Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1910-11-24
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.KTE
The Skeleton in His Closet
By STACY E. BAKER
Copyright. 1910. BY Associated Literary Press

nor did Jarvis try to explain away the
misunderstanding.
Gradually the gossips In the little
town-and there were many-grew &C
customed to the new order Of things,
and everybody ceased to interest
themselves in the affairs Of the young
couple.
Il was q month after this that old
Polllt Che was a portly butcher, own
ing the meat shop next to the drug
emporium) ventured to incorporate
something of a remark that caught
the youths puzzled interest
what was that?" demanded Jarvis,
ears metaphorically a-cock. "Just re.
peat that last sentence"
81 said" came from the. butcher.
that that there book I've been read
ing-Dr. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde'-re'
minds me of your doings." He poked
pudgy forefinger playfully into the
ribs Of the youth.
You'll have to be more explicit"
snapped the drug clerk. II can't un.
derstand. What are you driving att"
Cant understand, eh?" commented
the other. sourly. He was angry at
the tone of the lad. well, guess
l can put 1t palmer. all right. I mean
that you tried to play double just like
that Jekyll-Hyde Teller did. Every
evening after you called on the girl
you was engaged to. you went straight
to the house Of old Doc. Blyly to see
his daughter. Ny wife she seen you
do 1t time and again. she did"
The dull red stained the face Of the
angry butcher. she's the one that
put a crimp in you, too. Ethel Muir
ray is too fine girl to be galavanting
around with young fellow that she
thinks thinks a heap Of her, and all
the while he don't, but is making her
out fool by sneaIing away from her
house to call on another girl"
$50 It was your wife that caused
this trouble between Ethel and me,
was It? Pity she can't learn to attend
to her own affairs, isn't it?"
The butcher, his mind relieved.
stamped heavily out of the drug store.
but he left a knowing youth behind
him. Mrs. Pollit was a gossip monger
Of some notorlety In the community.
She resided Just opposite the Blyly
home, and now that the tate meat
man had given him his cue. Jarvis
could understand many things.
That evening, his heavy jaws set
firmly and his broad shoulders thrown
deflantly back, the drug clerk mount
ed the steps to the Murray home and
rang the bell.
Ethel answered the summons. An
angry flush dotted her cheeks when
she saw who her visitor. was, but EN-
ory ignored these trouble signs, and
pushed by her and into the familiar
parlOr.
IT am here to explain" began Jar
Wis. MRS. Pollet's loquacious hus.
band has just told things, and
think understand"
81 don't care for explanation" In
terrupted little Miss Murray formally.
Nevertheless, persisted Jarvis. pa
tiently, you are about to receive
them. Listen, dear, have never
called ON Mile Blyly in my life-let
alone after left here. When you re.
ferred to the skeleton in my closet-I
took the phrase literally. There Is q
skeleton in my closet-a six-foot skel'
eton Of a man that DR.. Blyly loaned
me to aid me IN my studies. because
well, I'm studying medicine with him.
YOU see. I don't want TO be a drug
clerk all my life. +"
i But here his late fancee. face
asmIle, interrupted his sentence In q
very pleasing way.