The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1873-02-22
THE SPINSTER'S SECRET.
DY AMY RkNDoLrH.

son, oh ?" said Mu Barbara Rock,
bury,-giving a spiteful twist to the
bow Of blue ribbon she was iasten-
ing on tho front Of jockey,--"well,
| knew all that paintin,' and paperin,'
aud tixin' up meant something =
Hand me the scissors, Stella. And
who are they ~"
Stella Rookbdry was yet painting
with the haste with which she had
sped home to the Millinery aud
Drsssmaking" establishment to rc>
port the precious Bit of gossip she
had picked up.
"There was a gentleman, and 4
lady, and three little children, and n
nurse and a baby. Mrs. Drownson
called 'enl Severn. | guess, from
the marks on their trunks, they're
Now York folks"
Miss Barbara embraced the frat
xouse that presented itself for a
walk to the village, selecting the
road that led past the Brownsou
farmhouse, to get a peep, If posi-
bio at the "ci!y boarders.'
"Ds come in and rest, Miss Bar
by-you look main tired,' said
nlotherly Mrs. Brownson, who was
hulling Strawberries by the kitchen
window. l v.n Is "a
"Well, don't care if | do,' said
the spinster, secretly overjoyed.
For, through the widc-Opsn hall
doors, she caughta glimpse of the
Getty boarders' reclining on the vel
vet grass OF the back meadow,
where a wide-sprsading buttsrnut
tree cast a moving canopy Of sba-
dow across the rippling tidcs Of sun-
shine.
$50 them's your boardors, hsy?'
said Miss Bsrby, sbstractedly help
ing herself toa handful OF straw
berries.
"Therns EN-" said Mrs. Brown
son, with more attention to perspi-
Guilty than to grammar. es
"And where's Mr.. Severn
"Comin' up from the city in tho
afternoon train. Let me get you a
| linlc cream to eat with your berries,
Miss Barby, and . sprinkle of su'
gsr3" y
81 think it's dreadful unbecomin
for a married lady 10 wear culls and
white dresses like Mrs. Severn
said Barby, with her mouth full O.
strawberries and cream, n,-"dcn't
your ah H.
"Well--no--not vixen they're
young aud pretty, like her. i
wouldn't do for you and ne, who "
seen our bost days, Miss Barby,
ans sered Mrs. Brownson, al un
conscious Of the spinster's vince.
II guess I'd better bo moyin',
lid Barbara, with acsrbity, as sh'
rosa. - .. .
"Havs a few more berries!"
"Ns, | thank .ye--they amt rip'
> enough to suit my taste, and tn
creams little turnsd--I s'pose it
the hot whether. / gue's III g
down through the back LOFTS
j, kind O short cut"
Z "Do," said Ms. Brownson,
little tli,comfted, "nnd maybe you
meet Lucy comm from the villag'
; l sent her down for half q dozs
yards Of shirtin' muslin
u Barbara took occasion to indulg
herself in q good long stare, as sb
passed tho grsup upoa ths lawl
: Mrs. Severn glanced up, innocsntI.
a. but turned The next instant 10 h'
: rosy little girls. .it.
"Ksep your hat OH, Sylvie; VII,
will papa say to sunburnsd lit
girl =
"hamma, il 10 SO lonely withol
papa, exclaimed Tie second chill
a chubby checked lassis Of six yea
Y old. "When Is he coming?'
i. But Miss Barbara lost the answ,
:, in the cracklc of a dead bongh nj
y dernsath her feet, and she sped o
J, wondering how much Mrs. Severn
% carbunclc earrings cost. Miss Ba
p by liked to reduce her little wor
!, = to dollars and cents as much rs po
be sible. :" ~ a'l'
er As she emerged eutof Farm
., ., Brownson's clover meadow into Il
ID ID road that led directly to the villsg
Ae under the over-xrcbing shadow
mapls trees and bending elms, d