The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1858-11-12

not strange that she does not get some
lady to 90 shopping with her 2"
Oh, she wants to keep it secret, you
may depend, rejoined Mrs Webb. "Be-
sides, how could she have the face 10 begin
10 talk about II" For MY part I'd give
her piece of my mind if she would
but hi at such thing to u,e--oh, here
you arc, Mrs. Black" rising 10 meet o
lady just entering. 81 had quite given
you up. You see you're the last 70 get
here for all you have only to come from
the next house"
"l thought | should not be able TO come
az all, replied. Mrs. Black, after OK change.
ing salutstions with the other visiturs.
" For just A. was ready to como, Betsy
Smith ran in to tell Inc that the two good
people over the way rad gone out togeth.
er again, and [ do believe she stayed more
than an hour talking about them"
"We were just talking about them too, +"
said Mr. Web"
And thereupon the inexhaustible sub
ject was renewed with fresh interest.
Poor Mrs. Gilmer was unfortunate in
her :" overthe-way" neighbors, Mesdames
Webb and Black. For several weeks her
"going out" and coming in" had KEEP:
sll eyes and tongues in both houses busy.
The domestics of both were taken into
confidence--to " hat mesnnesses will not
oopie dccend To crafty paltry inquisi-
tiveness ? - and between mistress and
maids the widows house was we'll watch.
ed.
One day, Mrs Black came running in
to Mrs Webb's, krinlful Of excitement,
A" / havn't moments time TO SIT down,
but | want TO tell you. While ago | saw
Mrs. Giimer 90 out, and | thought /
would send Ann overto borrow something,
and see what she could find out from Lett
tia. She wss in one of her hufy moods ,and
wouldn't hardly speak TO Ann; but Ann
is no Ounce, and she found out some.
thing"
"What was it," questioned all the
Webb family in a breath.
"Why, maybe you recol.cct that en-
broidered Swiss robe that Edward Gilmcr
gave to his sister-in-law, not very long be
fore his brother died ?"
0I do - ssss -Raal.---os-.s..i--, ,-hGi~~,
never got n chance 10 wear 1t only once
and then / saw her all ready for party,
and it was the loveliest dress 1 ever
saw"
"Well, thst identical dress--I know it
must be from AIMS description--Le,itia
had Just done ironing, and most beauti-
fully too, Ann SAYS So Ann was admir-
ing it, and SAYS she, That looks like get
ting ready for wedding. Said l4otitie,
Maybe it docs, and maybe 1t doesn't, and
that was all the speech Ann could set
from her. She always was batefui girl,
that Lctitii there's no gettinga a word out
of her. II she was like other girls we
could have found it all out long ago. How
ever, the Swiss dress settles the matter to
my mird What use could she have oi
such dress at this season if shc was not
going to be married ?
+" None at all Oh, well see something
before very long" said Mrs Webb, ard
nodding acquicscence, her friend hurried
oh.
"Thincs must be coming 10 a head i
the Swiss dress Is done up ready for wear
ng," said aunt Sally. Now We must
watch close, or ven miss it after all. :"
The others agreed that she was right,
and regular plan of espionage was adopt
I'd, the watchers relieving each other at
stated times The Cav passed, and the next
was nearly drawn TO its close, when Becky,
Who was then on duty gave the signal. and
I'll rushing TO the windows, saw u carriage
standing before the widows hosse. pret-
~ soon they saw trunk brought out aud
placed very carefully un the carriage. -
Then Mrs. Glmer and little Arthur appear
ID and took their seats in the vehicle, Mr.
Edwin Gilmer followed, and the carriage
lrovc of. Peeping through the Venitian
.linds the Blacks aud the Webbs had |
,een all, but SO far fir m having their cur
osity -atisfed, they wcre sorely troubled |
or farther knowledge. That the trunk
the bridal apparel was evident
o all, since the bride-elect wore her usual
lrcss of black but why so much mysteri-
,us secrecy abou' their proceedings? To
DC url they might well try to keep them
secret she, ut any rate, might well be
lshamed to have il known that she was al
'eady thinking of marriage; but still, as
hey were going TO get married, why no:
,e honest and above board ? rs aunt Sally |
aid. Farther " observation" was evident
y ncedfui and aunt Sally volunteered t. /
yatch through tho night. as che wss cer-
certain they would come back late, and
he wouldn't miss seeing their return for
he world So she took her station in an
49, chair hy the window. Whether our
osity was powerful enough to p event her
ecping at her post" the family doubted
,hen next morning she was obliged TO con.
ess that she "heard uothing," though
she never slept wink the whole night
Trough" What was to be done now p
n spite Of Letitia's "hufincss," II was de-
ided to send Ann again to reconnoitrc,
n pretepcs Of returning what she had
orroved She caue back with the intel