Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-03-16
THE OLD MAIDS VALENTINE.

~~s'--J
gantie, New Years cake, while the golden
gittor Of the stars overhead cast a bright
reflection over the hard-frozen roads.
1t was bitterly cold outside, with the
thermometer down somewhere in the Arc
tic Pole regions; but the huge anthracite
fire sputtcred and crackled merrily in old
DIR. Ha,vey's sitting room, and tho scarlet
curtains shut out snow-gleam and chilly
blast from The little group assembled
there.
Only three pcrsons-the old doctor, do>
zipg before the ruddy shine, with his head
dropping on his chest, aud his fingers un-
consciously intcrlaced-his daughter, Miss
Rachel Harvey, and his pretty sevopteen-
ycar,old grandchid, Maude.
Miss Rachel was decidedly an old mail
"a rosy, plump, CHEEKY old maid, with q
li.hpls in either cheek, and vclvety brown
hair brushed away from forehead that
was very fair still-but Maude was the
beauty. A black-cyed, black-haired little
sprite, who never stood still for two con-
secutivo scconds-a mischievous elf whose
coral lips were always breaking into bits Of
fantastic song, and whose crimson cheeks
were like new -blossoned sweet'pcas-you
could not have helped loving Maude Har-
vey any more than YOU could have helped
breathing. And when she stole up behind
Aunt Rachel and abstracted her pen de-
murely from between her fingers, the old
maid looked up with only little bit of a
resigned sigh.
"Well, what now, Maude3"
"What do you think, auny?' demanded
thesprite, with blue.black eyes, wide open
and pretty mouth pursed up. "Your old
beau has come back from Brazn.'
Thorc was the faintest tinge of rose on
Aunt Rachel's check.
"How do you know?"
The spri,e performed an impromptu pas
seal round her aunt's chair, and then dane
ed up to her.
.."Walter told me so. When Fisk is his
adopted son, and heir apparent to the Bra :
lillian funds, as you know"
"Is-is AIr. Conway changed much 2"
"Wa:ter says not-only little Drowned
and one or two gray hairs in his nous
iache. He was very handsome once,
wasn't he, aunty?"
"Yes, very handsome"
Miss Rachel looked thoughtfully down at
her alabaster inkstand as she remembered
the old times when Ralph Conway had
worsbipped every curl of her hair and ev.
cry intonation Of her voice. Alas!
"Of NIL the sad words of tongue or pen
The saddest ore these-'it m.igM have been! ."
"What goose I was to quarrel with
him" thought Aunt Rachel, remorsefully.
''It must be nice to travel in foreign
parts" struck in Maude. II am so glad
grandpapa wants TO sell this tumble-down
old castle Of a house. Perhaps we shall
go to Europew "
"We?' questioned Aunt Rachel, arclIy.
"Walter and /, to be sure" said the
sylph, balancing daintily on tie extreme
tip of one foot. ''That is, if the current of
true love is so obliging to run smooth
Walter is little nervous about Mr.. Com
ways approval; but think it will all come
right ~ *'- -. : ), ''-,.~ *
Aunt Rachel did not answer; somehow
she wasivsry absent-mindcd!
!"Ihe height Of absurdity," pronounced
Mr. Ralph Conway, peeling his orange in
sharp, snappy kind of way. as if le were
divesting some idea Of its verbose covering.
Il don't approve of mstrimony to begin
with; it's all folly and nonsense; and for a
young man like you to hamper himself
with wife on beginning the world, is SIM
ply preposterous No-I shall not con-
sent"
Walter Fisk looked vainly into Mr.. Con.
ways bronzed face for some symtom of
relenting; but there was none"
I! "Bpt surely, sir"
"We won't discuss it, Walter" said the
South American drily. II shall probably
settle somewhere in this vicinity. The old
Harvey place is for sale, understand, and
then OF course you will mako your homo
wit4'me... Your future is in nv hands
and trust me, it shall be we'll cared for, if
you prove obedient to my wishes. Rips
the oell sos:seme more of that erusty old
port Walter, withnats and biscuit. Real.
1y, lts not bad fesa country Ihetel.n !,
Walter obeyed mechanically; Mr.. Con-
way watched bis. face With an; amused
half scorafal smile.
-'@Yea, yea I dare, say your little Msade
all but an angel; I've seen men with ths
..s