The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1856-02-07
an!i5rsllaurullg Aealiug.
eapaauo nan 81 ssp ! asssFst?

!eapaWc man Keep asscfsi?
"PAsl,Aw,a a woman keep = secret Who
ever knew one to keep anything ,weny-four
hours 3" -. x. ~ q
*Thsl's libel opnn il,c ser, Mr.. I,edkin.
invented, I'll DO bound, by sp,ne thrice re.
jec:ed bachelor, who ceuld think of no other
mode Of revsrge. Letanybojy put scores
IN my possession, and ii Iran't keep it ill
the dag ofjuigcmcnt. then wasn't christen-
ell Laura, that's ail." $3.50 's7ss Hsss 80
"Gucss Twill Try you sometime, and Pod
kins applied to match a. l'is cigar and walk
ed out. -.
Proceeding to the confcctioner's he pur-
chased a. a,ipaininotll sugar heart, and two
sir'sllcr ones. These he took 10 his shop,
aud cut a piece Of shingle the exact size vi
tho larger heart. and placed the wooden
counterfeit in the inper wi,h,le smaller ones,
that the, packages might hook as near alike
ssrossiblc. AZ s-;. - -.s.,s.-;.... \,
Nearly ten time Poikins entered the sit.
ting room where Laura and her friend Mary
were bu.iy plying their needles. Seating him.
self'near by, lie drew from li. COAT spoeket
two small bundles, and presenting one tn
each Of the girls, remarked that he had long
contemplated making them some presents,
but hopedn rs an especial. favor to himself,
that they would not tell each other what
their papers contained. Laura and Mary
promised obedience, the same tim. c..s,inr
uneasy glanccs AT the mysterious gifts.
Remember, the first who breaks her prom
isc will forfeit her cai,n to The title Of .ccre,
keeperand mend my coat by way of penalty, =
added Podkins, rising,to exhibit more fully
most sorro~fu looking garment, so ta,teI-
CT and tori,, that a tailor would have been
puzzled to decide what was its original shape.
The girls considered themselves safe CON.
corning the coat and cIlide,l the wearer for
being 50 skeptical in regard to, their ability
to Keep q secret. Curiosity was only, half
satisfied, however after ascertaining that
Podkins' generosity had bestowed heart.
1t was not long ere the donor overheard
Mary and laura in the kitchen. teasing one
another To reveal by some sign at least. ,he
forbidden fruit. But each stocd her gra,,rIll
wonderfully, aud Podkins feared his Goa,
would remain tat,ered. The girls Sleeping
apartment was contiguous 10 the one occu.
pied by Podkins and BARLOW. AS only /,
thin partition separated the rooms, it wa,
easy to hear ordinary conversation from one
to the other without the folly of listening
The two men were snugly cusconccd ia bed
when Mary and Laura entered The adjoining
bedroom. The door had scarcely been clos
cd when the former exclaimed -
"Now, Laura, do tell me what was il
your paper. Itlooked just like mine. and 4
verify believe il is the same thing. shal
not slcepa wink to might ifyou don't. Come
do tell, that's a good girl, and then | vii
Tell you what was in mine.
We'll" replied Laura, there were two
sugar hearts in mine" rE
"And there WAS only one in mins," sal,
Mary, in a disappointed tone. SD
| AZ this point a respectable portion Of th
bolster went into Barlow's mouth, whil
Podkins took refuge beneath the bed-cloihc
10 smother his laughter m best he might
At breakfast the DeSt morning. while Laur
was pouring out the coffee, Poikins, iurlliu,
towards Barlow, said, very graveIy -
We'll, there were two sugar hearts il
mine" - d.
! "Anl there was only one in miue," =.
ponded Barlow, so exactly initiating Mary,
tone that she almost fancied herself speskino
The cotfee-pot dropped, to the great eonfSl
sion OF sundry cups and then camc bur.t a
laughter from the four that fairly made IN
dishes dance.
u viii take that coat after breakfast if VOL
please. Mr.. Podkins," SAID Laura, quietly, aite
the mirth had somewhat sillsided