The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-08-01
Aunt Myrtilla gave a deep groan.


a clean pocket handkerchief, no matter
if the old one isn't soiled a whit. Think
of the weeks wash, my dearl And a
fresh napkin every day, and silver
fork" .3rsa ~ aaE7- 1ete ,7st ..'
"Quite dreadful" said Berry, with
glittering eyes of mischief. - -
"And Desire thinks he dyes his hair, Z"
went on Miss Myrtilla, and" 5
Nonsense" cried Berry, &c don't
believe a word of it. He is true, all the
way through, or should never have
listened to him." r. 2 at'
And I've thought all along his teeth
wera too white and even to be real, :"
said Aunt Myrtilla, maliciously, Though
they do make such dreadful things nat
ural nowadays"
Bernice Nellis turned around with q
disturbed look upon her face.
"Aunt My1tilla, said she, ''if 1 be-
lieved he could be false, even in one
single respect, should despise him."
And she swept out of the room, leav-
ing the china only half washed. Aunt
Myrtilla chuckled to herself as she took
UP milk pan of fresh cherries to stone.
Wen circumvent him yet," said the
old maid to herself. "Not that I've
got anything against Richard Elsley in
partic'lar, but 1 don't approve of get
tin married anyway. Men amt worth
it; and if all the gals was of my opin-
ion they'd soon find their level. Berry's
good deal better off here to home,
with me and her uncle Eben."
The tea-table was Just cleared off that
evening, and Bernice, with her straw fiat
tied over her ears, and little white
muslin scarf thrown over her shoulders,
was setting out for pleasant twilight
stroll through the fragrant aisles of the
cool July woods, when the accent of an
unusual voice in the keeping
struck on her ear.
"I wonder who that is?" said Berry
to herself. I" It must be, it is Desire
Dutton %
just then the door opened and Aunt
Myrtilla called out: 49,
berry! Bernice! Where are you?"
"I am here, Aunt Myrtilla."
"Jnst you come here. We've found
him ont. We've settled him-me and
Desire"
Found whom out Settled whom 2"
questioned Berry, with singular COM
mingling of laughter and vexation about
her voice and brown and violet shining
eyes.
Desire Dutton, tall and lank old
maid, with fishy blue eyes, a knot of
hair pinned at the back of her head,
and wrinkles of exclamation and inter-
rogation all over her long face, sat close
to the window with paper in her hand.
Fat, cozy Aunt Myrtilla, whose double
chin shook like a mound of jelly at
every motion, bent over her. And Ber-
ry, in the doorway, looked from one to
the other with mute inquiring glance.
HE wears wig !" ssshrieked Aunt
Myrtiila. "Three of EN-"
"He wears false whiskers |" croaked
Desire.
"a designing villain I wouldn't mar
ry him not to be made Queen of Eng
land - breathlessly added Miss Desire,
whose general style would not have
added grace to the steps of a throne.
"But where is the proof of all this ?"
asked Bernice, little bewildered. And
Aunt Myrtilla held up crumpled bit
of paper.
"One of his bills p she gasped. "De-
sire found it under the table. Read
only read and you will be convinced"
And Bernice read:
To Joseph Mylette, Hsir-dresser, etc.
Mr. Richard Gay Elsley.
To three wigs. $500
To three pairs whiskers. .......... 2.75
Received payment, J. MYLETTE.
There" cried Aunt Myrtella.
"There," echoed Miss Duttcn in
sort of gruff contralto.
"Well," cried Berry, tossing back her
ringlets, and hosting the crimson sig
nal of defiance on both fair cheeks,
"what of it? What is this to me ?"
And the two old maids were Temporal
rily silenced by this sudden turning of
their prey.
"f he chooses to wear sixteen pairs
of whiskers at one time, and all of 'em
false, it's nothing to me" added Berry.
And then, with singular Inconsistency,
she began to cry.
you'll never see him again, dear,
said Mrs. Myrtilla, coaxingly.
No, never! never /" sobbed poor
Berry. "And believed him SO good
SO true-so noble p M
IBID you really think that OF me,
dearest 2"
All three started at the sonnd of Mr..
Elsley's calm, perfectly modulated voice
Berry most Of all sr4 rtEr
"Go away, man. screamed Aunt
Myrtilla, lowering over her niece like an
old hen over a brood OF hawk-threatened
chickens. =
Take your false whiskers away from
here, and your wigsi" cried Miss De-
sire.
SIS this bill yours, sir ?" said Berry,
with all the dignity she knew how to