Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-05-27
SANS MERCI.

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| thas little RiveFport; with its outlook on
the broad waters of a muddy river, its
steep streets, its old-fashiOned houses,
whose curiously cut, small window panes
winked in the April sunlight, and its
elms and pOplars which east checkered
| shadow on the stones. Ii was not far
/ from the sea, and occasional salt breeZes
rOamed up the river. to wander fitfully
! through by-ways of the quaint town.
| High upon the hill stood the church, its
stained glass windows cutting blue and
gold shadows on the ground, and bathing
the lazy lizards that crept out to sun
themselves, with an unwOnted glory, and
in the churchyard the tombstones gleam-
ed white amid tangle of ankle-leep clO-
yer, starred about with daises.
In this peaceful spot, sentimental coup
les often wandered; and some few per
sons came alone. aud fell into habit of
gazing rather wistfully nc the messy
graves, aud wondering how it felt To be
shut out from the light. One young la
dy, in particular, came often, but seldom
alone-this was Echo Tudor, our naugh-
ty heroine; imagine a pair of great, soft,
provoking black eyes, hair like a tangle
of rippled sunli ght, crimson mouth,
short white teeth, and a voice like bob
Olink's in June. Echo was a born CO.
quette, aud from her cradle, upward, she
had fiirted her way through lite; at the
mature age of five, trying her wiles on
the youth next door, and then discarding
him for the small boy across the way
Do not let us be too hard upon her, for
her cruelty In not caring how much heart
ache she caused, for she was well punish
ed one day, for her caprices.
Having nirted, successfully, with all
the eligible youths of Riverport, she de-
clared herself tired of every one of them,
and frowned severely upon all sentimen-
tai speeches, until relief arrived in the
shape Of stranger, Lancelot Verschoyle,
gentleman who came on visit to one
of Echo's friends.
Luckily for Echo's peace Of mind, May
Fox, her friends daughter, was engaged,
and although very pretty, she was voted
rather wOnderingly by her acquaintan-
ces, ''not bit OF flirt." LancelOt was
tall and handsome, with straight fea-
tures, closely cropped fair hair, the mer-
riest blue eyes In the world, and ''per-
fectly loUely" mOustaehe. "Yes," unused
Echo, as she brushed her curling locks,
''It is fortunate that he came, for I'm
completely tired OF every one here" Oh,
Echo my foolish EchOi
1t so chancsd, that shortly after Lance
lots arrival, they had a picnic in the
woods near RiyerpOrt, andon the day ap-
pointed, Echo paid especial attention TO
her toilet, tying blue ribbon around her
round white neck, and tipping her hat
bewitchingly on one side. Then she bade
her affectionaTe mamma goodbye, and
departed, accompanied by her sister Nell
lie, who, like May, was engaged.
When they reached the picnic ground,
they found May Fox, Lancelot, Reginald
Browne, Lucy Lyndon, ILL Lavender
stranger from the upper part of the river,
Victor Despard, and good many others,
waiting for their appearance. To de-
scribe them all would take some time;
but they might be classified thus Lucy,
an amiable nOuenity Victor, fiery ere
ole desperately in love with Echo; Lii,
candid young lady who expressed her
opinion without the slightest regard for
any ones feelings; and Reginald, who
despised Echo and adoFed Lii. Likewise,
there was Mays lover, Mary Townsend,
who seemed to consider the whole earth
paradise, and the residents therein,
angels, in such a state of bliss was he;
and this innocent pair of lovers wandered
together under the shadow of the trees,
privately wondering if two people had
ever before been so happy.
"Warm, isn't IL ~ was LanceloJs first
remark, as he sat on a bank beside Echo.
"Ye-es, rather," was her equally brill
liant response, as she inwardly hoped he
would drop that worn-Out subject-the
weather. cit looks like Sunday. school,
"Ah," he observed briefly, aud subSid-
ed; Echo smiled feebly in order to en-
courage him, and finally ended by laugh
| ing, more in despair than mirth.
care you laughing" he asked, "be-
cause my last remark was so witty, and
at the same time, so profound?"
"Exaetly," she heanswered. "But 1t was
partly at Dir. Brownies raptdTOus count
enanee, Of which 1 just now caught n
sss l. II,
Lii Lavender for companion. She Is
an innocent who never read almanacS,
and therefore he can make bad jokes with
impunity."
Happy fellow! he evidently has am
appreciative listener" !" laughed LaHCelUt,
tipping his hat over his eyes to shade
them from the sun. "Miss Echo-I may
call you so, may not-suppose you show
me the pretty places in the wood"
"Certainly, assented Echo, and the two
strolled of, feeling as if they had known
each other for ages.
"What a queer, pretty little name you
have, ne said, rs they walked along
And how did you get it?''
! 'PleaSe don't think il Is because l al
| ways have the last word NV name is
/ Rebecca-lOvely, NEST ce St?-but thank
| goodness, they shortened it To Echo
| Fancy being called Beckie all ones life -
By this time they had reached the silver
\ ribbon OF a stream, dignified by the name
of the Brawl. Echo knelt down on the
bank and dabbled her pretty white hands
in the watera and gazing upward from
| underneath the shady brim OF her hat, to
see how her companion liked the picture,
she discovered that he was looking at her
with an intensity which, however flatter-
ing it may have been, was lot very agree
able. Suppose we try our luck at fish
ing" she suggested, and with the aid OF
two crooked pins and some string, this
frivolous pair amused themselves for al
least half an hour succeeding, at last, in
landing one very small minuOw and d
craw-fish.
''One OF the BrawFs fine points is iis a.
bundance of fish, said I.ancelot, sinking
Iazily down into the grass beside Echo
| to rest from his labOrs. What is your
chief employment in Riverport, Mis-:
EchO?"
Il don't know exactly" arching hel
eyebrows, ''We read novels, watch the
| passing steam mbOats, occasionally 60 boat
ing, and dawdle very much. That is thu
sum of our daily lives. By-the-by, Oul
party must wonder what has become o.
us, SiI Lancelot'-laughing little AS sh'
rose. and looking over her shoulder a
the lazy figure on the clover-"Hadn'
We better gO?"
''Stand Just in that attitude for fv,