American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-01-23

| HOpciul mas gone 10 i've III w ASH
ington."
"Well, she sighted us long ago"
She is keeping house for her cousin.
Albert's wife died last year, and he is a
Senator now, you know"
Abby made no reply. Albert's wife
dead, Albert Senator! Cruel, deceit
full, base he had been, yet she liked to
hear of his prosperity. Her head grew
confused and her face flushed.
herself, and made mischief" pursued Dc
sire, musingly. She married, to be
sure, and is a widow"
"Then the mischief makers prosper"
retorted Abby.
Albert Marshall was the love of her
youth. Over the sterner duties of the
academy had tioated rosy cloud; flow
ers found their way slyly between the
pages of solemn dictionaries; brown eyes
and blue sought each other with a grow
ing, sweet intelligence. Handsome
Cousin Hopeful pouted, but Abby was
Albert's sweetheart. Never to be for
| gotten the day when the young man
! went to seek his fortune in the West!
She stood again at the gate beneath the
perfumed shade of the lilac bushes, with
the hot, dusty road beyond, and Albert
looking back wistfully. Then followed a
visit, after the lapse of a year, from a
|
to demure maiden, mindful that her
muslin gown was "done up" for the &C.
casion. The visit left her engaged, for
| Cousin Hopeful no longer watched, hav-
ing gone to live in the West where she
married.
Abby's heart was blithe. She sang as
she worked, for the future glowed with
sunset hues. Then came a stiff, ambigu-
Gus letter, answered promptly with pride
hay, low Il
| it mean? 1t meant that Cousin Hopeful.
| if not loved herself, would poison the
mind of a lover far away. If Albert
would not marry her he should not wed
Abby. Thus she played with subtle
| touch on many chords, and there was
growing distrust and anger. A young
woman may not journey to the far West
| to ask her lover what is separating them
SO Abby waited. Her healthy nature
and the busy life became blank. When
convalescent Il letter was placed in her
feeble hand-a harsh, unjust letter, tax
ing her with infidelity to her absent lover
and stating that if she did not immediate
ly reply, clearing herself, all was over
between them. The letter was already
old, mother having laid it away in the
family Bible. Abby resumed her tasks,
well aware that the crystal goblet of hap
lay shivered to atoms on the ground.
Clear herself from false charges, for
sooth! If Albert Marshall did not know
her nature better let him take his course
She never wrote again, and the next
thunderbolt was Alberts marriage-a
measure SO hasty as to suggest revenge.
That was all, and the years rolled on.
" Come right home along of me, dear
Do! Squire Scudder's sent me mince-
pie, urged Desire.
Grandmother looked after them with
scorn. "There go them two creeturs,
comfortin' each other. l don't suppose
Desire ever flew in the face of Provi-
| dence as our abby has, though"
Abby returned from the visit much
strengthened in spirit, and retired to read
a book from the Rockybeach circulating
library by the light of a private candle.
know of no stronger contrast in life
ing chair, and the Old World people she
read about in that book. She mingled
with Duchesses in velvet robes and Min
listers of state; she climbed Alpine
heights and dreamed among ruins. She
was aroused by feeble but dignified
cough. Grandmother sat on the top
stair, in night cap and shawl, waiting sol
emily for the candle to be eXtinguished.
1t was nuts" to the old lady to catch
Abby thus. AS for trying ones eyesight
by reading at that hour in grandmOther's
youth it would have ranked with witch
craft and the Black Art.
Il wish that / had never founded the
library" thought Abby, returning to
reality with sigh and whiting out the
candle.
The library was kept in closet by the
doctors wife, who wrote for the county
paper. The girls of Rockybeach paid
twopence a volume and launched reck-
lessly into the world of romance.
Down in her little house the dress
maker, most timid and shrinking of
women, was guilty of a bold deed. She
wrote to Senator Albert Marshall Her
courage oozed and she left the missive
anonymous from sheer terror. IL read
thus:
II Mr.. Marshall will visit his native place
again, after many years of absence, he will
never regret it,
The little seed bore fruit in this wise
A stranger came by the morning boat to
Rocky beach, IA tall, dignified man, who
gazed about him like one in a trance.
How old he felt among the scenes of
childhood He might have been a Rip
Van Wrinkle returning after u twenty
years sleep, instead of a prosperous man
in his prime, who had worked his way up
with new State.
"Can you tell me where Capt. Crock
er lives?" he inquired of a small boy, and
was directed to the house on the hill.
"Just too late! All, well, she may have
altered too. / only wonder she has not
married before. And now it is rich
match. Abby has learned worldly wis
dom at last" He smiled rather dryly at
this idea.
"Can | see Mrs Crockcr?" he asked of
a smart servant.
"Well, never, OF course you can't"
said the smart servant, closing the door
Indignantly.
A gardener wheeling his barrow along
the path added, The babby amt a week
old you see, sir"
| The discounted stranger flushed an
grily. Was the letter hoax? Was he
brought here to play the fool? Well, he
might discover friends in the graveyard.
The Schoolmistress rang her bell
| sharply, and in response to the summons
| the tramp of small boots echoed through
| the building. Shrill voices subsidized to
murmurs, which made the academy seem
| like a hive of busy insects. And, indeed,
| were not the brain cells stored with honey
there?
A pretty squirrel leaped on the floor,
| looking drolly around. Fun cleaned in
chubby faces; one boy hid his head be
| hind his slate. Never had this lad
evinced such industry before. The lit
tie animal whisked its tail, IAN nimbly
up the schoomistrcss' chair (whO
screamed) then capered Off and nestled
in the Jacket of the industrious boy.
| Laughter bubbled forth; to see their
| schoolmarm scared" was altogether
too much for the gravity of the little
| people.
Jean, come here"