"They were to be my contribution to the household."
"You handed us a surprise, all right; didn't she, Uncle Peter?" I
chirped in with a view to laughing off the whole affair, but just
then a series of startling shrieks caused us all to rush for the
piazza.
At the gate we beheld a kicking, struggling mass of lingerie and
bad dialect, which presently resolved itself into the forms of my
temporary relatives who were now busily engaged in macadamizing the
roadway with their heads.
Then Tacks came yelling on the scene: "I thought maybe they was
female burglars so I stretched a wire acrost the gate and they was
in such a hurry getting away that they never noticed it till it was
too everlastingly late!"
Before we could remonstrate with the Boy-Disaster he let another
whoop out of him and darted off in the direction of the barn.
That whoop brought the two wire-tappers to their feet and after
they both shook their fists eagerly in our direction they started
in frenzied haste for the depot.
As they scurried frantically out of our neighborhood Uncle Peter
smiled blandly and murmured, "For lecturers, female reformers and
all those who lead a sedentary life there's nothing like exercise!"
Putting my arm around Clara J.'s waist I whispered, "Didn't I tell
you it was one of Bunch's put-up jobs? He's jealous because I'm so
happy out here with you, that's all! As for the telegram, forget
it!"
"All right, John," said Clara J.
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