The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-05-14
TIT FOR TAT.

-Sc,i6nsr's Monthly.
TIT FOR TAT.
Eunice Bateman was sitting at the par
lor window working on muslin dress, q
thing Of infinitesimal tucks and ruff1es.
Her mother, a fat and fair lady of forty.
five sat opposite, talking to an afternoon
visitor, spinster of her neighbOrhood.
Both takers were also busted with sew
ing.
"Well, Nix" said the spinster, giving
Eunice glance as she shifted needles,
II suppose you and the doctor will 60 to
the parish picnic next week."
Nix supposed So" in nonchalant fash
ion, as she brushed the curls ont of her
eyes and settled q ruffle straighter.
Getting that dress ready for the &C.
casinn, aren't you?"
Mot particularly" Nix answered, with
shug of her shoulders that betokened
impotence of the questioning. Nix was
not especially fond of Miss Clarke.
"Well, well, l wouldn't spend too
much precious time over dresses. The
doctors sure to think you pretty what
ever you wear, and you shouldn't think
too highly of the opinion of other gentle
men. When girls engaged"
Nix flushed with anger and gave the
muslin dress an impatient witch as she
responded:
I'm not in the habit of thinking too
much Of gentlemen's opinion of me, Miss
Clarke. l suppose if girl is engaged
she can still try to make herself look
nicely"
speaking of the DOCTOR" said Mrs.
Bateman, there comes his Office boy
now-wlth note for you, Nix, guess.
Sit still; I'll open the door,"
Mrs. Bateman presently re.entered, and
tossed q sealed note into Nix's lap, with
the remark, II told you So"
The latter took it up, her round cheeks
deepening somewhat in color, for her en-
gagement was yet only q month old,
opened and read it, watched by the curl
Gus eyes of bliss Clarke. The letter was
in a bold, careless handwriting, and ran
thus:
Ny DEAB NIx1D--rm called away to the city
suddenly and have but five minutes to write you
in. Its consultation case. hope to be back BY
sunday. At any rate shall be on hand for the
Tuesday picnic I've only known Of going with;
hidden you good-by. week Seems long time
to be away. Be q good little girl, and write to me
every day, or shall throw up the case and come
home TO you. Yours hastily, but In all affection,
JAMES.
P; s.-Read the inclo.ed clip Of paper; you will
find news in it.
The printed slip had fallen to the floor
Nix reached for il with a girls eager curl
osity and read, with dilating eyes, one of
the quack advertisements of the day:
Use John.on's cream-white for the complexion.
I Warranted to remove freckles and blotches.
Sold by all druggists.
Nix read this paragraph through three
or tour times with such q blank look of
wonder on her face that the attention of
her two companions was attracted. She
finally calculated, after the fifth reading,
finding the advertisement still riddle
"What does this mean"
Mean? WHAT" exclaimed the Gu
rious spinster, dropping her knitting.
er.
But Nix was too busy with her own
wonderment and conjectures to reply. She
sat with the slip still in her hand, staring
straight before her, only reiterat!ng with
additional emphasis
"What can it mean"
There was large, old-fashioned mirror
on the opposite wall, and just at this mo-
ment Nix's puzzled eyes caught the re-
Election of herself therein-a clear refec-
ton, made more vivid by the slant rays
of the afternoon sun that fell upon her.
In an instant her cheeks, brow and neck
were suffused by an angry tide of Grim
son. The little hands that had held the
slip of paper loosely tore it into pieces
with sudden and savage spite, and, for
getting Miss Clarke, she exclaimed, pas
sionately:
"l'll never speak to him again
neverw
''Eunice Bateman!". y.,.
Her mothers surprise could not ex.
press itself more strongly. Miss Clarke's
pale blue eyes cleaned behind their spec
tacles as she calculated:
"What on earth has happened"
Nix shook the bits ofpaper through the
window with trembling hands. Half of
them went on the carpet, but her eyes
were too full of tears to note it.
81 don't care. The impertinent wretch
How did he ever dare! He claiming to
be a gentleman, too! I'll make him sorry
for this, or my name is not Eunice Bate
manr
Nix went on with perfect flood tide OF
attempts to check her and Miss Narke'a
supplementary ordinations. It was not
until the latter, rendered incautious by
eagerness, asked for the third time: But
what was on the paper, anyway, Nix?"
that she stopped short in her angry speech
and, tossing the muslin dress ON the floor
in heap, ran out Of the room without =
word OF answer. &
Poor Nix! Her feelings were not ami
able as she sat down before the'mirf0r in
her own little room, dashed away the
tears, pushed away the curls, and took q
long look at the dimpled face that had
seemed SO satisfactorily pretty an hour
before. The brow, the bridge of the nose,
and the cheeks cere slightly freckled;
there was no denying it, though the color
and the dimples were enough to make one
forget the defects. Beside the left ear,
half hidden by willf0l short ringlets, waa
small brown discolefation. Nix waa
too angry to cry again. She just opened
the bureau drawer, took out q formidable
pile of letters in the same bold and care.
less handwriting, and shut them in q box
muttering to herself, "Freckles ana
blotchCj, indeed"
The next Saturday morning Molly Bate.
man danced into her sisters room. where
the latter was still prolonging her morn:
ing nap, and exclaimed:
"Say, Nix! The doctors homer
No answer from Nix, save that con.
tanned in toss of the pillows.
"Come home yesterday, they say. ]
don't know what's the matter with him
He wouldn't SO much as look at me when
passed him on the street Have"
Molly" interrupted her sister, stake
that letter that's lying on the table, and
carry it to the doctors Office, will you |
Go quickly, and be sure he has it, please; -
and Nix fell back on the pillows with
something suspiciously like Q sob as
Molly closed the door. She had spent
the night writing that letter, and gave
way to passion Of tears because she had
written it.
Molly, q bright little damsel of ten, did
not let the grass grow under her fee. On
the way to DR.. WentwOrthS Office. III TT
middle of the main street she met Elijah,
the doctors Office boy, racing Is If foI
dear life, holding his cap on with one