The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-05-23

pattern came short when I measured il
to make silk-quilted skirt | do be
Here, Elfrida took it to make this piec
of folly and nonsense with"
Miss Whistleton elevated her eyes an
hands with pious horror.
Two whole inches | wonder if El
frida ever thought " hat a sin it is t
steal"
The inquisitive spinstcr tip-toed abou
the room, peering into boxes, openin.
bottles, and looking behind sofas bu
still she found no concerning proof of
correspondence between Mr.. Castle
wynne and her niece Elfrida. She wa
just turning to come out, rather disap
pointed than otherwise at the non-suc
cess of the scouting expedition, wher
Tom Cas:lewynne sprang up the stairs
two steps at time, and strode along tho
hall, followed by his friend Frank Err
mine.
Miss Betsy made a rush for the door
but she was too late. Toms speed O.
locomotion had been greater than she
had calculated on, and with blind i'm
pulse of concealment she darted into the
closet and shut herself in, among dress
ing-gowns, shooting g-coats, and strange
looking biturcated garments that filled hel
spinster soul with horror.
"They'll go out again. pretty soon, y
thought Miss Betsy, painting, as she
held desperately on to the inner handle of
the door, "and then can just slip into
my own room!'
But no such denouement appeared
near ct hand. Mr.. Castlewynne and his
friend sat themselves down, and delibe
ratcly lighted thei: cigars; the blue va
por stole, spicy and pungent, through
the key-hole.
Il shall choke" thought Miss Betsy
"Now look here, Tom" said Mr.. Er-
mine, apparently resuming conversa'
ton which had been temporarily inter-
rupted, "there's no use in being a faint
hearted tool Marry the little Ellie, if
she has forty old maid aunts !''
my goodness gracious !" secretly
aspirated the captive maid.
Il say, thought said Castlewynne,
what an old cat Miss Betsy is. Fifty,
if she's day.
"sixty Ishould think !" remarked
Frank.
{"The impudence of the creatures !"
gasped the imprisoned subject of criti-
cism.)
"But still, pursued Castlewynne. FL
fie has some tender little notions about
never marrying without he, aunt's con-
sent, and if we could persuade her to
give it."
"Never," said Ermine. "Who could
expect shriveled up old fossillike that,
to-Hall"? what's that noise?'
For Aunt Betsy, half stiffled in the
closet, and choked with cigar smoke,
had given little spasmodic "Ketch-a:'
OF snecZp.
Nothing but the cat on the veran-
dah roof"
Il tell you its something in that
closet"
Elmine rose and tried the door
Aunt Betsy hung resoIutely on to her
side of it.
"If it Is the cat," said Castlewynne,
coming to the rescue, ~she' s remarkably
strong ia the muscular developments :;
give good pull, Frank. Hal-loa!'
For the door flew open with a jerk.
revealing Miss BETSY Whistleton shrink
ing back into corner, One moment
Castlewynne starcd-the next brilliant
idea flashed across his mind; he shut
the door again, and bolted it, instantane-
ously.
"Thieves" he cried in carefully sup
pressed tones. Robbers burglars"'
"Oh, my good Mr. Thomas squeak
ed Miss Betsy, wildly through the key
hole, "please don't! Please stop crying
for help; it's only me, Miss Betsy Whis-
tleton; it's all mistake, a misunder-
standing"
"a misunderstanding, eh ?" said Cas-
tlewynne. "It has rather burglarious
look. I should be sorry to deliver you
into custody, Miss Whistleton, but"
"Have mercy on me !'' shrieked Miss
Betsey, rafting at the door-knob. "In-
deed, indeed, I meant no harm-it was
mistake, upon my word Please let
me out, quick. before any one comes
and me in mans room too! ~
Dreadful !" groaned Mr.. Ermine.
'Too frightful to think of !" hollowly
echoed Cast ewynne.
"Oh, dear, dear !" walled Miss Betsy,
as all the horrors of her situation dawned
upon her: edo, please let me out, Mr..
Thomas and I'll give you anything I
have in the world p
Mr.. Castlewynne paused; he appear
ed to deliberate. Miss Betsy took heart
of hope.
"Will you give me your niece Elfri-
da 2" -
"My niece. .lElI Ei4u aaz'E
y, very we'll just as you elect.