Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-12-25
THE SISTERS 60 i-.ts-' ,..!,, j,''

THE SISTERSss is'ts~' i.,;a
.:;s1 ~. :. s.Js s1l isit7' S''a y
i TALE OF TIE TIE: GHa1srHl1ls. I1 i. 81 TINE / #
81. ,.--T=--s ssj y is;,So s5,6E
= BY MARY We, STANLEY GIBSON: i~sa
ia: z = ,a4z 5lh .E<tL< u
HAnd my sister saidrGhat of me--my own
sister-Mrs. Dawer2 Howishameful25 =
eyes, wasn't itiassaid, the self,appointcd
nischicfmak.r for the village of G.,
:" That, for young widow, you were the gay
est of any one she eyes@saw.N's a-Sdt..' ~
And she g widow, tool HartAhearted
thing just because, / happened to laugh out
loud the other day, when Mr.. Gray was tel
ling one of his funny storiesi No one but
Susan could have helped laughing. How un.
kind she iskae SheSeems to have quite forgot
fen her own trouble. .ARg...-5er .i = - - =;
"Oh, for the matter of that, cal: assure
YOU every one hears enough of it. It is,
dear Joseph here, and dear Joseph there,
1tiil people are heartily. sick ofit. One ex-
poets a young .widew4 like you, you know, to
speak of her husband"
}. Oh, Mrs. DaWerl" and up went Mlicent
Archers pocket.handkerchief. g
80 There, dear, 4dont cry! But, as / was
saying..when man has beenain his grave for
four gears, iti is quito.time toleaye off talking
about,h;rn. i wish some one would tell Mrs.
Thomas soa2 / would, only Iidon't know her
veil enough.'iTa gsrfi rtt s!:- SOD ~;
"Hsrif poor Joseph;' indeed!" said Mrs.
Archer, tossing her pretty, little head. ny,
my dear Mrs. Dawer, she used to-".a -
, {. What, my dcar!' cried the scandal.mon-
ger, pricking up her ears. a.9
SsdOh, l forgot; wou'tsay anything about
it, since the poor man is dead and gone.
have noidorbtrhe was glad enough to get out
of the world, if9the truth was told" -
/, aSeold him-did she?" - =
.Mhlicent lifted her hands and looked to-
wards the ceiling, as much asto say, 81 be-
liege you." So
S ssGood gracious she didn't beat him, into
Fdfiesb
( Milicent burst out. laughing: ~
'fThere, Mrs: Dawer, now you have said
that, it just reminds me to caution you against
saying anything to anybody about what just
said" s.a s.u
"My DEAR, / am not a person to fetch and
carry,h said Mrs. Dawer, with an injured air
"No, know you are not" replied the un'
suspecting Miiicent, tying her bonnet strings
and drawing her thick Grape vail o7err her
face. s..Or could never come and talk tc
you as freely as do" -
"But you are not going horne so soon." =
~ must. I have quantity OF things tc
see to, and this is Friday. Do come and Sc
me soon, dear Mrs. Dawer, and We will have
tea together. Can't you come tomorrow
evening?"
Saturday evening, let me see; well, yes
think can, and shall be delighted"
| The two ladies shook hands-Milicent bur
| ried home, never once looking to the right o.
the left in the street, for fear Of " what PEG
pie woald say !" and MIS-. Dawcr sailed foril
to pour into the wondering ears Of some. OF he
g friends" the dreadful tale of Mrs. Thomas
wickeduess-how she used to beat poor lttl
Mr.. Thomas, because he wouldn't wear-high
hccled boots, and walk on stills! Did the,
ever Fear of such thing! But it was quit
true-she had it from the best authority
from person, indeed ,owho saw it depe, an,
| heard him crying out for help. With this ad
dtional hot-water, it may be imagined tha
/ The tempest in the C-'tea pot was not lon
! tffeEing. Mrs. Thomas also rejoiced in
| confidential friend-a sharp-nosed, -thin1ppe
flady Of very uncertain age7-Mis Joiee p
1 name who was quite a match for, Mrs, DaN
er. and canvassed the district, eyenjmore as
4 siduously, having nothing to do but attend
I other peoples affairs Party feeling ran higl
/ By Saturday night the whole town was in a
nproar, and tongues were wagging in all d
hrections. making the confusion still worse col
Ifounded. Mrs. Thomas sat in esulky ryTratl
| listening to Miss Joice's account, and hearin
the story of the beating, along with scver'
other cformitics attributed to her for the tir'
time. Milicent was crying her eyes out Q
fine parlor sofa, under her husbands portrai
while Mrs. Dawcr cmptied tie budget OF I'll
last two days at her feet
Sunday morning came, and the bells ran
out gladly for-chureh. 1T was q lovely day
clear though cold, With bright sun and BIZ
skr aid the ground frozen firm and har
though there had yet been no fall of sno
People who were very negligent about goil
to church, came that day. and the minist
from his pulpit could seethat something mo
than his sermon had brought so large co
greration there. But the scandal had noty
! 9Teaehed his ears, and be was greatly puzzl
10 account for some things he saw. Eve
time the great door creaked, score of hea
we're turned; at last there was fuller ane
buzz all over the place. Mrs. Thomas, seve
and stately, was marching up the aisle, Il
loved by her prime minister, Miss Joi
Milieent's usuahplace was in the choir, b
tho red curtains were drawn so close that
Il one could tell if she was there ol not T
bell ceased tolling; the minister was just
!, ing in the pulpit, when the door creaked
the last time, and slight figure, robed
widows weeds. glided upt the aisle and enter
the Archer pew. Mrs. Thomas tossed
"A head viciohsly, as her sister passed, but M
is cent noticed no one, and kept her vail do
dnrinp the service. When it was over, p
< ple made sudden rush to the door, to
how tho two would meet and the two strea
= coming down from either aisle, brought tn
: exactly face to face, in full view of the C
rreoation. Miliceht drew herself up n
Thomas looked at her second; then gras
voc Miss Joice's arm, aud hurried away. Ev
80, -. one went home satisied-they had not spoil
's' This was only the beginning of difficult
ss' c. was rather gay place in its own 81
wav: there wore quilting trolics, and surp
es- parties, and donation parties, and concerts
se- something of the kind, coming off every W.
mt The sisters bad always been present at
ire merry makings. How, should they man
a now? Miss Joice submitted the questio
l7a her principal ;, 49,,
Thomas, sternl7. "Do they think l am g
= to shut myself up forever because ss