The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-08-13

Young woman TO do. She got behind the
buttCry door and hid her face in the roll.
er-towel, and something very like a gcnu-
inc sob shook her bosom, while some bit
Ter tears were absorbed into the crash.
The truth is, Hannah was jealous. The
sight OF Alcck devoting himself 70 that
gfrl from HilIsdale, whom she had begun
70 dotest, woke her up 70 the state of, her
own feelings, and perhaps nothing but
that would ever have done the work. E
Nevertheless, there was tho sponge
cake to cut, and the best doyleys to DO got
out, and the ivory-hNndlcd knives to be
taken down from the top shelf Of the
closet. She had to calculate how much
Of the strawberry preserves 1t would take
10 go round and not look skinny, and
who should sit by the glass dish, and how
many custard.cups would be required to
fill the middle Of the table. All these
things Hannah performed with as much
accuracy Us II her heart had not been
smarting with disappointment and vexa'
ton.
Mrs. Ashley was never moro In her ele'
ment than when she presided at temt
nine tca.party. Mas hs.. ~
ave WON'T have anY,ot the men folks
round 10 bother, girl" said she, rs they
settled like flock Of doves about the Ia
bio, which Hannah lad so temptingly
spread. ats busy times on the farm now
and the Deacon likes a bite OF something
hearty for his tea, and so told him he
and the boys might wait. Ahcnl, Salina
do you take sugar in your tear as she
poured out q cup Of tho delicate, green
favored beverage that diffGScd IN appe
tizing fragrance through the room.
"0h, Miss Ashley" cried Nancy.Daffy
'yOu'll tell our fortunes, won't youE There
isn't soul here 10 know about il, anC
wen keep as whist as mice"
"Now, girls, don't make inc appear sim,
pic" said Mrs. Ashley, leaning back and
wiping her red and smiling face free from
the steam Of the teapot. "If Miss Whit
comb should get hold Of It she'd say II
didn't become q deacon's wife"
"Never mind Miss Whitcomb," broke
in Susan Drake. "Sho thinks she's ar.
rived ut perfection, and such folks are Al
ways disagreeable. Hero do look al
Salina Trcadwell's cup. If Tn not mis-
taken 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, It's coming from a
iight-completcd man. Looks like Sile
Winthrop, down at the Corners" a
"0h, Miss Ashley, how you do talkH,
cried ealina, mincing her biscuit and
blushing up on her chcek-bOnes.
"Hc amt a-going TO live long, whoever
It Is" the Deacon's wife went on, twirling
tue cup with the girls hanging over her
shoulder, and her eyes dancing with fun.
ayes, Salina, you will be left widdcr."
"WhaL a sad thing it must be to lose o
companion" put in sentimental Ann
Davis. II should hatet to be lett IL rclic."
"Neveryou mind, Salina," the DeacOn's
wife continued with wink. "lf I'm not
mistaken you'll console yourself with
number two. Look; there, girls, ut the
true-lovers' knot and the bow and mr.
rGrs." ..
Miss Treadwell held up her hands in
mock horror, and affirmed that she didn't
believes word Of 1t; but 1t was nOticca.
bic, us Mrs. Ashley said, that she was
"chipperer" all the rest Of the evening.
"COme, now tell Hannall's, cried Hetty
Sprague. So Hannah passed along her cup.
"Why, child, you're going to shed tears;
and there's little cloud OF trouble round
you; but It will clear away, and you'll
yet your wish in spite of everything"
"Don't you sec saddlc-bags and pill
boxes there?" inquired Nancy Duffy.
"GO along with your stuff and nonsense,
girlsr' exclaimed the Deacon's wife, wav-
Ing away the cup. "If husband should
get hold oft, he'd say was trilling."
That evening after Doctor Bingham had
fooled good deal with Hannah-had
pressed her hand at parting, and whisper.
ed he should hope to see her next evening
at tho singing.class-she remembered her
fortune, and did let some bitter tears soak
into her pillow. She was not wise enough
in worldly ways to suspect that tho Doc
tor, town bred man, had set Hetty
Spragnc's silly little heart n tluttcring
while le walked home with her under the
warm starlight although, In very truth,
he did not care ftp for either ofthem,
Hannah was content to play him off
against Aleck, let the consequences be
what they might; and moro and more rs
she thou ht the matter over, she blamed
that designing girl from Hillsdale.
The next night set in with. mild driZ.
zle; and, in spite Of Mrs. Ashley's protest.
atoms, Hannah was off for tic singing
class. This class had been established TO
improve the church music, which, as the
Deacon said, sadly needed "tinkering;"
and gradually it became resort for the
young people Of the village, while its
functions were stretched toinCludc good
deal Of mild filtration. Hannah, on enter.
Ing, looked anxiously around to discover
the Doctor; but, strange to say, he was
absent. Aleck, who belonged to the choir,
sat in his usual place alone. Neither Jane
nor her young lady visitor had accom-
panied him. These facts Hannah ascer.
taincd before she let her eyes drop on her
notebook. She watched the door kcenly
all through the hour OF practice; but the
Doctor did not make his appearance, and
her Indignation grew apacG. She hoped
to slip away little in advance Of the
crowd, before the exercises were quito
over, and the Gordon Of young men had
formed about the entrance. But just rs
she was stepping off into the darkness,
with tho warm summer rain falling steAd.
ilY, Il hand touched her arm. ~
"Let me walk home with you, Hannah.
l have an umbrella, and you arc unprO'
vided." 1t was Alexis voice; and Han.
nah was nettled 10 remark not even u
touch Of penitcnCc in his tone.
mo, l thank YOU" she returned, stiflly,
II prefer TO go alone"
"But you cannot retlse,my comp9nylor
u few steps, ut least" said he, pushing up
his umbraelIa and shielding her whether
or no: "for have brought an apology
form Bingham. I am going TO tell you,