The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-05-28
The Game of Checkers.
AND POPPING TIE QUESTION

Aunt Molly" said Fanny, one evening
did you ever hear any one pop the ou,s
,on!"
"Wty, certainly, my child, heard your
Hnc'e Charlie, pop it, rs you call it,
Oh yes, Of course said Fanny. "but onc
doesn't often tell their own experience.
mean did yon ever hear any ono clsc?"
""ei', yes" replied Aant Molly, slowly
Il did happen to once."
20 please tell me all about it," cried
Fanny, Il would so like to be little
mouse in the wall, on such an OCCASION"
Fanny was just turned of fifteen, and it
WAS very natural that she should want to
be posted.
Every WELL" said Aunt Molly, "r.t Your
work then, for dom, like to talk to IN idle
listener"
Fanny established. herself, and Aunt Mol
Iy began: 1T WIS ;,b"u, ten years after
WAS married, and house Keeping, that cou-
Sin Will Morris, uncle Brniunin's sou,
:ame to live with us that is he was part.
her in your uncle Charlie'< store, and board
I'd with us. Iou never saw VIII did Won 2"
Fanny nodded her head AMI Aunt Molly
went on.
lie was 4 wloi. soulcl. straight forward,
substantial Young mar, not lacking in
polish either; bat very la>hful SO much so
shat usel really to pity him sometimes.
When We had Young company. Annie
Evans WAS an old schoo!m,.c of mine and
after wcn, to house keeping, her parents
move'! TO Oxfurl, and lived on!y 4 sl,o,t
distance from u>.-:Snnie uSel frequently
to bring her work and spend the evening
with me, and uncle Charlie would 90 home
with her. Those were rare times, Fanny,
and We enjoyed them freely. Annie was Il
real woman none Of Your non>cr,sca! love.
s'ck girls, whose heads are So full Of braux
that they won't koll ANYTHING else.
Fanny blushc,l, as Aun, Molly said tI,;s,
but Aunt looked very dcmurc, and con,iau-
Ell. "And knowing lcr and loving her as
did, | felt particularly anxious that she
should be well settled in life
That means, with II good husband" re-
marked Fanny, roguislIy.
"Certainly," said Aunt Molly; "and :f
ter Will came, and became acquainted
with him, took it into my head ,ha, he
and Annie would make capitol match.
But somehow after he came. Annie did mn,
come SO often; and Will was very enter
tanning in his conversation, when we were
alone, in her presence WAS silent and awE
"ark Ill his lnanrer, as it under. restraint
and Annie took but little notice of him, on
iy as far as politencss required, and request.
cd mo nrlra'rl y to arrang. it, that Uncle
Charlie should still! 90 home with her, that
Is, 1t he had no objections. So the Young
peoples acquaintance progressed slowly,
lime and habit arranged these thing, beauti-
FULLY, and gradually ,Lcy became to be more
'arh'l'ar SO us even to call each other bv
Their Christian names. helped it about
though, for could not bear the for.naIity
OF Morris and Miss Evans. Just rs ey
pected-WiIl became very much interested
IN Annie; for that matter he had admired
her from the first, but he was modest in his
pretens'ons, and seemed to regard her as be-
yond his reach. At any rate, he could not
summon courage to speak on the subject
nearest his heart"
"Dow did you know that, Aunt Moly:"
inquired Fanny:
'Oh, from observation" replied Aunt
Molly,"a Annie did not help the matter
any, for though she was quite friendly and
social in his company, yet there was nothing
IN her manner that betrayed the slightest in
tercsSsn him. Well, one evening, Annie
had been spending the afternoon with me-
and we were about talked ont, when Will
camo home from the store, and proposed
their playing game of checkers. Cncir
Charlie bad gone to a political meeting. |
sat some distance off, sewing and with one
eye watching the game. They were bot,
good players, and for Il long time moved
silently, and apparently intcn, on The game.
At!ength as if conscious that her case was
hopeless, Annie remarked, identifying her
self with the man she WAS moving, Il see
you arc after me Will"
"lf catch you," spoke Will with sudden
energy, will you leave ne in indisputcd pos
session.
Annie looked up startled hy his manner,
and seeing in his eager face the meaning
he bad placed upon her words. paused,
blushed deeply, hcsita:cd and presently re-
Piled:
- "Perhaps so; if you and Mary will
promise never to tell anybody TINT popped
tie question"
Twill rose hastily, dropped the board