The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-08-17
MRS. DANA's SECRET.

one evening. met Tom to-day,
and he said he and Carrie would sail
on the 26th, and the furniture sold at
auction"
ooh, how we shalt miss them!
and what pity to haYe that hand
some old furniture scattered among
strangers! We have had many hap
Ply times there, Robert"
" Yes, Annie; it was there I first
saw you, do you remember? You
were playing chess OH that old
| Chinese chess-table, so absorbed that
you did not see me come in, and /
stood wondering who that little maid
in blue could be. don't like to
have that table sold at auction, dear
I wish it would occur to Carrie to
send it to us as a farewell present.
"That would be very nice but as
she is not at all romantic, she has no
idea how or why we value it"
"I suppose if l offered to buy it,
Tom would not accept any pay then
we will feel as if we had begged
present"
"Yes; and besides, we cannot af-
ford it, Robert"
GLOW much is it worth ?"
cit must have cost a hundred dol
lars when twas new but presume
it will go for fifty, as it is somewhat
defaced. We must not think of it
though, dear. You know the last of
our luxury fund went for Dickens
reading, and we agreed to have no
more treats till fall. dare say we
should.not play very often if we had
it-Feading aloud is so much nicer.
Did you bring home Harpcr'S Week
ly?"
Thus the brave, conscientious little
woman turned away from the Tempt
ting theme, and it was not resumed
between them. Annie Dana, hOWev-
er, had a great fund of that tough
quality which is now blamed as "ob-
stinacy," then praised as ''firmness."
The more she told herself the chess
table was unattainable, the more did
persistent inner voice reply, "I
must have it," But how? Dozens
of schemes occurred to her, but none
that seemed practicable. When she
aWoke in the night, the weary ques-
ton flashed back, and with it, like an
inspiration, its answer. She would
write a story for the -- Magazine
ttlINl 81 Cdlll t4lC llCONAluA ALsSN
she not at school, several years be-
fore, sent two or three anonymous
stories to a country weekly, just for
the frOlic oft, and had they not been
printed? To be sure they were not
paid for. She would almost have
scorned money then, so deliciOusly
sufficing was it to see her own words
in print; but there must be the sordid
reality of payment now; and how
delightful to surprise Robert with
the table, show him her article and
enjoy his appreciating praise But
before this dizzy climax could be
reached much must be done. What
should she write about? When find
time? How bid for the table? And
all without Roberts knowledge :?
Absorbed in these questions, she ap-
peared sadly absent during breakfast,
greatly to her husbands surprise and
modification. After she had put too
spoons in his saucer, asked for butter
| when already supplied, and poured
maple sirup over his steak, he began
| to be alarmed, insisted on feeling her
pulse, and inquired if she had slept
well. Annie disclaimed sickness,
| but admitted that her night had been
restless and finally, to please him,
! promised to take nap during the
| day. Never having concealed any
thing from him before, the weight of
Il secret was far from pleasant; but
she consoled herself by thinking how
well it would all end. For the first
time since she knew him she was glad
to have Robert go, so eager was she
to be free to plan, perhaps to write,
her story. Her usual duties about
the house were faithfully performed !;
| but outline of q romance was fitting
through her head all the time, and
she was glad when free at last to sit
down to her desk.
For an hour her pencil flew busily ;
ideas thrOnged at her bidding ; words
came freely to express them. The
first sentence only troubled her.
Five or six beginnings were made
only to be scored out; this seemed
too formal, that too abrupt, another
too sentimental. She feared she
i must resort to the charming formula,
"once upon a time" But the right
words came at last, and then all went
on bravely, till neighbOr came in,
and the already beloved heroine had
to be exchanged for Roberts afghan
4 and everyday chat. Then came 9th
er Interruptions and duties no more
writing that day. The promised at
tempt at a nap occurred about half an
, hour before Roberts return, having
been entirely forgotten till then and
though Annie lay on the sofa with
her eyes consciously closed for full
fifteen minutes, her thoughts were
on her heroine all the time, and once
she sat up and made pencil memo
randa ON the back of letter, hastily
pOcketed as her husbands step was
heard. By the second night her plot
: was fully sketched in her mind, and
{ it only remained to be put it upon
paper. Sometimes a whole day
would pass, and not n moment could
she find for writing, though exactly
in the mood for it. Again, she would
} have leisure, but an almost unaccoun.
, table aversion to her pen; and if she
: tried to rally her powers by reading
1 what was already written, it sounded
l like arrant nonsense; certainly nc
= sane editor would accept it. The ma.
S tive persistency of her character
= however, enabled her TO finish hel
, task, in defiance Of many Interrupt
GlOhs 'tAAA OASCOuttAS SSlAICHtSS dnu t1t'
c rough draft of her story was compile
!. ted in two weeks. 1t was a funny
: looking affair, on no less than TWEEN
o three pieces of paper-half sheets anC
:, whole sheets, backs of envelopes anC
: concert programmes white, brown
S and tinted paper; some in pencil
L some in ink-a most disrcputablr
: medley; but she was a happy littl
d woman as she scrawled the last line
: Strengthened her cramped shoulders
i pushed her hair back from her flush
II ed cheeks, and whispered, "Done a