Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1876-11-16


1 best, 50, she thought; he must know It
sometime.
Aud You love him, Florry2' after a
long pause.
IS, . without looking up.
8. Befter better than you could ever
tllfnlz so. John. 2
rs fase was palIftl, and his voice treIn-
Sled as he said
Then God bless ven, FIorfy, and make
yen happy. / wish you al JOY and peace
now and hereafteF
Never till thisslnenen had she eoEApre-
Eserded the full depth Of John Myers
lave. How B0bly self-sacrihcing he. was
this man " no could thus give his heart s
idol up to anothefs= because he though1
e would be happier with him. Whatsa
world of anguish those few word cost
him none could comprehend put nihaseiI
4 andanother-on thatre IDS all cur hearts
HoR.she pitied him as she thanked him
i for his kind wishes.
He toiIed patiently on at the olds mo-
notonous drudgery in the counting room
Striving to crush hist wild, unaxatlIng
love. to drown it anlieEsise ceaseless cares
i of business.
The widow DigbE. red of her futile
fishing for the s'greafystteh, ? as she men
/ tally styled Ducey, put fresh bait on her
! hook, and cast her line for Tom Lacy;
and as the latter gentleman's heart had
! long since become enslaved by her pretty
| brown eyes, he was a comparatively easy
victim. Then the widow exulted over
little Mabel Townley, who did not care a
straw for Lacey, and was satisfied IN the
! proud consciousness that she had lover
at any rate.
After awhile, the Borovillians arranged
for a grand picnic in Crimp's grove,
all who belonged to the sScircle,' were
expected to attend. The Quinbys, the
Brodailes, the ThOmases, and Mr.. Ducey
and Florry and Tom Lacy, besides Doe
| tor Grafton and his cousin Miss Ellis, and
ever so many more, are going,o said the
widow, ''and we shall have such splen-
did time.''
''of course you will go, John,'' said
Florry.
'eoh, Flerry can not.
EFWhy? ?''
sBeeause-because'' e''-hesitatingly, 81
have business of Importance to attend to,
| at the store.''
suasiveIy. cit will be the last pie mic of
the season, and-and you know am go
| ing away soon. Casper insists on my
naming an early day for our marriage,
and you must go just this once, for my
sake; and you need recreation-you are
working too hard"
And so he promised to drive over to the
grove about the middle of the afternoon
''in time to partake of the refreshments
and come home with the rest of the par
ty,' he said. Why Florry insisted on his
going, she scarcely knew. Maybe she
thought he was working himself to death,
for he had been looking unusually pale
and thin of late.
At last the all important day came, as
most days do, and an eventful day it was,
to three at least. just after dinner the
pic nic party took up their line of march
to the grove, looking not unlike battal-
} lion of hotel walters, laden as they were
with plates and platters, cakes and bis
ctitsy and all the other things that go to
make up the delicfolls array that we sees
spread out on pic mic table, to please
the eye and tempt the palate.
Florry waited a long time for Mr.. Du-
; cey. He.came at last very late, offering
no excuse for his want of punctuality
: and acting, she thought, very strangely;
: altogether.
He seemed in unusually good spirits
y that day, however, and all unpleasant
: thoughts were banished from her mind
long before they same in sight of the
I grove, with its gay banners hutterin g
] merrily from the wide spreading boughs,
and the jolly party gathered in happy
groups here and there, or wandering in
n couples through the shady labyrinths
l that extended on every side, showing
: transient views, through the swaying TO-
; l1aQ0OI the green Hills DtY O1lu
e By and by John Myers came, looking
t flushed and heated; but whatever was
passing in his mind, he maintained an
e outward calm.
a ssI'm so glad you've come - said Florry
'sWe are enjoying ourselves finely"
e just then word came that refreshments
e were ready.
s ''There's Nab Townley over there
e John, and she looks lonely. Go and wal
j on her to the table, - and the little witcl
81 fiuttered off, leaving him no alternative
=, but to obey.
/ II The company were just taking thei
Ha4oaslaces = at the refreshment stands, anC
nr5 11S 5FIorry stood quite still, looking anxious
ally around for her escort, who had ex
- cused himself half hour before, ant
Il had not yet returned. Five minutes NOR,
~ slipped by, and still he did not come
ttg She felt grieved and mortified. He hat
1bwever been so neglectful of her before
It what could be the matter?
/ '"Where is Mr.. Ducey?" some on
d asked.1
t. His pTotracted absence was now for tn
1T first time generally noticed.
II eyes, where is hep from a chorus @
voices.
) s'What have you done with your cava
"a lier, Florry?" Mabel TOwnley broke in
IS EsYou must learn to take better care Q
e him in the future"
E. CHE is old enough7to take care of him
!" SELF said Florry lightly, yet with yer
Z, red flush on either check.
az every true" whispered Mrs. Digb
led edconfidentially to Tom Lacy. 'sHe's fiv
IS and thirty, if he's day. To think {
as Such chit of a girl as Florry Castle maj
rying man old enough to be her fathe
IN the very idea -
r. Mr.. Lacy, as in duty bound, agree
IS with everything the enchantress said.
r. gsFWe must find him. said somebody
ty tEHe may have met with an accident"
he And dozen of the party fastened O.
in various directions through the gro1
ne in search of Casper Ducey. One of tt
X girls found him at last, as a little screa
nd attested, and they were all around hi
~ in moment.
nd He was lying PROSTATE on the grounC
in just within the shelter of a little thick
not faf away, with his eyes closed and h
i" face looking swollen and purple.
IN. FFWhat is the matter ~
20 EEIs he dead ?"
a "He's in a ftp
NJ Three or four of the girls screamed
a breath; the gentlemen looked at hi
or hard then at each other, butsaid nothin
DIR. Grafton glanced at the red, bloat
Ow face, then ruefully at Florry.
de-, 'ESpeak!" she cried, with very pa
lips. s'Is he dead ?''
the "Florry," the doctor replied kindl
re- ''it is best to use plain language. N
Ow Ducey is drunk -
on She was silent moment, standing N
to tionless as marble, staring into vacanC
for like one in dream. Then the pallor
yes her face gave place to hot, angry tius
ley and her black eyes flashed as she answ'
ced ed
,ta- EsAnd this is true?' There was no
cey nial, and she went on: ''Then he is de
Ter, to me. [ never wish to look upon
y face, again. 1 want him to know how
and terly [ scorn him after what has happt
'ice ed. Give me pencil and bit of pap
the John. 1 will write few lines
him to read VIXEN he comes out of
med stupor; then wish you would take