Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-19
CHAPTER x.
An Ambuseads.

cIau'e CO0CeptlOn OF the CLINTON
Boarding-House. to home of jollity,
was not warranted by its real atmos.
phere. Since there were not many
Inhabitants Of Littleburg detached
from housekeeping. Miss Sapphire
Clinton depended for the most part
on "transients:" and, to hold such In
subsection, preventing them from in
dulging in that noisy gaiety to which
itransients" are naturally inclined
Just because they are transitory-the
elderly spinster had developed an alb
normal solemnity.
This soiemnity was not only bened-
dial to drummer" and court men,
scutely conscious of being away from
home, but it helped her brother Bob.
Before the charms Of Grace Noir had
penetrated his thick skin. the popular
Littleburg merchant was as unman.
ageable as the worst. Before he grew
accustomed to fall into semi-coma-
tose condition at the approach of
Grace Noir, and, therefore, before his
famous attempt to get religion" the
bachelor merchant often swore-not
from aroused wrath. but from his Pc
Iculiar sense OF humor. In those Anti.
Grace and heather days, Bob, sitting
on the long veranda Of the green
frame building. one leg swinging over
the other knee, would say, Eyes. -
it," or, mo. it," as the case might
be. It was then that the reproving
protest OF his sisters face would Jelly
in the fat folds Of her double chin,
helping, somewhat, to cover profanity
with = prudent veil.
Miss Sapphire liked joke-or at
least she thought so-as we'll as any.
body; but like too-humorous author,
she found that to be as funny as pos
sible was bad for business. The "trav.
cling men were bad enough, needing
to be reminded Of their wives. whom
! they'd left 1t home. and, she'd $be
bound. had forgotten. But when one
man. whether a traveller or not-even
a staid young teacher like Abbott Ash.
ton. for tnstance-a young man who
was almost like . son to her-when he
secluded himself In the nighttime
by himself? with another male2 oh,
dear, no!-with Fran. for. example
what wa the world coming to?
There hey stood" she told Bob.
e'the two OF them, all alone on the
foot-bridge. and 1t was after nine
o'clock. II hadn't been in hurry
to get home 10 sec that roomezs didn't
set the house aflre, not a soul would
have seen the two colloguing."
And 1t don't seem to. have done
you any good" remarked her brother,
who, having heard tho tale twenty
times, began to look upon the event
almost as matter Of course. You'd
better not have saw them"-at an
early age Bob had cut of his educa-
ton, and 1t had stopped growing at
that very place. Perhaps he had been
elected president Of the school board
on tho principle that we best appre-
ciate what does not belong to US.
my homo has been Abbott's home"
said Miss Sapphira, since the death
OF his last living relation, and her a
step, and It . mercy. for nobody could
get along with her, and she wouldn't
let people leave her alone. You know
how fond l. am OF Abbott, but your
position is very responsible. You
could get rid Of him by lifting your
finger, and people are making lots Of
talk; it's going to injure you. People
don't want to send their tender young
innocent girls-theyre mighty hard.
ened and knowing set, nowadays,
though, must say-to superinten-
dent that stands on bridges of nights
holding hands, and her q young slip
of thing. His a-standing on that
bridge"
"He amt stood there ~ often as
I've been worried to death a-hear1ng
of 1t, growled the ungrateful Bob, who
was immensely fond Of Abbott.
Miss Sapphire spoke with amazingly
significant double mods between each
word-"And I saw
only four days
/. ago."
She pointed at the schoolhouse,
which .was almost directly across the
street, its stone steps facing the long
veranda. "They were the last to come
out Of that door. You may say she's
q nero child Mere children are not
In Miss Bulls classes"
"But Abbott says the girl is far
advanced"
Ear advanced! You may we'll say!
I'll be bound she is-and carrying on
with Abbott on the very school-house
steps, Yes, venture she IL advanced.
You make me ashamed to hear you"
Bob. tugged 1T his straw-colored
mustache: he would not swear. for
whatever happened, he was resolved
to lead the spiritual life. "See here,
Sapphtn, I'm going to tell you some
thing. had quite talk with Abbott
sbout that bridge-business-after
you'dspread 1t all over town, sis-and
IL you'll believe me, she waylaid him
on those schoolsteps. He didn't went
TO talk TO her. Why. he left her stand.
dng there. She made him mad. find.
ing fault. With the very folks that have
taken her up. He's Disguised. That
night at the camp-meeting. he had TO
take her out Of the tent-he was asked
to do n"
He didn't have to stand. a,holding
her hand"
And AZ soon as he'd shown her
the way to Brother Gregory's, he came
on badks to the tent. saw him In the
aisle. ~ ~, ~
.And, she whistied+ atsme,s osied lfise
sapphirs1'the limb!"
Nov. Asten. sepphtra. and unit