Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-04-11
MMisfflIaneous. g
Franks Stratagem.
BY FLORENCE v. r. BROWNE.
CHAPTER l..

MISS AHanla htipournc was iortv,
or professe TO be. With a lady. veraci.
ty on that point is generally good SO
we will chronicle her as four times ten
Forty summers had left wonderful
bloom on her cheek or else it was
rabbits paw lightly touched to a mvs-
;erious pink powder, in an oval box
with lid all covered with gilt and
French words, and conveyed there.
from 10 the sallow cheek Of the youth.
ful Miss Amanda. Her teeth looked
splendidly. She said il was natural TO
the family; her fathers teeth were all
sound when he died, At the advanced
age OF seventy. SO most Of people
envied her that natural beauty Of her
family-a set Of splendid teeth, but |
learned she paid money for them and
spirits, that walk when
Night. driven along by the hours. has
reached the middle OF its orbit"
would back me up IN the assertion, had
they taken an airy stroll through Miss
Melbourne's chamber, at that hobeob-
lin hour; for there they repssed in a
tumblcr Of cold water, every night, on
table near her bed. She was very
cautious to placc. the. %japbosa; TOT |
Verify believe she would have persisted
in the flames rather than let the world
know her strong. sound teeth decayed
and dropped out in a single night! :.
And then those tresses! black, gios-
sy and heavy. She sported . waterfall.
too, Miss Amanda did, yoluminous as
any girl at seventeen but the water
fall, with its beaded net, decked the
aforesaid stand, each night also, and a
front piece coiled itself around the
aforesaid tumbler.
There was another article that ming
led with the group Of "make-ups," on
that stand. There was pair OF them.
will tell you how l learned the
above. One morning had risen ear
ly, and stepped from my window TO
tbs roof Of the piazza, and went round
TO her sleeping room window. 1t was
very warm weather, and Miss Mel
bourne had been SO ind;screet as to
leave her window open and curtain up.
So ! opened the blinds to bid her good
morning and o horror! there lay an
old lady, white-headed, toothless,
cheekless, l might almost say, for there
were two deep holes where her cheeks
usually were. The sun shone full up
ON her ssllow face, and kissed her
white eyebrows, and hastily closed
the blinds for fear of awakening her
and hurried back to my apartments.
The array on the stand had not escap
ed nv eve, and had not seen them
should have been in great doubt
whether that great grandmother look
ing woman WAS Miss Melbourne, forty
or some ancient, dilapidated relation
of whose arrival had net learned
But knew the teeth, the graduated
beads on that net, etc., but what il
the name of Art, was that pair o
things beside them!
Curiosity was strong ut eighteen, S,
taking of my slippers, l glided roune
to her window again, and peere'
through the blinds.
Miss Melbourne was sitting on tn
edge Of the bed. trying 70 shake OF
deaths counterfeit" by rubbing he
eyes and giving musical little yawns-
occasionally varying the performsno
by strokiny her shoulder, as II coaxin
off the rheumatism.
At this juncture my handkerchie
had almost disappeared, in my moutt
,, and both hands were oispped to IN
. sides, to prevent explosion whio
might give warning TO the enemy tn,
l was 10 ambush; for was bound +,
discover where that pair of pear-shay
= ed, gutta-percha articles went, on Mi
Melbourne.
While waiting for that denou
msnt, l beheld what surprised me sti
more. As l live, Miss Melbourl
reached down and brought ffon und'
e the bed-an artificial leg ! alway
noticed fault about her walk, but
thought it an attempt at the "Greci'
wiggle," so fashionable nowadays.
r A. this juncture was shaking VII
bly,, and the handkerchief perform,
but half duty, for te-he was audih
several times. Just then appear
my dear Frank, in the garden belo
and commenced pelting me with grs,
stones. Saucy fellow to take savs
tage of my powerless position.
sGoOd-morning,' he shouted; but
only shook my head at him, aud plse
' my fingers on my lips.
What are you doing at that windo
where's your slippers!' were questio
]. which followed, when l enjoined
lence.
Turning round to give him troy
, and show my displeasure in the N
efficient and silent manner, beh