American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-07-25
VOL. XIV.

So now she went up the wide, flower
bordered walk leading to DIR. Seacrcst'
| stately doorway with the assurance of ;
welcome guest, and, tapping confidently
on the open door, stepped in with ii LITTLE
nod and courtesy as much of respect t'
herself as of Difference to Mrs Scacres
and her daughter, Miriam, sitting sewing
and looking as tranquil as though no storm
had ever passed over either vineyard Oh
spirit.
Dear me, Is it you, Mrs. Woodcock
| How YOU started mel Come in. We
were speaking of you not half an houi
| ago." cried Mrs. Seacrest who was a live
| ly, cordial woman, as round and flushed
as a poppy, and always sitting in the
| sunshine, no matter what clouds there
might be in the sky.
| Mrs Woodcock came in. Quite Il
shower we have had" said she, dropping
upon a velvet sofa with an air of being
much at home on velvet. Il noticed
as came along Mr.. Hurlbert's oats are
beaten fiat, and l shouldn't wonder if
good deal of injury was done by the
hail"
Every likely" replied Mrs. Seacrcst,
serenely 1.-The hailstones were very
large. But it has come off beautifully
| now, and the air seems so much purer
| after the storm"
Some people might have felt put aside
at this but not Mrs. WoodcOck. She
perceived that something lay under this
placid surface, and, never being troubled
by excess of delicacy, proceeded at once
to send out her blood-hounds.
How was it here?" said she, bold
ly. Anything damaged about your
grounds."
"The dahlias, some of them were
broken off--didn't father say?" responded
Mrs Seacrest, appealing to her daughter.
And / think some glass was broken in
the hot house. The doctor has just or
dered different style of sash, SO these
are out of the way just in time"
Everything was always fish that came
to Mrs. Seacrest's net.
"'Tisn't that" said Mrs. Woodcock to
herself. Something heavier than hail
stones is on her mind"
So she started another trail.
Heard from Earnest lately:" she
asked
Not very long SINCE" replied Mrs
Seacrest, carelessly, but with the faint
est shadow of shade slipping across her
sunny face for an instant.
THAT is it." said the visitor, inwardly
nodding approvingly to herself For it
is not everybody who would have had
the skill to touch upon the sore spot so
soon.
But before she had decided on her next
question Mrs. Seacrest spoke again.
1--WE are expecting him home soon,
Mrs. Woodcock, with his wife"
"His wife, cried Mrs. WOodcock.
Even with her discerning foresight
she was not prepared for this announce
ment, Earnest Seacrest being yet IA I'M
ior in the State University.
Miriam looked steadily upon her work,
flushing with look of painful annoy
ance, but her mothers tone was as
blithe as ever.
Yes" said she; Earnest is young.
isn't heg But, after all, he is as old as
was when married. Our children take
us by surprise coming to be men and
women SO much sooner than we expect"
"When do you look for him-them?"
faltered Mrs. WOOdcOck, too much be
wiIdered for her usual aptness of ques-
tiODing.
almost at any time; shall not be
surprised if they come today" answered
Mrs. Seacrest, not able to conceal some
nervous dread.
Not dread that the married pair
might arrive before Mrs. Woodcock
should go away with her long ears, deep
eyes and broad tongue. Oh, no, Mrs.
WOOdcOck would have scOrned herself
with cOntemptuous scOrning if such an
unworthy jealousy had crossed her self:
assured mind.
So she sat, and sat, and sat, while Mrs.
Seacrest sewed, and sewed, and sewcd
and sewed.
slow torture, soon found an GRAND to
her chamber, and found no reason for
returning.
WASN'T your sons marriage a little
sudden to your" asked Mrs. WoodcOck,
as soon as she had collected her ideas.
Somewhat. But it is so much better
for a young man to settle upon some one
than to fall into the habit of flirting re-
piled Mrs. Seacrest, with cheerful salts
faction. "And l have always been in
favor of early marriages. When people
wait till their habits are crystalliZed it is
much harder adapting themselves"
Mrs. Seacrest's sentence was brought
to an untimely end by the stoppage of a
carriage at the gate-the doctors car
rage, too, with the doctor himself to
drive.
$50 it SEEMS she knew all the time
they wereeoming this very day, though
she made IL so vague. And there was |,
as my good fortune would have it, right
in the midst of the homecoming" said
Mrs. WoOdcOck afterward, in relating
the story to MademOisclle Widgcr.
Mademoiselle Widger was the milliner
who lived only three doors from Mrs.
WoodcOck's, and said Mon Dieu," to
appear like French woman. She was
equally fond of cup of tea and a dish of
gossip, and made all Mrs. WoodcOck's
bOnnets for nothing.
$50 there l sat and saw it ALL" pur
sued Mrs WOodcock "And what do you
think. Mademoiselle, but Earnest came
in with lady on his arm older than his
mother. Ny wife, said he, and you
might have knocked me over with one of
your feather peoples. There never was
such a surprise in ThrOckmOrtOn before"
Mon Dieu!" cried mademoiselle, with
little foreign scream. did you learn
howN happened?"
No more than the dead" replied Mrs
Woodcock, solemnly MRS. Seacrest
away manner, but she couldn't deceive
me. | could see she had hard work to
keep her feeling in But there she poured
the tea and passed the cake to that old
thing as smiling moon. She is such
hand to cover up and make as every
thing is Just right that happens to her"
so you staid to lunch?" queried mad
emoise1le, helping herself to IA third cup
of beverage from Mrs. Woodcock's round
black pot as she spoke.
"Ies, they asked me and didn't wait
to be deemed. ! thought il would be IL
good chance to see the bride, how she
looked and how she appeared"
"Well, how was it, asked the MILL
ner, between her sips of tea.
"She appeared well enough, as far AS
that went, if she hadn't seemed old
enough to be his grandmother. You know
Earnest is master young-looking for his
years, and don't suppose he is ii day