Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-09-11

il W
smiling in the moonlight, and one hand
resting lightly on Mr.. Severns arm. Miss
Barbara listened, holding her breath as she
didso.
81 tell you, Lucy" said the gentleman
stopping abruptly-so near that Lucy
dress brushed against Miss Barby's band
box of artificial fiowers-'I cannot live
upon uncertainty any longer You are no
cOquette, dearest, surelyp
mo coquetter' thought the horI1fied
sinister. sIf she's not that, I'd just like
to know what she is Dearest, indeed J!
Eyes; but, Charles, 1 am only poor lit
tie country girl, and you are SO lar above
me-"
That's true enough" mentally com
mented Miss Barbara. .'And she Gaining
him Charles.
"A truce to this trifiing, Lucy" he said,
with tender impotence. 81 only ask YOU
one thing-one question--do you love me
ssYou kn0,c love you, Charles.
s.Mercy upon usr' thought Miss Bar
bara. with eyes rolled up and uplifted
hands. what is the world coming to?
Lucy stole her arm gently through his,
and they passed ON, across the chequered
play of the moonlight ON moss and leaf and
forest path, leaving Miss Barbara in state
more easily imagined than described.
my duty's plain as a pike-statf now, If !
couldn't fairly see IL Above, croaked the ola
maid to herself, as she crept away through
the fragrant silence of the woods, utterly
insensible of Natures grand Examinations
around her. sI'll tell that poor injured
wife to-morrow-how she can be blinded
SO long can't see-and if there amt di-
yoree case in the papers afore long my
names not Barbara ROokbury
Mrs. Barbara was as good as her word,
The dew-drops on the meadow-grass had
scarcely dried away the next morning be-
fore she was tapping resolutely at Mrs.
Severn's door.
The young wife opened 1t, IN very be-
coming dishabille of blue chambery and
rosetted slippers.
''AIiss ROokbury Y
Eyes, it's me, Mrs. Severn. I've got
something very particular to tell you.
Barbara edged herself into the sitting
room. and looked around with'an aspect OF
triumphal gloom.
you'd better send the children and the
.bonny' out of the room, she said, land
have the camphor bottle handy-that S
right
Mrs. Severn turned startled face to-
ward her visitor, as she closed the door
behind the little girls and their French
nurse.
''what can have happened Miss Rock
bury?"
''Ah, what indeed !" sighed the spinster,
with one hand ON her breast. '.But You d
ought to ha' expected it when you got mar
ried. There amt no woman safe, except
she's single spose you think, now, your
husband loves you.
Il do not think anything about it am
sure of it p calmly answered Mrs. Severn.
Then what's he gallavantin' about the
woods maxim love to Lucy Brownson for?'
demanded Miss Rookbury. And without
preliminaries, she plunged headlong into
her tale of treachery and misplaced conf
dence.
Mrs. Severn listened quietly, without any
of the burst of horror and indignant jeal
ousy for which Miss Barbara had confident
/ ly looked.
ssAll this is quite impossible, she said
calmly, when at length the spinster came
to breathless pause. ....
Didn't / see it with my own eyes 2
shrieked Miss Barbara.
''Hy husband walking with Miss Brown
son r
Yes, yo,r husband"
My husband happens to be in SwitZer
land" said Mrs. Severn, serenely, land
there is no reason that / know of why my
brother-in-law should not wall with any
/ young lady he happens to fancy-aye. and
make love to her, too, if she chooses tO
allow it," asf
Miss Barbara sat silent and crest-fallen.
Mrs. Severn opened the door into an adj
joining apartment
Lucy, my love-" she said, reckoning
to Miss BrownsOn, who sat in the window
at her needle-woTk, perhaps If you come
here and tell Miss RoOkbuFy that you are
engaged to my brother-in-law, she will be
less disturbed about the affairs of others. "
Lucys bushes made ali necessary admis-
siOns, as she stood there with Mrs Severn S
arm around her
I'm sure I'm very sorry, meekly be-
gan Miss Barbara, with an agoniZing sense
of defeat and modification, but you see
didn't"
4 see" nodded Mrs. Severn, '.you didn't
mind your own business. Perhaps you will
be little less officious in future. Good
morning, Miss Rookbury."
And she graciously showed Barbara out
of her presence. r
Home went the indignant and mortified
maiden, having exchanged her secret for
the very unsatisfactory knowledge that the
pretty Lucy Brownson was engaged to the
Junior member of the wealthy firm of
Severn x Severn" while she herself re-
manned Miss Barbara RookbuTy.
I'm mind my own affairs in future, re-
solved Barbara. But she didn't. Which of
us do in this world?