The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-26
self. "Why, Bell will guess at once,
unless she forgets that it is the first OF
April. Mas tricks are always 30 smart,
it's queer she should do such q foolish

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April. Mas tricks are always 80 smart,
it's queer she should do such foolish
thing"
Then a thought struck her. She
crept tptoe out Of the room and down
stairs to the parlor, where Bridget was
making the fire, taking the letter with
her.
"Biddy," she said, in a whisper,
"come up stairs and awaken my sister,
and tell her Mr.. Softhead brought this
this morning. Tell it as if it was the
truth, remember, and there's shilling
for you"
And Angelina tiptoed with barefoot
softness back to bed. But Belinda was
awake this time.
"She's going to try to fool me, I
know" she said, to herself, with her
eyes shut and in very cross mood, and
awaited the denouement with anything
but her usual good nature.
Biddy, meanwhile, had recognized the
letter.
"It's lucky one for me-" she said,
to herself. ga crown over night and
shilling in the morning." And up
stairs she jumped, and knocked at Be-
inda's door.
"Misther Softheart bade me give you
this, MISS" she said.
"I'n teach you to tell stories" said
Belinda. "You know Miss Angelina
gave it to you"
Biddy was confounded.
"He gave it to me last night, miss,
as true as hope to go to heaven," she
said.
"Last night" said Angelina, with
warning glance, supposing Biddy to
have forgotten her lesson.
"I name this morning." said Biddy,
taking the hint.
"Give me the letter." said Belinda;
then snatching it, she tore it deliberate
ly into four pieces and threw them on
the floor. "Do you suppose I mean to
be called an April fool :" she sobbed.
"Yuu might have more oon-sid-era-
tion-for-my-f feelings, when he g tri-
fled So" And went offinto Mysteries.
Mamma rushed in. Biddy screamed
"murther. Sal volatile was applied,
and, in the confusion, no explanation
was made. Biddy swept the room and
put the letter in the dustpan. And Mr..
Softheart watched I'll day for the post
man, and watched in vain.
That afternoon Mr.. Spooney called to
inquire after Miss Belinda's health, and
found her we'll enough to walk out with
him and Angelina and her mamma be-
gan to compare notes. Then, and not
until then, the letter began to be q
mystery, and Biddy being sent for e1-
planned that, to the best of her belief,
MIR. Softheart gave it to her to put in
Miss Belinda's room the night before.
Then, in dismay, the ladies rummaged
the dustbin, and, after an hours search,
reappeared in the parlor with dusty
tresses and soiled hands and nine Little
pieces of paper. These, deftly. pieced
together, made whole note, which, be-
ing perused, revealed proposition:
Belinda returned rather late with q
very conscious look upon her face, anl
stared in astonishment at the dusty OBJ
jects, who met her with excitement on
their countenances. It was o good
while before the truth could be extract
ed from the interjections and ejacula'
tions with which she was greeted but
when, at last, it was made manifest, Be-
linda listened Like one in trance. She
had indeed been made an April fool of.
Mr.. Softheart had really proposed. The
mansion had been offered to her, the
bank stock and all that made the
bachelor an eligible match and she
that yery evening had accepted Spooney,
for whom she cared very little, and who
had only e15O year to live upon.
It was not complimentary to her be-
trothed, but she went into he1 second fit
of Mysteries at once.
AS for Mr.. Softheart, he never pro-
posed to any one again. He received
the news of Belinda's betrcthal with
comparative calmness, but made his
will next day in view of suicide, and left
all his fortune to hospital. Changing
his mind, however, he lives still, and 80
does Belinda, on q second floor, where
she quarrels good deal with her hus-
band, who has CEASED to be at all atten:
tive and wonders vaguely what he could
have meant by it-meaning his court
ship and marriage.
And Mr.. Softheart never sees Belln-
da, who would be handsome still in q
decent bonnet; and Belinda never sees
the old bachelor, whom she really liked,
and who is fine looking as well as rich,
without bitter remembrance OF the
first of April which made them and has
left them pair of April fools.