The Hickman courier., 1868-08-22

- ~ ~ OAC1 l. -, IOOOs
Pink pomatum, too, as In1e and breath
: and housewife all fitted up viii
r spools and threads. My goodness me,
c it isn't lined with the very brocaded sill
: that belonged to my grandmother's wed
/; ding dressl l thought that pattern cam
: short when | measured it, to make silk
c quilted skirt | do believe that Elfrid
II took it to make this piece Of folly an
nonsense with.
i Miss Whistlcton elevated her eye
5 and hands in holy horror.
It "Two-whOle inchesl | wonder If III
frida ever thought what sin it IS
C steal"
c The inquisitivc spinster tip-tocd abou
Y the room, peering into boxes, openin
r bottles, and looking behind sofas; br
d still she found no cOndemning proof OF
eorrespondence between Mr. Castlewynn
d and her niece Elfrida. She was jui
turning to come out. ,rstLasII .;dlsap pp2lnte
SC fiff.. % es.-sf0Ti, Wien Yom Castle
wynne sprung up the stairs, two steps at
the time, and STROBE along the ball, fol-
lowed by his friend. Frank Ermipe.s :.
Miss Betsy made rush for the door,
but she was too late Toms speed Of
locomotion had been greater than she
had calculated upon, and with blind
impulse of concealment she darted into
the closet and shut herself in, among the
dressing gowns, shooting coats, and odd
looking bifurcated garments that filed
her spinster soul with horror
ttfHbnz-iH on ont 1reqip y,raffv e0pu y
| thought Miss Betsy, painting, and she
held on desperately to the inner handle
OF the door, "and then | can j1st slip
| into my own room.
But no such dcnoument appeared at
hand Mr. Castlewynne and his friend
sat themselves down and deliberately
lighted their cigars; the blue yapor stole,
spicey and pungent, throy the key
| hole.
II shall choke" thought Miss Betsy.
"Now look here, Tom, said Mr.. Err
mine, apparently resuming the converse
ton which had been broken off, "there's
no use in being faint hearted fool!
Marry the little Ellie, if she has forty
old maid auntsp'
My goodness gracious! secretly aspi-
rated the captive maid.
Il say, though, said CastlewYnne,
what an old cat Miss Betsy is. Fifty,
if she is-a day.
Sixty, l should think" said Frank
''The impudeuce Of the creaturcs!"
gasped the imprisoned subject of criti
cism.
'But still, pursued Castlewynnc, Ell
6e has tender little notions, about nev-
er marrying without her aunt's consent.
and if we could pursuado her to give it
"Never," said Ermine Who could
expect 4 shriyellcd up old fossil like that
/ to-Halloa! what's that noise2'
'For Aunt Betsy, half-stihed in the
closet and choked with cigar smoke, had
given spasmodic "kctch-a" Of sneeze.
Nothing but the cat on the vcrandah
roof"
Il tell you it is something in that
closet"
s-sflrmipe rose anl tried The door. Amt
"lf its the car said Castlcwynne,
coming to the rescue, "she is remarkably
strong in her muscular Development, give
it a good pull. Halloaw
For the door few open, with a jerk,
revealing Miss Betsy Whistleton, shrink
ing back into cornerl One moment
lCatlewynne stared-the next a brilliant
idea flashed across his mind; he shut the
door again and bolted it, instantaneously.
"Thievesr' hc cried, in carefully sup
pressed tones. "Robbers, burglars l''
"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 Whistleson;
it's all a mistake, a mistake, misunder-
standing"
"a misunderstanding, eh? said Cas-
tlewynne. SIT has rather burglarious
look. l should be sorry to deliver you
into custody, Miss Whistleton; but
"Have mercy on nel' shrieked Miss
Betsy rafting at the door knob Indeed
2 indeed, [ meant no harm-it was mis-
take, upon my word. Please let me out
quick, before any one comes! and me in
mans room, tool
- Dreadful groancd Mr.. Ermine.
"Too frightful to thinl>Qf hollowly
echoed Castlcwynne. Cd
ooh, dear, dear, walled Miss Betsy
as all the horrors Of the situation dawn
cd upon her, ''do let me out, Mr. Thorn
as, and I'll give you anything 1 have il
the world
Mr.. Castlewynne paused; he appeared
tc deliberate. Miss Betsy took heart o
hope. Will you give me your niece?
> My niece, EIlrida? N-ever-really
f could not
80, very well just as you elect. Err
mine, will have the goodness to stel
; down stairs and call up the landlord ?''
"And at the same instant Elfrida'
soft voice was heard calling in the mex
room.
Aunt Betsy Aunt Betsyl Oh
Mrs. Parker, where can my aunt b.
gomez"
Search, an erpose and detection wer
looming inevitably over the wretchet
victim of circumstances she ratified mad
t ly against the door.
"You needn't go, Mr.. Ermine-yo,
needn't goI Only let me out
"You will freely bestow the hand o
r your niece upon me?"
yes-anything everything p
Mr.. Castlewynne unboltod the doc
t and threw it open with low bow. Mis-
Betsy stayed not to reciprocate his polite
uCSS, bu6 udilSu rum tHe FOOlu Ike IL
? arrow fleeing from the bow, never stop
ping till she was safe in her room.
"Auntyl" exclaimed the astonishe,
/ Ellie "whcre on earth have you been !?
, But that was just what "auntie" new
er would tell her.
"Elfrida, said Miss Betsy, when sh
had calmed her agitated nerves by greer
t tea and nap, "I've changed my min
about young Castlewynne. - you an
c he are really bent on making a match c
G it'-here aunt Betsy involuntarily grim
Y aced, as if she were taking medicine
e ''why you must have your own way,
2 suppose"
Elfrida's countenance grew radiant
: "Derr Aunt Betsy" she cried, with
I shy kiss on the parchment forehead G
. the old lady. [ am so gladf"