
that there was to be war-1 commanded
the jehu to go back home and get that
picture into the house II he had TO bat
ter down one side OF the walls. Real
izinK that I was ordering him to accom- I
pIish q feat beyond the power Of one
man. Il explained that L would precede
him on the car.
Oh! the bitter irony Of that title Cap
i tain the darkey had conferred on me.
What is a Captain when he stacks UP
against the COMMANDMENTS Chief But
isI knew that sooner or later, the surprise
specialist had to frickasee In the 1iery
furnace. SO bravely ! started home"a a. !.
On arriving, the first sight that met
nv gaze was the Queen Bee, and she was
buzzing like a. saw mill.
"Was It you that sent that fool mig
ger up here with that CARLOAD OF dlrt
distributed over that circus tent OF ca Y.
wasp" she queried. "a #
THE same auoth 7 most, a =, I'm
',you know; chickey,' you said that Wnat
We needed was some thing large IN stne
way. Of 4 painting, and q Just thous ~ =
| + would surprise You }l
| a .,Thought you would surprise me! did
I your, she snorted. well. you nave sue-
! ceeded to the queens taste. gu naSe
taken my breath away. am speech e
| less. ~,
enc. dear, not speeches." me kiy
| protested.
! r,,ish. "Do YOU take this house for the
Tower OF Babel? And If you were look
ing for something huge, why dian sou !.
send the City OF Venice Itself? We coulu :,
have used the town as swimming poo'
for the children
..The thing Is bit large" answered
apologetlcally; but you at least VIII con :,
cede that got a heap for my money.
Heap for your money! she Ella cuiatea !.
"a heap for your money! You don
mean to say you paid money for that
thing. do YOU? Not real money-vou
don't mean that. Confederate money.
nerhaps?"
Eyes chickey real money" softly
said; but not much; only $3.50
At this sho ma de as II to swoon; put
knew her trick--that instead OF swoon-
Ing she was only getting her monkey up,
And then. wonderful to relate, she said
nothing at all for a whole minute; nut
during this time her thinking apparatus
was going like sledge hammer. and the
bellows OF her resentment was tanning
tho forge OF her wrath into furious
fame. !
Strange to say, when she's maddest her
utteranccs are in the d!rninuendo. There
fore was not surprised when she added
In cooling tones, well. I suppose It might
he worse Looking at 1t from a cheerful
view point, believe that II You are put
! In a straight jacket and kept under the
SUPERVISION of expert alienists for a
month, your reason will return. Yes,
truly, 1t might be worse You might be
raving maniac, whereas you really do