Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1875-04-08

pretty faces, I suppose, whether they
belong to princess or beggar.
81 am Mrs. Penhallow's maid," she
answered, with more spirit than l
would have given her credit for. "And
you, l suppose, are her SON"
"Quite right" said he, and stared
and laughed; and then ran out
straightway to meet him, and immedf-
ately pushed Molly away.
"How dye do, Venner ?" he cried,
assuming his lordly air at once
"Where are my mother and Miss Ray
mond Have you a groom to send
over to the station for my luggage?
and is there anything to eat in the
house? I assure you / am half fam
ished."
"Gracious heaven % said I, sit new
er can be you, Mr.. Felix, so tall and
bearded! Who ever would have
known you? The ladies are out driv-
ing, and won't be back till dark, but
the groom is in the stable, and the
larder is full, as it always is in this
house"
called Molly to help me, and we
served him with the best we had. He
was very gay and nonchalant, and he
looked askant at her, and talked in
cessantly to me, and asked me untold
questions about his mother and the
estates. Molly seemed very shy and
uncomfortable under his bold know
ing eyes.
'Wel," said 1, ''Master Felix, right
glad am I that you've come back to
marry and settle down here"
"By which Judge that you quite
approve of my future wife, Venner p
said he
son, a sweet, beautiful lady she is,
indeed % cried I. Everybody at
Penhallow loves her already"
"Then, in duty bound, I must do
the same,' said he, with a whimsical
laugh, and drew out cigar; and as
the marble mantle, heard him hum
ming to himself these lines.
'Oh. loved in my youth a lady fair,
For her azure eyes and her golden hair;
Oh, truly! oh, truly. loved her then,
And naught shall ever so love again.
81 think I will go out and meet
them, Venner.''
And he went off down the walk, and
came upon the carriage just as it was
turning into the gate.
[ heard their voices for a long time
out among the trees, and finally saw
them sauntering back together, Mrs.
Penhallow looking quite dazed with
happiness, and Miss Raymond hanging
upon his arm, with a sort of shy grace,
her lily face covered with smiles and
bushes, and with that in it, and in her
air, which made me sure she had found
her master.
Dear heart Yes, she loved him in
that wild, worshipful way that wo-
man delights in, and that no man ev-
er deserved yet, or ever will, till the
pattern is altered.
AS was going up to bed that night,
l met the mistress on the landing, and
she looked as radiant as bride.
"Give me joy, Venner!" she cried.
''This is the happiest night of my life.
He has come back to me-to wed one
of his own kin-to be with me ever
more while live. All, yes, Venner,
one might well envy me to-night!"
'"W ell, liam glad, ma'am," said ],
"right glad % and indeed l was, for it
seemed to me, as it did to her, that
pleasant times were coming to the oil d
house.
kept thinking it over after had
gone to bed. It was a summer night
and the moonlight streamed into the
chamber where 1 slept, and filed it
with great white light. Outside, the
wind made a moaning sound among
the trees. Inside, of a sudden, l
heard something go stick, tick, tick''
in the wall.
I will own that the sound, coming
as it did, when I was full of such
pleasant thoughts, gave me most un-
comfortable feeling, I had never yet
heard death watch without creap-
ing of the flesh-without feeling deep
down in my soul that somebody's time
was near at hand. I rose up in bed
and listened. It came from that por-
ton of the wall nearest the staircase.
Distinct and regular as the strokes of
a pendulum, I heard it, over and over
again-tick, tick, tick.
got out of bed and put my hand
on the panel There was momenta.
ry silence; then it broke out anew in
the floor under my feet. Back to the
panel, and from the panel to the cell
ing, and from the ceiling to the win
dow, chased the hateful sound about
till was both chilled and exhausted d.
In the closet off my chamber, Molly
lay sleeping, as youth and health can
only sleep. I was tempted to arouse
her, but she looked so calm and pretty
with her faxen hair tossed about the
pillow, and her lips half apart, that
hadn't the heart to do it. So I crep'
back to bed, and, for half the night
/ never so much as closed my eyes, be
cause of the dreary "tick, tick" tina
r death watch kept up in the wall
I told Mrs. Pendhallow about it the
: next morning.
5 "Ma'am," said I, 'there4l be deatl
, in this house soon"
e She lifted her heavy gray brows a
me.
s ''Venner, am astonished Nobod
t but very ignorant people believe il
such things. Never mention such
j matter to me again"
: And out she went, to breakfast wit
}, her son and Miss Raymond amon
0 the flowers and greenery of the lawn.
s Miss Raymond that morning was i
d white cashmere and pink ribbons, I re
), member, and with her streaming curl
d and proud, sweet eyes and lily face
d she looked as the Sleeping Beaut,
S might have done when the prince frs
a awakened her. And her prince ha
: come, sure enough, but his manner tc
ward her one couldn't quite approve
h 1t was too careless and 1ight-to muc
# like grand seignior, who has only t
l. throw the handkerchief.
"Well," thought I, CHEFS seen