Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-07-20
BEsSY HAY.

i Ing against the mOssy trunk OF the
| pegr tree, twisting a stem Of blue
beis in his hand. - .i
II know Pm poor, Bessy'," he
said, resuming conversation which
had apparently lApsed into silence
for a.smoment or so; ''but l suppose
poor people have a right 70 live and
be happy as well as rich ones"
Il suppose 30 too, Paul.
"And am sure am willing to
work, IL 1 only could find something
10 do" ....- -..-,
Bessy glanced dSprecAtingly at him.
"Mr. Elton waats some one to
take the farm and work it,
''That is mere druigery, and, be-
sides, the pay would Aot enable me
TO marry and support wife COM
fortably."
''We could wait, Paul.
"You are very willing said the
young man, bitterly. 81 don't be-
lieve, Bessy, that you ca.re for me as
do for you"
"Ok, Paull'' T
And panied look came over the
fair young face.
'sWeIl, then, what do you think of
being tutor 10 Mr.. Sinclair's little
| boysf" ..
'1Thank you; 1 don't fancy the
idea OF being a tOad-eater to a POM
pous aristocrat like Henry Sinclair"
''But, Paul, we can't always do
and be what we like in this world"
pleaded Bessy, with q troubled look
shining in her tender, garnet-brown
eyes 1---
''Easy philosophy for youP
And the young man flung down
his stem Of blue-bells.
al suppose you would like 10 have
me break stones upon the roads.
thought you at least could sympa-
thize with the feelings of gentle
man, Il
$50 1 do, Paul; but 1 believe in
the scripture doctrine of a mans
doing with all his might whatever
his hands find to do"
81 see how IL is" said Paul Est
colt, haughtily; "you are weary of
our engagement; you want to break
the worldly fetters that bind you
Very well; so let it be. You are
freei"
And he strOde away over the high
grass, muttering 10 himself some-
thing about "having suspected how
it would turn out, ever since Norton
Van Brugh had come down from
London 10 sketch the scenery aud
turn the heads of all the girls"
Bessy Hay made step or two to
oYertake him, but she checked her
self in an instant, with a scarlet
stain on her cheek and a gathering
mist in her eyes.
Gle ought TO knew better,r she
thought, .fahd he does. No; l will
not follow him He viii come back
to me when the mOmentary pique
has worn itself away"
In the mean time Paul, vaulting
over theslOw stone wall few PAGES
below, had very nearly stumbled |
over the PROSTATE form Of man " |
ing among the red clover blossoms,
in the island of shade cast by an um- |
bragoous tree, and reading.
''Mr. Van Brugh."
The young man glanced up with |
4 sort Of lazy scorn showing under |
his long kark eye-lashes. Paul bit /
his lip
Engaged in the noble occupation
of eaVesdroping, eh?' be uttered.
"Come now, Estcott, don't be /
crusty; / didn't mean to overhear /
your conversation; but what was a /
fellow TO do2 This is the ioiliest |
place on the whole farm, and / |
wasn't TO blame because Miss Hay |
came out, looking like her shadow. |
Come, let's go down by the trout |
stream, and talk over matters and !
things in general. Are you really |
in earnest about wanting something |
to do?"
"Of course 1 am.n
HTheR suppose You just glance
over this letter Ireceived this morn
ing from my uncle. I've no idea Of
expatriating myself among the pig-
tailed celestials fer all the fortunes
that ever were made But for an
ambitious man-read that letter,
that's all"
Paul Estcott Obeyed, almost daz-
zled by the bBilliant prospect il
seemed TO open to him.
''DO you really give me the privi-
lege Of accepting or refusing this
situationG" he exclaimed.
81 really do; and, considering that
I don't want it myself, it is no very
great stretch Of generosity on my
part Only, you see, you have to
decide at once, and be in the city to
report yourself at my uncle's count
in9-house within four and twenty
hours"
Paul sprang up, flushed and eager.
sPll do IL. PIl show Bessy Hay
that am no do-nothing after all,
when a motive really worth my
while presents itself. But" glanc-
ing at his old-fashioned silver
watch, which contrasted so marked
ly with Mr.. Van Brugh's elegant
! full-jewelled chronometer, 81 have
no time to lose"
t1Not aisecond."
EfBut my trunk?"
"YOu can get what you need in
town; my uncle supplies the oub4it."
"And Bessy?"
Write to her tonight; my uncle
will forward the letter under cover
to me, and 1 will see that she gets
it."
Paul Estcott wrung his eompan-
ions hand.
'TYou are very kind" he said,
huskily. 81 had almost grown TO
regard you With,distrust."
Van Brugh laughed, showing his
dainty, pearl-white teeth under
brown mnstache.
Never Judge by appearances, he
said. "Take my word for it, Miss
Hay will excuse all lack OF ceremony
when she learns all"
Mr.. Van Brugh accompanied Paul
to the railway station, and saw him
of with a smilingly uttered prOfu-
sion of good wishes.
''The best friend 2 fellow ever
had" thought Paul as the train
moved off.
| But he could not see the sardonic
grin into which the curves of the
farewell smile altered when the lit
tie country station was left once
more to silence and loneliness.
"Now." said Norton Van Brugh,
81 shall have the field all to mvself.
Strange how fascinated / have al
lowed myself to become with a
mere country grill But there GER
tainly is something winning in her
type of beauty"
Bessy Hay never answered Paul
Estcott's letter; nor did the latter
once suspect that it was because Mr..
Van Brugh never had delivered il.
| Paul, firing up under the feYered
impulse of his old enemy, jealousy,
took refuge in silence. Nor did a
long epistle from his Aunt Jemima,
which contained more news-possi-
bic, probable and impossible-than
any government bulletin, serve 10
cool the flames.
"Folks say" wrote the epistolary
spinster, 'sthat Eliza Hay is going
to marry the WidOWer. Sinclair. he