Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-04-17

l. ~ AOOh Id
| Ladies and gentlemen" somebody
said. Ito Mr.. Thoburn's birthday be-
yond his control!"
| There was the clink Of glasses. but
had remembered what 1t had been
that I was to remember. And now 1t
was too late. I was trapped In the
pantry Of my springhouse and Mr..
Pierce was probably asleep. l
clutched my aching head and tried to
think. l was reused by hearing some
body say that Miss Jennings had no
glass. and by steps nearing the pantry.
had just time to slip the bolt
"Pantry's locked!" said q voice.
c"Drat that Minnie!" somebody said.
The girls . nuisance"
"Hush!" Miss Summers said. SHES
probably In there now-taking down
| what We say and what We eat Con-
victing N out Of our own mouths"
held my breath and the knob rat.
tied. Then they found glass for Miss
Patty and forgot the pantry.
Under cover Of the next burst Of
noises tried the pantry window, but
1t was frozen shut Nothing but q
, hammer would have loossesd It. I BE-
/ gan to dig 1t II with . whs haiypin.
but hadn't much hope.
The fun In the springhouse was get.
| ting fast and furious. Miss Summers
was leaning against the pantry soor
and judged that most Of the men In
the room were around her. a. usual.
put my ear to the panel of the door.
and could pretty nearly zee what was
going on. They were toasting Mr.. Tho
burn. and getting hungrier every min
ute a. the supper was put out on the
card tables. -
ITO the bottle!" somebody said.
I'm infancy. the milk bottle: In our
prime. the wine bottle: In our dotage.
the pill bottle"
Mr.. Won invalid came over and stood
beside Miss Summers. and could hear
every whisper.
Il have good news for you" she said
In an undertone.
"Oh! And what?"
Ssh! You may recall" she said. tho
series Of notes. letters, epistles. with
which you have been honoring me
lately!"
How could I forget? They were
written in my hearts blood"
Indeed" Her voice lifted its eye
brows. 30 to speak. well. somebody
got in my room last night and stole
dare say . pint Of your hearts blood.
They're gone"
He was pretty well upset, - he
might be. and she stood by and lis
tened to the things he said. which. II
they were a. bad In English ~ they
sounded in German. wouldn't like to
write down. And when he cooled
down and condensed. a. you may say.
into English. he said Miss Jennings
must have seen the letters. for she
would hardly speak to him. And Miss
Summers said she hoped Miss Jen-
nings had-she was too nice q girl to
treat shamefully.
And after he had left her there
the door behind Miss Summer back,
and then something being showed un-
der the door. ] stopped down and
picked It up. Il was q key!
struck . match. and saw BY the
tag that 1t was the one to the old
doctor's rooms. knew right on what
1t meant Mr.. Pierce had gone to bed.
or pretended to throw them on the
track and Thoburn had locked him
In! Thoburn hadn't taken any
chances. He knew the influence Mr..
Pierce had over them all. and he and
his champagne and tin cans had to
get in their work before Mr.. Pierce
had another chance ut them.
had no time to wonder how Miss
Summers knew l was in the pantry.
II tried the window again. but 1t
wouldn't work. Somebody in the
spring house was shouting. Hot but
ter blue beans. please come to sup
] pert" and I could hear them crowd.
ing around the tables. I worked
frantically with the hairpin, and Just
then two shadowy figures outside
slipped around the corner Of the build
ing It was Mr.. Pierce and Doctor
Barnes!
darted back and put my ear to
the door. but they did not come In
1t once. Mr.. Thoburn made q speech.
saying how happy he was that they
were all well and able to 90 back to
civilization again. where the broiled
lobster fourished like . green bay
tree and the prune and the cabbage
were unknown.
There was loud applause. and then
Senator Biggs cleared his throat.
Ladies and gentlemen, distin-
guished fellow guests" he began. Il
suggest q toast to the autocrat Of
Hope Springs. 1t Ii the only blot on
the evening. that. owing to the ext
gencies Of the occasion. he can not
be with US. Securely fastened in his
, room. he IL now sleeping the sleep
that follows Q stomach attuned to
prunes. . mind attuned to rule"
Eat. drink and be merry!" some
body said. for tomorrow you diet!"
There was . swish and rustic. ~ II
q woman got up In q hurry.
DO you mean," said Miss Patty's
clear voice. that you have dared to
lock Mr.. Pier-Mr. Carter In his
room?"
a.