The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-01-31
The ArtfuIneSS of
Jeremiah, Jr.

fresh face and lnSlnuatlng smile, I'M
parted the information that her sisters
Youngest was took bad Remember
ing her recent attack of la grippe, in
which Mary had figured as minister
ing angel, second 1oor-side said most
heartily, "And you want to go to your
sister: go right along. l shall be in
until evening service, and can answer
the bell just as we'll as not"
ooh, thank you, Miss" declared the
grateful Mary. ''You see, Miss, she
won't be home till nine O'Clock; would
two hours be too long, Miss?"
mo, indeed, stay three or four. Are
many of the people IMP"
mo, Miss, they'll not be many rings,
unless, its the top floor front, them
girls is always forgetting their keys,
they're that light-headed; the alcove is
way over Sunday; the second floor
front is out on case; only the second
foor-back is in." (There was a little
pickering of eyebrows at this, but
Mary did not notice.. "Not forgetting
the top-foor-back, the night reporter,
Miss, but he sleeps It'll five. And it
you'd not mention it to her, Miss, l
think she'd not be liking me to leave
the house,
MARY was assured that not for worlds
would Mrs. Brown be Informed, and
Mary departed basementwards. 'Tll
see that the fires is all right, Miss, were
her last words, and her smile now in
the shadow of the stairway was broad
and beaming for one so harraSSed by
sudden and serious family illness.
Second floor back could not avoid
hearing this conversation. One of his
windows was up; evidently his neigh
Eor window tSn Hp had
Just come in from dinner and was in
the act of removing his coat. What
could cause his sudden indeciSion, also
that pleased chuckle,- the queer panto-
mime and that crafty look, that seemed
so i'll suited to such an open, honest
face? In word. second floor back had
been for weeks making the most diplo-
matte efforts to get upon speaking
teams with his shy but interesting
neighbor, with results, why, the usual
results where really nice girl is con-
cerned. Here was the opportunity of a
lifetime. Only an idiot would allow it
to pass by. He posted himself at the
window until he saw Mary's ample
form disappear through the alley gate.
Then he put on his hat and went down
stairs.
Second floor,side, deep in avery"
heard the front door bang. Thank
goodness" she said. Her relief was
short-lived, for in exactly ten minutes
there was another bang, masculine
mounting of stairs, and next an osten-
tatious rafting of newspaper f1oated
through the open windows. "Been buy
ing a paper" she thought. She was
Just beginning the last fascinating chap
ter when there came the warning click
from a radiator, not hers, for like near
ly all side rooms, this was sufficiently
heated from the hall
ooh, Pm afraid Mary forgot the
steamn'
As if in affirmative came another and
a sharper click, then the regular ''chug-
chug" of expanding iron.
'Oh dear, Tm sure she hasi'
"Chug. chug, chug" came the answer,
now loud enough to be located. 1t came
from the second fioor-b back.
And it's almost like summer, today,
not the slightest need of fre!'
''Chug-chug, snap came in eorro-
boration. The housekeeper, pro TEN,
opened her door softly, and listened
From behind closed doors came the
same alarming sound, several of them,
only more muffled. ''That poor night
reporter" she walled, why did l tell
Mary she could stay SO long?"
'Chug-er-ty -chug-chug." That mis-
cradle radiator in the next room SEEM
ed in demoniac possession. She could
hear the occupant adjusting the valve.
Il hope he's good and mad" She
might have meant the radiator.
"Chug- chug, snap" And now came
the accompanying hiss of steam from
somewhere. Remembering an occasion
nf he 1T Of RVS
decessor, which resulted in soppy ca
pets and a ruined ceiling, to say moth
ing of said predecessors dismissal,
second loOr-Side became desperate and
started pell nell for the basement
When she opened the door of the
boiler-room a cloud of steam sent her
flying backward with all possible haste
The little room was nearly white with
steam, which issued sputteringly from
the very dangerous looking wheels, and
away ap in a maze of pipes near the
ceiling a valve was whstling merrily.
There was steam enough to heat
good sized hotel, but of this she was
ignorant, as ignorant as she was of the
various wheels and rods. "Oh, if it
were only furnace she moaned, her
eyes fairly bullying at the Kissing, spit
ting monster, which seemed like some
living creature ready for instant de-
struction of itself, of Mrs. Browns
domicile, of the entire block. She hesi-t
tated but a moment, then shutting the
door, she sped up three flights of
stairs, straight to the door of second
floor back and knocked smartly. She
was breathless, frightened and rosy, a
fact which did not escape the observa-
ton of second floor-back, who opened
his door with face of Sabbatic calm.
81 beg your pardon, but will you
come quickly" she said, something is
the matter with the steam"
Every unlike the Miss Prm who
passes me in the hall with such frigid
little nods," is what he wanted to say
as he followed her downstairs. What
he did say was, 81 should think SO, by
the racket going on" then, very inno-
Gently, "Where's the management"
Il, am keeping house, you see, and
| don't know the slightest thing about
steam: Mary was to fix the fires all
right before she left,'' was the troubled
explanation. "There!'' they were pass
ing the big radiator of the lower hall, it
seemed about bursting with concen-
trated energy. 'Oh, do you think it
will blow up?" Unconsciously she
drew nearer.
Second-foor- backs smile was wicked,