Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1910-01-07

the drawing room Alas! for my
resolution.
/ Happening to pass the door-quite
5 by accident, OF course-Is heard a
i sound as of some one choking with
In. Mary Ill, perhaps. thought to
! myself, and at once opened the door
! Yes, there she was, sitting on the
sofa with her head buried in the
cushions, sobbing as IL her heart
would break.
What Is the matter, Mary, my
dear?" exclaimed, drying her eyes
! with her own duster es spoke.
"Oh! go away-go-a aw-a-a-y,"
she sobbed
"No, no; tell me what is the mat
ter-what are you crying for?"
said l.
ooh! Mister Jubber, l-o-o-ve you
500. and you're $3.50 cruel!" she
replied. sobbing away louder than
ever.
Well, here was pretty go. OF
coAse, / made fool Of myself, and
stCe I loved her In return, and all
the rest of II, II only to keep her
quiet.
And you will be k-kind to me.
and let me help You clean the
, pp-plate. as YOU rromised?" said
she
'Oh. yes, Of course / will, Mary,
my dear" I replied. sealing the
promise with Z kiss. and now he
Off. and I'll finish your dustlpg for
you"
Well. busted away at the china
ornaments, thinking all the while
what fool | had made of myself,
and was about to leave the room,
when by the sofa on which I had
found Mary reclining. | caught sight
of Il cruInpled piece of paper. 1t was
letter, and as it commenced Dear
Poll" I guessed al once who it be-
lonsed to. SO l pocketed 1t. mean
ing 10 hand 1t to Mary when | next
saw her alone.
Now, | am not an inquisitiSe man.
as rule, but before I got to my pan
try I conid no more resist reading
that letter than moth could avoid
going at q candle. This Is what it
said
Dear Poll Hasn't that there old
Spoouey let YOU have a sight of the
plate yet? Get to SEQ II immediate,
as BIZ ana ne want TO do the crack
next week, and Oliver's tthe writer
alluded IN his slang, TO the moon)
hold OF the old girls diamonds, you
can do EN- up ready for us at the
same time. Further pertikiers on
hearing from YOU.
The kids is all we'll and so am l,
and | remain, yours afrectionate,
Joseph Maggs,
r. Sis there a Barker on the
premises?
II dida't want much acumen to
understand this precious epistie. 1t
was as plain as day that the party
who wrote it meant carrying of my
mistresses' plate, and that the newly
found treasure t?), Mary Blake, was
In with the thieves.
The next thing to he done, thinks
! 10 myself, IL 10 sec whether "Ctd
Sroouey" can't get the best OF Mr..
Joseph Maggs. With that in view,
after making d copy OF the letter, my
first act was to go and replace it ex-
actly whore folna 1t. And it was
lucky l did, as ii happened, for just
as I came out Miss Mary Blake
bounced in. She came to look for her
duster, she said. aud it was quite re-
freshing to note the dash she made
for the letter the moment she saw 1t.
OF course, ] pretended not to notice
that part of the performa
Apparently much relieved In her
mind. she now turned her attention
to me.
'ls my dear old Johnny-you are
my johnny now, aren't you going
TO show me his pretty plate, as ne
promised to-day" SAYS the artfnl lit
tie mink. looking up into my face
with those grea; blue, innocent-loak-
ing eyes OF hers, and putting up her
face for q kiss. which hadn't tho
fatntest objection to giving.
"Of course, will, my dear" l
replied. Come to MY pantry about
1870. and III show you the lot.
Dear old thing" exclaimed she.
"I'll come. never fear"
At the time appointed she duly
made her appearance in the pantry,
when ont came the plate for her edt-
fication. There was 4 tremendous
lot, and | showed her every bit of it.
Directly after luncheon, finding
that several things were wanted for
the house from town. | volunteered
to go myself and see about them.
Now Mr.. benjamin Bagshaw, who
was An inspector of police at that
time fyou recollect he retired last
year?l was a particular friend OF
mine. So straight to Ren's house I
vent.
John, my boy said Ben, when
had told him my story, and showed
him the copy OF the letter to Mary
Rlake, give us your fipper." Ben
was always bit slangy when ex-