Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-01-10

suppose so. He usually goes
away at eight, and that is the train that
Belle took"
Mr.. Granger was on the point OF tell
ing his wife the whole story, but on
second thought restrained his impulse,
Sure, in his own fatherly confidence in
his gentle, modest child, that there was
some mistake admitting of explanation,
he said nothing. After all, it was sub
ject for congratulation that none of the
busybodies of Myrtieville had invaded
the sick-room, and he easily made some
trivial excuse for going out again. He
was determined to sift the gossip thor
oushly before alarming the invalid, and
the first visit was to the telegraph office
at the railway station.
els Belle at your house p flashed
over the wires, and was carried to q
handsome house in town.
Yes. Will be down by the next
train, was the answer; for poor Belle
imagined there was death or frightful
illness to cause her fathers message,
when q visit to her aunt was so COM
mon an occurrence.
Satisfied on this point, Mr.. Granger
quietly waited till the train came in,
walked up the street with his daughter
on his arm, left her at home and started
out to defy all Myrtleville.
From house to house he travelled with
exemplary patience, and followed the
snake-like coils of the story, till he met
Mrs. Sawyer, who, earnestly assured
him:
"lNIrs. Seymour and Mrs. Kitely
were in the sitting room as II came in
in the back-way through the kitchen.
They were talking, and just.as got to
the door Mrs. Seymour told Mrs Kitely
that her son and Belle Granger had
eloped. They saw me then, and Mrs.
Seymour said, very carelessly: Here
are the morning papers, Mrs. Kitely,
just to change the conversation.
"And you rushed off to carry the
news all over Myrtleville," said Mr.
Granger.
Well, thought it must be true,
from such an authority"
/" Phsaw! You misunderstood what
was said"
"I tell you I heard her as plain as 1
hear you now"
Telling Mrs. Kitely her son and my
daughter had eloped ?"
eyes. I'd swear it on my OATH, -
said Mrs. Sawyer, as if there were sew
eral other ways of swearing, if she chose
to take her choice.
Suppose you step over to Mrs. Kite
leys with me?"
"Well l will"
But to Mrs, Sawyer's discontinue,
Mrs. Kitely denied the story entirely
Mrs. Seymour had never given her any
such information, either in confidence
or otherwise.
Mrs. Sawyer tearfully persisted in
her story; and, finally, the trio went to
Mrs. Seymour's.
The hero of the story was by this
time at home, and eating his supper
when the visitors entered.
It was an awkard story to tell, but it
was told; and Mrs. Seymour's face was
a picture of indignant surprise.
"Iw she cried, II say my Fred had
eloped with Belle Granger! Why Mrs.
Sawyer, you must be dreaming!"
You said so. heard YOU sobbed
the widow.
"Said what!'
"You said distinctly Belle Grain
ger ran away with my son, this morn
ing.
At this point Mrs. Seymour burst in
fit of uncomfortable laughter, to tho
CONSERVATION of her audience.
She laughed till she was obliged to
wipe the tears from her eyes; when,
catching sight of Mr.. Grainger's dis
turbed face, she said, with sudden gray
ity:
Pardon me, Mr.. Granger. l see
1 have most innocently caused you Sc
rious annoyance. The truth is this
Fred, as you know, has all the morning
papers sent to him by the early train
and many Of the neighbors come in to
borrow them. Mis-. Kitely always likes
to see the Sun, and I save it for her;
but this morning your daughter on her
way to the station borrowed paper to
Il, hn