The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-04-26
FOREWARNED NOT
ALWAYS FOREARMED
[Original.-

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by shorter one-he left me his house.
in which he had lived alone since the
death Of his Wife. Unfortunately had
no wife to help me make home in it,
but | concluded to occupy it alone till
| could sell it. | occupied my uncles
! bedroom and was so much annoyed at
naughty boys shouting up the speaking
/ tE1e-clOse by the bed-that | thought
Ct having it taken out | gave up the
! G,>a 0n account Of the expense | lived
hone III this way a month, when
sYeH' tired of my solitude and resolved
Ia ient the place
S:1oI:g those who called to inspect
tie premises were two young ladies,
! j.5S Acton and her cousin, Miss Dut-
| 81. Miss Acton wished to rent the
.louse for herself and her mother, while
Miss Dutton was to live with them
Mss Acton was q tall, rather elderly
girl. with masculine voice, Miss Dut-
ton fair haired little thing with blue
eyes and soft voice that | have OBJ
served usually goes with these femi-
nine blends. | showed them over the
house, with which Miss Acton seemed
to be pleased and when they went
away she asked me not to rent it till
the next day, when she would call
again.
The next morning, feeling indisposed
after breakfast, | took my paper and
threw myself ON the bed. There was a
ring at the doorbell, and I was about to
go down to see who was there when l
beard the words, "I'll bet a pound Of
candy l catch him within two months"
The voice was Miss Acton's. | would
have known it among a hundred. l
waited to hear more. Something more
was spoken, but in Miss buttons softer
voice, and she doubtless stood with her
back to the tube. AT any rate couldn't
hear it. | kept them waiting as long
as / dared, then went down and adj
mitted them.
Miss Acton told me that she had de-
cided to take the house provided l
would reduce the rent, keeping for my
own use any room | might select. This
proposition, taken with what l had
heard through the tube, interested me.
/ told the lady | would think the mat
ter over and advise her
/ made up my mind that the young
lady had taken a fancy to me and had
proposed to keep me in the house CD
purpose to win me- Had the remark
come from her cousin l might have
been tempted to fall an easy prey to
her arts. AS it was | was simply in
terested in showing the girl that l was
wrote her note accepting her propo-
sition.
In due time Miss Acton, her mother
and her cousin moved into the house.
/ keeping my bedroom. The speaking
tube which l had considered an an
noyance now looked upon as a means
of defense against designing women.
II they would only tell their secrets on
my front stoop / should be always
warned Miss Acton soon commenced
her wiles. greatly preferred her cOus-
in on account of her native modesty
and would have shown her attention,
but she wouldn't permit it. l was the
more drawn to her, since it was evil
dent she was too honorable to interfere
with Miss Acton. | confess it was
rather diverting to chime in with Miss
Actions intentions toward me. l
amused myself one day pretending to
be very pliable, the next displaying in
difference She was very forgiving and
seemed quite content that my love-
making progressed In the main. One
thing | resolved upOn-I would not
write her any loving words, nor would
I speak them where / could be over
heard. When, at the end of the farce,
she was defeated in her game, she
could not at least injure me.
/ took her out occasionally in sthe
evening, but always behaved myself
discreetly. One evening when my ten
ants had occupied my house two
months lacking one day Miss Acton
told me that she had been given two
tickets to the theater and asked if |
would be her escort. l consented, and
we saw an attractive play wherein two
desperate firts were in constant con-
tention. The result was that went
home quite bewitched with the part I
was playing and ready to go to any
lengths with my companion. When we
reached the door she would not enter
till / had replied to an indirect ques-
ton, the only answer to which was a
denial or declaration of love- / lost
my head and not only told her that
loved her devotedly, but looked for
ward to the day when / could claim
her as my own.
A giggle came through the speaking
tube.
/ do not own the house Uncle Doctor
left me any more. It. is owned by
Miss Acton. The night made my
spurious proposal her cousin was wait
ing in my room with her ear at the
speaking tube and heard it, At the
suit for breach of promise she did not
pretend that she had seen me when
proposed marriage, but swore that