Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1867-12-26

OF the listeners.
81 met the fellow on the road
resumed the gentleman: sand
must say | never encountered
man SO like myself in all my life
'In truth, you are a barbarian
Mr.. Wright, to tell such things
bout your sister," exclaimed ou
hostess, with a merry laugh.
'As if | did not owe her te
times as much!" said the youn
man. "Ever since that evenin
she has been teasing me in ever
conceivable MANNER" he added
turning round soundly toward
her; and, in doing SO, encounter
ing my steady gaze, he CALCULATED
with a perceptible start, upon ia
cling me. "There he isp
Miss Wright flashed meaning
glance upon him, then suddenly
towards me, as if to observe the
effect bis examination and man
ner would produce upon me; but
l was equal to the emergency, ano
maintained an unruffled compo
sure.
"I did not hear the first of that
Miss Wright" l said, as ! cast a
careless glance over the wonder.
ing group, and another of pretend
ed astonishment upon Mr. Wright,
who evidently felt no little annoy
ance.
perhaps it is just as well, was
the reply, as she glanced at her
brother. "Ralph really is MINER
ciful when be begins. | am glad
you did not hear the whole; but
now that it is out, | may as well
give correct version of the affair.
Like an attentive brother, he per
mitted the crowd to separate US at
the close Of the opera on Tuesday,
and | was SO unfortunate as to
stranger tor him, who
me home without ac-
quainting me with my error
Thinkingit it was Ralph, and that
his headache prevented him from
talking, I did permit nay tongue
to perform rather more than a fair
share
Then all the blame must be
laid upon Mr.. Wright. He should
be the last to mention it. His
want of proper feeling is very
much to be deprecated; but let US
hope that he will change for the
BETTER said our hostess. 81 think
even now he exhibits signs Of re-
pentance.
"And have you any idea who
the gentleman was, Miss Wright?"
| inquired.
"Until lately" she replied,
placing an emphasis upon the
word, Il had not the slightest clue
to the gentleman"
"Does she know the truth?" |
asked myself. "Have I betrayed
myself? | might have known
hat her woman's instinct would
letect me-"
While these and similar thoughts
my mind, became en-
gagged in an interesting conversa-
ion with Miss Wright. In the
course of it, sllusion was made to
he last opera night.
"Did | attend it?"
"Really, was it the last, or the
one preceding it, or the second?I
Certainly, | attended one of them,
out which of them? My memo
~ was so treacherous! Perhaps
t was the last, at least, there was
l sufocating crush"
And the conversation went on
Is before. The DEPRESSION remov-
I'd all doubts from her mind. L
lad at least kno yn nothing Of
1er adventure prior to that eve
1ing, when her misunderstanding
brother made it public.
l do not think | was romantic
1t that time, and yet | must con-
ess that, from the beginning of our
/ entertained the
nope that Miss Wright would one
lay become my wife. I was not
disappointed.
1t was, perhaps, six months af-
,er we were married that / carried
nome in my pocket newspaper
containing a hattering notice of
Lucy Walters. AS Mrs. Clark
herself with her work, l