Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-22

molasses creeping across the kitchen
floor. Young man and maiden had
somehow lodged each other for four |
whole weeks when Fate woke up.
Then came a morning when the chick.
ems and ducks said 1t was going to
rain. They beat the weather bureau
at that sort OF business. Mr.. Sinclair
decided o to go cunning and fish
Ing but to try his hand at a toy wheel.
barrow for his little niece. and Miss
Vernon decided TO sit on the porch
with a rain coat on and watch for the
automobilist.
Noon and no rain yet! The wheel.
barrow wouldn't wheel. The uutoist
the only n that came a~long-was
al old curmudgeon who was In q
hurry to get somewhere, and he never
looked mt the girl on the porch and
there was no explosion.
Two o'clock and no rain! Mr.. Jack
yawned and swore. and Miss Kitty
yawned and didn't swear.
Three o'clock-four O'Clock! Same
overcast sky-same clucking hens and
quacking ducks. but the first drop OF
rain had yet to fall.
Hang 1t, but this Is the very best
sort OF snipe weather." exclaimed
Mr.. Jack as he shoulderod his gun
and set out.
"I've got a letter to mall, and III
canter to the village and back" said
Miss Kitty as she ordered tho man
TO saddle the pony.
Fate al planning. A snipe or
some other %bird-one Is not over par
Jack q two.mile chase. II did 30 by
offering him about fifty fair shots. and
Of course every one Of them was a
miss. lie had Just aimed for his
fifty.first miss when Il drop OF rain
hit him on the nose and the long.de-
ferred downfall began to get busy.
The old Parsons house was the near.
est shelter. and he made for It.
The pony was galloped into the vii
lage and the letter mailed. and she
headed for home. Half a mile from
the Parsons house. and just az it be-
gan to rain. the pony caught sight OF
a log beside the road no had passed
a hundred times and SHE'D at 1t. Out
OF the saddle wcnt Miss Kitty. and
away for home galloped the pony. No
bones broken and no skulls fractured.
but no one can take n flop OF the sort
without Il few bumps and being muss'
ed up more or less.
The rain was making pOrridge OF
the dust when the unseated and very
angry maid started for the old
house.
Mr.. Sinclair had reached the house
fifteen minutes ahead Of the girl. and
had taken a seat on the rotting floor
OF what had been the parlor. Five
minutes before her arrival he had
heard a queer sound upstairs, but sew
eral Of the stair steps were gOne and
he could not have Investigated II he
had wished. lie heard rather than
saw Miss Kitty timOrously enter the
hall, and he could not make out what
vas going on.
A growing from upstairs--a patter.
Ing across the fiOOr-a bumpety.
bump! Ghosts for NO! The real
thing and no discount!
Miss Kitty screamed out and fell
uO"H u iIoht bl'ph' WAL
exclaimed, THE devil" and also
made for out Of Doors lie saw some.
thing flying towards the highway and
he up with his gun n fired. lie
missed, of course. but there was q
scream and the something fell down.
and the huddle was under his feet
before he made ont that II was q girl
In rain wet and clinPing garments.
'Oh. Mr., Ghost" from the bundle.
"Who Is It! What is IT,"
"Sir, how dare YOU"
you hid there on purpOse!"
And you came on purpose!"
There was q moments silence, and
then both laughed heartily and even
In the pouring rain explanations were
entered into.
But there was surely a ghost up
stairs" protested the girl.
And ! will come here tomorrow
and rOut 1t out"
Hand In hand, through rain and
mud and darkness, Mr.. Sinclair final
ly delivered his charge into her sis.
ter's care and then went his further
way.
Now, then, Miss Kitty. you have
had an adventure" accused her sis
ter.
81 have"
And | demand to
"Oh, you needn't. Z have been
bucked of by the pony, rolled In the
mud, rained on, visited a haunted
house, heard a ghost and met the man
-. A.. Thut'u allib