The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-07-12
A NOVEL SPOILED.
BY KATE ". HAMILTON.


The hcorinc was not beautiful, 10 Ucgi
with, not queenly, not in any wise remarks
BILE She was Just Il plump, wusome it'll
maiden, and she stood at the garden gate, thj
mOonlit Sunday evening, with an air the yer
reverse of stateIincSs and Composurc pullin
leaves from the rosc-bush near by with ne
youS, tluttcring fingers that did notcyca kno-
when the thorns prlckcd them.
Outside the gate was Il tail figure, Il fac
bronzcd and bearded and low voice utterin
words half pleading, half rc-cuttul. Their
was moments pause, then the voice qucs
toned, with dash of bitterness
Shall go, Maggie 2"
Just as YOU please, Mr. Clifford" where
upon the queStioner turned suddenly ubou
and strobe rapidly down the country road
crushing the gittering sand under his feet
while Maggie sped into the house up to he
room, and boltcd her door, as if afraid o
being pursued She peeped through the win
dow from behind the curtain until the lionel,
pedestrian on The quiet road had vanished
from sight; then she assured herself that Il
Tom chose to act SO--so--She didn't care, .
and proved her utter indifference by buryin.
her face in her pillow with burst of sobe
and entire lorgcttulncss Of the pansics in he
pretty hat
They had quarreed about nOthing-at lea,
she couldn't remember what il began with
but, OF course, it was all over between them
now, and she would 90 away as she had said
She wondered, as she lay with her flushed,
fearful face turned toward the stars, how it
would seem 70 die that night and 90 away
from 1t all. Wouldn't somebody be sorry
then She almost wished she could do it.
not quite, because one doesn't like to ,tup in
the middle Of a story, even if it i ones own
and, besides, what good would his rcmorse DO
her if She was 50 She could never know any.
anything about II.
Tom, on his homeward walk discour,ed
iuriously 10 himself on the hcklencss and prc.
vcrsity of all woman.kind. Not one of the
whole race worth breaking fellows heart
Tor he remarked Sayagcly. though with a
queer little CULVER about the lips the while
One hing was certain he would not STAY
moping there. The world was wide. and
mere was nothing now to hold him back He
"snld resign his place in the village store,
ana JON the party for Arizona Yes, hc
YOU'D take the first train for the city and tell
Co!lcr he would 90; there wa, fortunately
time enough for that yet, and if It Ieft brief
space Tor preparation, So much the better.
he would not wait for people 10 change their
opinion, he thought, fancyinc that by .yco..
pie he meant Miss Maggie. but, in reality,
Icel!ng more t1ltcring Of purpose in a near
or party.
Let The Sunday night be what il NAV, Mon
DAY morning follows it all the same. Maggie
"as glad that 1t was Monday morning, since
IL leit her nj liberty to sit with her sewing in
Il quiet corner by window, unGuc,tioned
and undlsturbcd, while busy Aunt Polly
would allow no inexperienced finger, 10 IN.
lermcddlc in her washing, and lame Aunt
Becky, who always would STAY whrro pnjiy
was, were ia the kitchen adjoininr
NO ordinary kitchen was This, ,fr,minr |
soapy, disconsolatc, but large. pleasant. iiiy
room, where Aunt Becky could enioy her
armchair and her knitting together with
Aunt Polly's discourse. The latter lady was
laxative on wash.day. Possibly !
being surrounded by tubs and pilcs Of linen F,
suggested, vaguely, a pulpit or speakers
stand, or perhaps having had all Sunday to'
think in, her opinions needed shaking out
and smoothing before they were laid away
for the week. At any rate, Miss Polly had il
way Of doin" mp the world and her washing
together.
Most through washing, Polly" question.
I'd Miss Becky, as She always did every half
hour.
Cant say am" responded Mis-, Polly,
with a snap that shook out a pair Of vet hose
and her words at the same time; mot unless
! view my WaShin' the way these new style
poets do the robe of righteousness, and think
a mighty little is the whole ont One clean
,toCkin' is enough, 'cordin' to them No
matter how much mud Il body has gone into
% he's managed to keep one foot out don't
b'licvc no >uch!'
Why, of course; TO be sure" admitted
Miss Becky, with mild indofini;cnc,s.
Curious what kinds of folks this world
does hold, anyhow" pursued Miss Polly
gazing mcdtatiycly into the depths of her
tub. There's them that has health ON the
brain, nOw-not that their brains j, 50 par.
tic'lar healthy neither, that know of; but
they're always talkin' about it, You must do
This, and you mustn't do rother Tor feaIyOu'll
-pile your constitution and all your bylaws.
some of 'cm says It's SIN to he sick Pears
TO me, if that's 80, the sicker you get the
you must be- and dyin' would seem
litter to send people TO the penitentiary than
70 heaven limakes things look considerable
mixed"
There The railroad sma,l-up>, Polly
suggested Ms, Becky allcyiaiingly.
"Humph, Well, 1 should think there was.
But everybody can't expect 60 get killed that
gay. thou h the companies offer great induce
nents,'" muttcrcd Miss Polly
"Say, Aunt Polly. can't sail ships in your
ub." interposed small voice; and par Of
,luc eyes and "a head OF tangled yclloR curls
appeared in the doorway.
But Miss Polly was too busy Ia notice. even
when the little navigator took silence for con
ent. and plunged into her rinse water with
is treasurers In this general Strengthening
10 of her mental pantry, she had at tha' mo
ient found another article 90 be labeled and
ut away.
aAll sorts 10 makea world. should think
D., There's them reformin' women Hbrt 90