Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-04-01
From tho souttefn Farm and Home.
THE HATCAET ON THE MAsfEL.
BY MRS. W. G. M'ADOo.
l"Mary Faith Floyd

| MARY Faith Floyd"
! lived in quiet straggl ing village
where / was poor, obscure and un-
known. | enjoyed all the vexing Q ares
that usually attended that situation;
but such CT res, It may well be imagined
we Q not much In unison with my
tas je. Id.d not resemble Dean Swift
Or his ancestors In regarding tabor az
pall." / had q love for all kinds II
wo"k; and unfortunately for mysel.,
and for the world, / differed from the
4 learned doctor IN all other respects.
was neither learned nor witty. Tn
fortunately; because wit and learning
are both pleasing when not intermin'-
gled with arrogance and peaantry. 1
cOnsOled myself for theseidefeats oy the
reelection that my industry would fom-
| pensate, 10 some measure, for. the ab.
sence Of other qualities, and lll,pe1 /
might get through life with this meei
ofpraise-that | was a useful member
Of society.
There was one happiness had, which
| was fond-of enjoying as often as my
numerous duties would allow.
Not far from my house there resided
a sprightly, tidy, little lady. Facet
GUS and intelligent, with many of those
nameless graces that adOrn woman,
she never failed to iasclnate all whom
she met. had the honor OF calling
this lady friend; and although some
times reflected that an uninteresting
companion like myself annoy by such
frequent visitations, so selfish was
that l could not relinquish the comfort
and pleasure | experienced iTrtueating
the offence Of thrusting my co npany
upon her.
Her home was essentially the oppo-
site Of mine. Without being wealthy
she owned all the comforts Of life; and
the pleasing aspect of her well arrang-
ed parlor with Its white walls, its SIM
pie furniture, and tasteful ornaments,
delighted me. / felt no envy that my
possessions were Of more lneagre d.
mensions than hers. ] rejoiced that
my friends was exempt from the priva-
tions / daily experienced.
Upon the mantel ofmy friends par
lor was an unsightly stone hatcaet,
made after the fashion of the red man
before his ideas were modified by con-
tact with European civilization.
wondered what freak iGduced my
friend to keep this dis1guring orna-
Inent for such OsRntatious display
among her otherwise tastefully selected
articles. / did not like to make any
inquiries, fearing / should appear pry-
ing and impertlnent. Being q woman
curiosity repressed became more wide
awake the more struggled to lulI it
to sleep by those anodynes, good man
ners, reserve and non-intermeddIing.- -
Every time beheld the broken, rude
tomahawh, the edge Of my investigat-
ing qualities grew far more keen than
that Of the mysterious weapon itself,
cutting deep incisions into all those
weak shields Of defence with which I
had enveloped myself.
Time, the great tmodifier, might have
enabled me to triumph over temptation
but for one circumstance. IcalIed one
afternoon and found my friend sweep
ing and arranging her room. SIZE
looked very charming, with her saucy
little white apron, her sleeves rolled up
displaying a finely moulded pair Of
white arms. Her delicate hand handled
the broom with mir litable grace. Her
face was flushed fro the exercise, and
l paused at the doorway to admire the
domestic picture, saying inwardly,
"Mr. Whitemarsh indeed has a treas
ure In his wife"
Ny friend greeted me kindly and ac-
eepted my offer of aid, saying that |
might dust and arrange the mantel.-
My eye fell on the grim, battered stone
hatchet, and instantly my curiosity
quivered with q lively and irrepressi-
bic desire 10 learn the history Of the
horrible relic. / could not avoid re-
marking that the stone was q queer
one, and added no beauty to the effect
in the mantel arrangement. My
friends face blanched, and her voice
trembled, as she mentioned that It was
an Indian.relic of some antiquity con-
nected with De Soto's expedition.
j ventured the statement that was
n d sufficiently antiquarian In my taste |
to treasure ugly broken stones: and
that the mantel would be much i'm. |
proved If the relic was discarded.
My friend with much embarrassment l.
said 1t was valuable in her eyes; and
there ensued an awkward pause.
l felt that had been led Into unwar-
rantable impertinence. Arranging the
bade adieu to my neigh
Ior aud returned to my solitary home; l.
put my peace was gone. k
was prey to torturing curiosity,
Wy friends mysterious department II
vas gunpower that had exploded ell
ny investiture of self control. II
The wild desire to penetrate the se- &
ret pushed aside all other considera-
ions. Ieould not sleep. How to elu. IL
'idate the mystery was the tAntaliz- K
ng question. lis
I darednot approach my frieni on /
he subject again; and ] was sureI could Is
lot enter her house and restrain my Is
elf. I kBpt closely at home; but the t
latCh0t haunted me like spectre. Mylh
rain sprang into the most togturing s
ctIvity.A Ia
Ireu natures sweet restoTcr,
Notwithstanding all the coaxing In my 4
Ower, pefsisteItly refused her balm I !,
o sooner closed my weary eyelids than 4
hapes Of hideous savages with cleft ii
ndgory heads appeared, traced in fiery /,
mes, and gihbereaat nle. / could al II
lOst hear the rattle of their skeleton 4
lws a. they opened aid closed with q Z
nap h their pantontimic efforts tolh
peak to me. !,
] Ihecarne 50 timid that the THOUGHT II
being alone DC night was intOlerable. X,
lost my appetite nnd felt as If my y
nifty was fast departing. Ithad been 3
week OF two since / saw my friend, 4.
hen ] received 4 note inQuiring why
had deserted her and expressing q n
Dpe thai 1 was well and would visit A
sr very soon. Ireplled to the billet =
ying was not III, and would call err n
no