The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-19
MAN WANTED


f, ishins the prospect. Puck. our
| dog"
/ Your dog, my dear" caid the old
| lady And very worthless animal.
Puck" repeated Ethel. looking IN
the direction OF the tat terrier caught
"A rat in the back yard this evening. /
called him into, the house. ana h.
rushed hy me and brought the rat up-
stairs Ia show IL To us. lie was so
proud Of IL, poor fellow"
dropped il almost AT my feet" cX-
claimed the old lady, with "a shudder
OF disgust. The beast"
And the rat ran under the table
the girl continued. And wnen Puck
tried to seize him again the rat hit
him. and the poor ming cried Just
ureadfuly,'
Tho coward" observed the old
lady. in sepuichral Voice.
And that's all" said the girl, "eN-
cept that we didn't dare wake our
cock, because she has an aversion To
rats compared with which ours is a
positive affection, and there is no man
IN the house. so after waiting a
couple OF hours for Puck to finish
MIN. ] appealed to YOU
Up to this time MoHlton had dane
little OF the talking. Now he took a
hand. lie expressed his pleasure in
being able to assist two ladies In sucn
an emergency, and he spoke with a
tiuency and feeling that surprised him
self. Then he seized a brass poker
from a little stand near the fireplace
and advanced upon the enemy.
The poker was uplifted but did not
descend on any scampering rodent
Moultou's look of feroeity gradually
changed ~ one Of perplexfty.
81 IA Frgid that he's - tIh n 4
deiectedly.
Gone walled Miss Ethel. in al-
cents of hearthreak,
Gone" repeated Ethers rrandfN>
with n severity indicating that In this
case Moulton was somehow to blama.
"He certainly is not under tho
table" Moui,on replied firmly. 'I'u
take II look about the room. lie may
he hiding In some corner"
a careful search, however. revealed
no traces of the intruder. lie Is not
in this room" tho older ~ said
tragieally. Where rs hn. then? Am
| never again to know any peace IN
my own house. a.
81 know | shan't close my eyes
tonight" Ethel said with the calm
ness of despair.
Moulton protested against this eX-
trcme view. He thought II would
not be Il hard matter to get rid OF
the rat. You want to set a trap
and
Bat that's the trouble, Ethel in
terposed IF We should ask Lucinda
TO set a trap I'm sure she'd give warn
ing Immediately.
Perhaps" began Ethers grand
mother. surveying Mealton with in
terpst. since Mr.-~er-Moulton has
been so kind he would put Us under
further Obligation
I'm sure, grandma. protested
Ethel. bluShing diVinely. that we haVa
imposed on MIR. Aouiton sufficiently
/ Naturally, Moulton took the op-
posite view. lie was to call the next
evening. bringing u trap so disguised
! as To furnish no cue TO the wary eye
of the tinfid domestic. He was also
/ 10 bring the cheese. He left at "a late
/ hour in Ii beatiHe mood.
| After an evening spent in setting
the trap and making advances in the
favor OF Ethel and her grandmother
| Monitor spent SEVERAL Iistless daye
Then one morning the servant walked
him with the Information that he was
| wanted at the telephone. Moulton slip
1 ped bathrob. over his pa jamas and
went to answer the summons
Hello Hello Is this Mr. Mention .
An ccstatic gasp was her only an
/ sWer. but II seemed enough. "oh
/ MIR Moulton," she burst out. lies
caught"
rs IL possible? ] congratulate you'
''Yes-~-but won't yon come and heir
what to us? Now we've got him ",
don't know what tn do with him.
'f'll come Immediately, that is JUS
as soon as III be there very soon
Not too soon, Mr. Mouton
haven't mean Cont want to hurrS
you"
The rate was speedily dispatched
and Moulton remained to breakfast
When an eligible man eats brcakfas
with a charming girl the rest is mere
Formally. And these, two Young PEG
pie reached an understanding il
record time.
But Mouiton was not allowed I,
forget To what he owed his happi
nesA When he asked Ethel's grand
mother FOR her hand The old lady re
piled with customary frankness:
Ethel Is really too Young and sin,
for marriage" she said. And i'V
always had prejudice against west
errers. At the same time, am goini
10 give my consent. Ever since tina
rat episode I've felt that we needed
man In the house"
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