Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1875-12-30
THE LOST WAGER.

1lON lucH 1OOhCu, IHcSC
emblems of parting and adieux. Not even
the merry laughter of two or three young
girls, who were gathered around a stall
wart, handsome fellow of about twenty
five, could entirely Danish an impalpable
something of savness from the scene
Cousin Jack was going away, the general
mischief-maker, torment and tease of the
whole family, and Mr.. Chester sitting by
the distant window, wiped his spectacles
every five minutes, and declared pettish-
ly that the type of the evening paper was
terrible trial to old eyes.
''Aye, you may laugh, girls, - said Jack,
applying himself vigorously to the refrac-
you may one day discover that it isn't
such laughing matter. Think of the
loss the family is going to sustain in my
eXcellency."
F'But you'll come back soon, Jack,
DEAR" cOaxed Minnie Chester, the pretti-
est and most rOgueish of cousins, and the
one who kept perfect fire of practical
jokes and girlish jests at his expense.
There she sat on the biggest trunk of the
| collection, her brown eurfs hanging about
her round face, and her eyes sparkling
with a curious mixture of fun and tears.
'sI'm not at all certain of that, Miss Min
ME, :" said Jack, decisively. eff [ succeed
in finding a location to suit me, shall
| probably decide to settle permanently at
Thornville, and turn landed proprietor on
my own ACCOUNT
'FOnly imagine our Jack gentleman of
property - laughed Minnie, appealing to
her sister.
81 don't see anything very ridiculous
| in the idea, - remarked the young man,
rather piqued at the amusement of his rel
atives. cat all events, there's one incal-
culable advantage that will result from
my departure. -
EFAnd what is that, Mr.. Oracle?''
''The fact that you've played your last
freak on me, you tormenting little mink. -
"DOn't be so certain of that, cousin
| jack said Minnie, shaking her long
curls. "What will you venture 1 don't
bestOw a parting trick on you yet? All, I
| haven't settled with you for several little
pieces of impertinence; but pray! don't
imagine they are forgotten, sir
FEMy diamond sleeve buttons to your cor
al necklace that you don't impose on me
within the next three months, Minnie, -
said Jack, gaily.
''Done,' said Minnie. "Girls, you all
hear the wager, don't you? always COW
eted Jacks diamonds
-''But you won't have them, mademoi-
selle! How dark it is getting in this cav
ernous old hall. Shall 1 ring for lights,
uncle Chester? and, by the way, have
you written that letter of Introduction to
| Mr.. ThOrne ?''
esAlI in good time, my boy-all in good
time" said the old gentleman, depOsiting
his huge silver bound spectacles in their
case. ''YOu young men are all in such a
desperate hurry. Tell Betsy to cary a
lamp into the library, girls. And Minnie,
where is my gold pen? 1 won't be very
long about it, and then we will have a nice
long evening to gossip over Jacks pros
pects."
While Mr.. Chester sat in his cosy red
| curtained library, revising the letter
| which no had hopn writing IN his nl6
friend, Jabez Thorne, of ThOrneville, tC
the effect that his nephew, John Lacy
was in search of an eligible piece of land
and wished to settle down in that vicinity
and requested Mr.. Thorne's aid and coop
Grafton in the selection of the same, Min
ME opened the door.
''Papa, there is some one down stair!
who wishes to see you Immediately, fol
one minute"
every annoyingn' said the old gentle
man, EEjust as was finishing this letter O
Jacks. However, 1 can seal it afterward
Minnie, suppose you glance over it, an(
dot the rs and cross the It's; I'm not s,
4 much of penman as 1 used to bes'
, And old Mr.. Chester pushed back hi
D chair and rose from the antique table t.
attend the claims of his urgent guest.
Olive Chester was brushing out tn
heavy brades of her luxuriant hair befor
the dressing mirror of her own apartment
a oOuntenance cOmically divided between
dismay and delight.
F'My dear Minnie, what has happened p
exclaimed the elder sister, dropping he
hair-brush and letting all the raven tress
es ripple down unheeded over her should
ers.
''I've won the diamond sleeve buttons
Olive; but oh, I didn't mean to. Wha
would papa say if he only new it-an
| cousin Jack, too ?''
l "Sit down, you wild little elf,'' said Olive
gently forcing her sister into chair, Etan
: explain the mysterious riddle"
1 EEWe1, you know papa left me to loo
: over his letter to Mr.. Thorne-and he wa
i detained longer than he expected, almos
t an hour, in fact-and [ couldn't hel
= amusing myself by writing parody o
the letter.
= FFYes-you remember somebody wa
telling us what a beautiful daughter Nj
. Thorne had-so l wrote that Jack was i
search of a wife, and had heard of Mis-
Thorne, and wanted to settle in life, an
:, all that sort of thing. In short, where1
) er papa had written land or estate, l wrot
wife. Wasn't it fun?" calculated the lii
tie maiden, her eyes dancing with diabL
rte. "But you know never once though
of sending the letter; only wanted /
: read it to Jack when [ went down stair
- Well, I signed it with great flourish
trumpets, and just then who should com
u in but papa and the stranger. Of cours
IL I fled-and when came back the Iette
n was sealed and safe in Jacks pocl1et-book
4 and Olive, it was the wrong letter.
B. cit was rather dim light, and papa
eyes are not so keen as they were wont
be, and the impertinent missiVe was CON
|. while the real bona tide letter lay thel
u amongst heap of discarded papers. An
II l hadn't courage to confess my misd
is meanOrs; papa is so opposed to my innt
IN cent little jokes-and Jack is off with thi
lP indescribable letter! l shall certainly wi
se se the sleeve-buttons, Olive, but what to
l. nado there will be when my mischi
leaks OUT
: And Minnie looked so bewitchingl
lovely in her alternate parOXisms of te
rOr and laughter, that Olive, grave Ol
sister that she was, had not the heart
lecture her as rOundly as she deserved.
or The crimson sunset of the very ne7
evening shOne radiently into the speci
sanctum of the worthy old Jabez Thorn
of Thornevil1e, Justice of the Peace, al
- chairman of the agricultural meetings fl
ten miles around. 1t was no scho1arl,
looking library, like that of his anciei
rs comrade, Chester, but a square, ligl
r. room, with four uncurtained window
MT and Ornamented with numerous blacl
or framed engravings of prize cattle and 9
ant turnips. He was seated in leathe
cushioned arm chair, looking over tt
- files of an agricultural journal, to fiji
Ok some coveted information on the subje
ira of ''phosphates' and ''superphosphates
a. when servant brought him card and
= letter.
I'd, "The gentleman is in the parlor, sir. .
" Jabez ThOrne laid aside his newspape
glanced at the card which hOre the cir