The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-17

| guess twas nothin' but Tempy's imagi
nation. as usual She
The words died on her lips. There
came a sound from the kitchen-they
all heard it-a rafting sound and tbs
faint squeak of q door.
Bradley sprang to the coal bod and
picked up the poker. 1t was the only
apology for a weapon in sight He
started for the kitchen. but Miss Prissy
seized him by the jacket and Miss
Tempy threw both arms around his
neck.
Don't you stir, Bradley Nickerson. $
whispered the older sister. Don't you
stir step. S'pose he had revolver"
Bradley tried to free himself. but it
was hard work. He unclasped Miss
Tempy's arms from his neck, but she
Immediately seized him around the
waist 1t was a ridiculous situation.
and suddenly he became aware of a
cold wind blowing from the direction
of the front hall
rs that front door open?" he whis-
pered.
The Mortified sisters turned to stare
at the black tunnel of the hall. and
coming up the steps. Clara's voice be-
came audible. She was speaking in
agonized whispers.
Who began Bradley.
Clara appeared, clinging to the arm
of Captain Fri Hedge. Captain Fri
looked puzzled, but he grinned when
he saw the tableau in the dining room.
He told the story the next morning
to his messmates. Captain Perez and
Captain Jerry, about as follows:
"You see. I'd been up to lodge meet
In and stayed little longer'n usual.
I was comm home by the short cut,
and Jest as / got abreast the old maids
house the front door bust open. and
somethin' comes prancin' down tpe
walk fiutterin' and fiappin' its arms
like hen tryin' to fly. Thinks I.
Has that speritu'list camp meetin' I
went to last summer struck in?'
'But the critter swooped oat q tn
gate and bore down on me like nawk
ON June bug. Then 1 see twas Clara
Hopkins. scarf pretty nigh to death.
ooh, Cap'n Eriv says she. oh,
Cap'n Eri!
The same says I. what's the
ROW.
'Burglarsr says she. maxim fast
to my arm. 'Burglarsr
81 had to laugh. 1 couldn't help it.
Burglars ut 10 o'clockY 1 says. Did
they come to supper?
But they're there" she says. 'Ev-
heard 'em, Bradley and ALL
II couldn't b'lieve twas burglars
even then, but knew if Brad Nicker- +
up. And the poor girl was tremblin'
like Peleg Myrick's pup.
"'All right, Clara says 1. Let's so |
In and shake hands with EN-
$50 in we went. When we struck I
The dinin' room there was Brad in the t
middle of the floor lookin' pretty toler'
BILE foolish, with Prissy moored to his
coattails and Tempy with Glove
hitch round his waist. All hands look
ed s'prised to see me, but no more n l
was to see them. What is this?' says
I. Living statues?
"Brad, he kind Of grinned. Well
says he, the ladies thought they heard
some one in the kitchen, but 1 guess
Thought we heard emf busts out
Prissy. why, you heard 'em your
;elfv
"And now Brad, he held up his
lands, poker and ALL All right, all
.ight!' says he Now that were re-
enforced maybe we'd better go out and
Interview 'em. They might die of old
lge if we stay here much longer
$50 he winked to me and the feet
lot under way. Me and Brad led off,
Ike couple of tugs, and the women
olks strung out behind, like coal
,arges, holdin' on to each others
wrappers and breathin' hard.
I'VE opened the kitchen door and
allied in-that is, Brad and did. The
oal barges got in a lump, SOS to speak,
q the doorway and stayed there.
here was lamp burnin' side of a
an Of dough on the table, but, jest as
expected, we was the only humans in
light.
ired Of waitin' for us and got mad
nd gone home says L. Don't know
THAT they broke into the kitchen for,
nyhow. I've heard Of feller's steal /,
n redhot stove, but
"Brad looked puzzled, sort of. Il :
artinly heard something movin' out {
ere he says. Most likely twas a /,
tray cat, and it's hidin' around some |
7heres.' 7
"But jest then comes a whistle-a ,
4ueal, I mean-from the barges.
empy's headlights were poppin' out ]
her head, and she was pintin' a $
aaky finger at the floor. There was t
ig muddy footprints all over 1t. r
well, l own up was set back two or s
lree rows. Somebody had been there, 4,
lat was sartin. I've seen cats with +
ouhle paws, but no cats made them {
rintS.
IS 'Humphr says I, and Brad agreed h
18th me- 6
81 was standin' right in front Of the
Dor of the closet where the old maids 4
ept their pots. and pans. And jest .
len inside that closet bust out the
ost outrageous racket ever you 8
card. Biffity, bang, thumpi And s
ZEN a coughin' and sneeZin' like forty r.
lcks of thunder crackers. =
in. ri,.,r- 1Ir-