The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-08-27

HAD NOT FOR a MOMENT LOST
SIGHT or SMITH.
Consequently Young esntleman's
Hopes Of ouIet Day IN the House
Of Hla Aunt Were BY No
Means Realized.

Something untowaId always hap.
pened when Smiths aunt commanded
his presence. On the occasion Of his
last visit he recalled that the cook had
appeared In the middle OF the evening
incontinently drunk and he had risen
from the foot Of the porch flight down
which they had together fondly rolled
rufiied and dazed Thea there was
the trouble with the water tenk when
It had burst during dinner and sent
miniature Niagara roaring down tho
attic stairs. And Smith was by way
Of being nervous man and such
things got on his nerves.
So that when he opened the usual
curt invitation. really a royal conn
mand to spend the nigh weekend in
the country with his rich aunt, he
made a wry face and began to worry
But he knew that he must go-there
was no way ont OF 1.-THE aunt was
RIB, and he was the heir apparent
Sunday was a quiet day with sore
Of the neighbors in to dinner. And
even this usually funereal occasion
was lightened by the presence OF q
chap who had just returned from a trip
10 Korea and was willing TO talk
about it.
II WAS about two o'clock the next
morning. Smith was dreaming Of q
perfect drive off the sixth tee when
there came a knocking at his door. His
aunt was without and would hold con
verse with him.
He had congratulated himself when
he went to bed that on this visit moth
ing unhappy was to happen. But as
he stumbled into his perverse blanket
robe he wondered what it might be
and decided that the cook had returned
to the bottle.
SO that he was not prepared for the
seriousness Of the problem. ITS burg
lars" said his aunt, with conviction
Don't You hear them?'
He listened and was bound to admi
that there was a noise below Stair
that sounded amazingly as II some
one was walking stealthily about ii
the dining room. They could even hea
something like the discreet click 0
silver mufIled, as II from the depths Q
a concealing bag.
Against his desire not to becom
convinced he made sure that ther
was actually men in the house. Wha
to do?
, Knowing well that she had no fire
arms, he asked, bravely: Have yo
got gun, Aunt Lavina?" (Yes. tha
was her name) Mercy on us, no!
: said she. But I've got burglar alarm
z It's one Of these protective things the
} when you ring It a man comes"
+ From which we deduce that AuI
! Layinia was a bit incoherent frol
+ fright.
I Its on the wall there along h
= hall You pull down the little Gran
and let go"
Smith crept along the hall, stalkin
4 the burglar alarm. He found 1t an
a pulled down the crank and 'let go
J. not once, but many times. Then, vii
e the consciousness of having risen
the occasion and done the right thir
o at the right moment, he chatted WI
:. his aunt in whispers. With an idea
a delivering her mind from those pc
l. sistent noises below he launched in
a an account teeming with detail of
s. yachting party of which he was on
o a member.
e Then suddenly the doorbell ran
e The suspense was over now, and
e. had been brave. Surely there wou
n, be an extra $4,000 in the will I
ID that. He could go blithely to the do,
le sure that the burglars would not han
-e him now that they realized help "
IS coming from outside.
" With a sweep he threw the dc
re open, expecting to see q squad
at burly men standing on the step.
looked into black darkness.
,d But from the level of his knees
n heard voice say; Say mister,
al youse ring for messenger?"-Ph
e delphia Public Ledger.