The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-09-29


she did very curious thing for sensible
young woman to do. She got behind the
buttery door and hid her face in the roller
towel, and something very like genuine
sob shook her bosom, while some bitter
tears were absorbed into the crash. The
truth is Hannah was jealous The sight
of Aleck devoting himself to that girl
| from Hillsdaie, whom she had begun to
detest, woke her up to the state OF her
own feelings, and perhaps nothing but
that would ever have done the work.
Nevertheless, there was the spongecake
to cut, and the best doyleys to be got out,
and the ivory handled knives to be taken
down from the top shelf Of the closet.
| She had to calculate how much of the
strawberry preserves it would take to go
round and not look skinny, and who
should sit by the glass dish, and how many
custard cups would be required to ELL the
middle of the table. All these things
| Hannah performed with as much accuracy
as if her heart had not been smarting with
| disappointment and vexation.
Mrs. Ashley was never more in her ele-
ment than when she presided at femi.
nine tea party.
I'VE won't have any of the men folks
round to bother, girls" said she, as they
| settled like flock of doves about the
table, which Hannah had so temptiDgly
spread. "It's busy times on the farm
| now, snd the Deacon likes bite of
something hearty for his tea, and SO l
told him he and the boys might wait
Ahem, Saiina, do you take sugar in your
tear" as she poured out cup of the deli
cate, green favored beverage, that diff
fused an appetiziDg fragrance through
the room.
ooh, Miss Ashley" cried Nancy Duffy,
| you'll tell our fortunes, won't you?
There isn't soul here to know about it,
and we'll keep ss whist as mice.
"NOw, girls, don't make me appear
simple" said Mrs. Ashley, leaning back
and wiping her red and smiling face free
from the steam of the teapot. "lf Miss
Whitcomb should get hold of it she'd say
it didn't become deacOn's wife"
"Never mind Miss Whitcomb," broke
in Susan Drake "She thinks she's ar
rived at perfection, and such folks are al
ways disagreeable. Here, do look at Sa-
lima Treadwelrs cup. If I'm not mistaken
there's an offer in it"
"Of course there is" said Mrs. Ashley,
taking up the cup with professional inter
est. Don't you see that ring almost
closed, with heart inside? And she's
going to accept. It's coming from light
Completed man. Looks like Sile Win
throp, down at the Corners"
con, Miss Ashley, how you do talk p"
cried Salina, mincing her biscuit and
blushing up on her cheek bones.
"He amt agOing to live long, whoever
it is" the Deacon's wife went on, twirl-
ing the cup, with the girls hanging over
her shoulder, and her eyes dancing with
fun. "Yes, Salina, You will be left wild
der"
"What sad thing it must be to lose a
companion" put in sentimental Ann Ds-
Wis. &c should hate TO be left relic"
"Never mind, Salina," the Deacon's
wife CONTINUED, with wink. eff I'm
not mistaken, you'll console yourself with
nnmher two Look there, girls, at the The
rers"
Miss Treadwell held up her hands in
mock horror, and affirmed that she didn't
believe word of it but it was notices.
BILE, as Mrs. Ashley said, that she was
"chipperer" all the rest of the evening.
"Come, now tell Hannah's," cried Het-
ty Sprague. SO Hannah passed along her
cup;
| why, Cullu, you &c SOiAS W shCu sOoi o ,
and there's little cloud of trouble round
you; but it will clear away, and you'll get
your wish in spite Of everything"
"Don't you see saddle. bags and pill
boxes thereg" inquired Nancy Duffy.
Go along with your stuff and non
sense, girlsl" exclaimed the Descon's
wife, waving away the cup: IF husband
should get hold of it, he'd say was tri'
fling"
That evening after DR.. Bingham had
fooled good deal with Hannah-hsd
pressed her hand at parting, and whis
pered he should hope to see her next
evening at the singing cless-she remem
bered her fortune, and did let some blttel
tears soak in the pillow. She was not wise
enough in worldly ways to suspect thai
the Doctor, town bred man, had sci
Hetty Sprague's silly little heart a fiuttsr
ing while he walked home with her under
the warm starlight, although, in very
truth, he did not care ftp for either O.
them. Hannah was content to play him
Off against Aleck, let the consequences be
what they might; and more and more al
she thought the matter over, she blamed
that designing girl from Hillsdale.
The next night set in with mild driz
q
tions, Hannah was off for the singing
class The class had been established tt
improve the church music, which, as tn,
Deacon said, sadly needed "tinkering ;
and gradually it became resort for th,
young people of the village, while it
functions were stretched to include goo(
deal of mild Irritation. Hannah, on enter
ing, looked mildly around to discover tn
. / bat ofpo m hn xryao y,
sent. Aleck, who belonged to the choir
sat in his usual place alone. Neither JAM
nor her young lady visitor had accom-
| panied him. These facts Hannah ascer
tanned before she let her eyes drop on he
notebook. She watched the door keeDl,
: ali through the hour of practice; but tn
, doctor did not make his appearance, am
, her indignation grew apace. She hope'
to slip away little in advance of tn
crowd before the exercises were quit
over, and the Gordon of young men ha
formed about the entrance. But just a
she was stepping off into the darkness
with the warm summer rain falling stead
lily, hand touched her arm.
"Let me walk home with you, Hannah
| have an umbrella, and you are unprC
vided." 1t was Alexis voice, and Han
nah was nettled to remark not even
| touch of pentencc in his tone.
7 "No, thank YOU" she returned, stiff
ly. 81 prefer to go alone"
"But you cannot refuse my compan
for few steps, at least" said be, pushin
| up his umbrella and shielding her whethe
l or no; for l have brought al apolog
t from Bingham. / am going to tell you a
a great secret" Aleck went on, confider
Q tally, while Hannah kept still from shee
| establishment, that the Doctor and tbs
D forty-'leventh cousin of ours, from Hills
dale, were engaged once. The Doctors
' capital fellow, but there's a jealous strea
: in him, He wants To keep a loose for
Q and wasn't willing Mary should do tn
g same. She's an uncommOnly pretty, liv,
: ly girl"-a sharp twinge in Hannah sid
land, OF course, she wasn't going to b
! cooped up, ard the result was, they quar-
G relied. But they did really care for eac