The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-01-08
VOLUME XII.
she had actually purposely made her
lover quarrel with her, and broken off

e "1ell my cousin, mamma, she sal
and mamma had written. But VIII,
Tomlinson made no response, Priscil
grew angry; when he did not retur
or even write to hei, angrier yet.
Is At last, when June, July, Angus
September, and October had passe
she began to confess that she was 8
idiot to throw away true heart for OF
that had no love for her. and that Tor
hnson had worn a long face for son
: other reason than her engagement.
> The consequence was that when e,
actly on the Esd of November, as
had resolved in the first place, Ton
lInson returned home, and to lose n
time, hurried to his aunt's, as soon &
he had made himself presentable, wit
the firm intention of proposing to Pri
ella that very evening, he stood aghas
at the door of the parlor before YER
pretty picture that dissolved befor
his gaze. His Cousin Priscilla with
gentlemans arm around her waist. H
retreated to his aunt.
Who is that?' he asked, pointin,
to the parlor.
"Mr. Dinwiddie,' said his aunt.
Only lovers quarrel, after all,
said the aunt, smilingly, and quite una
ware of Tomlinson'sang They've
made it up beautifully. 81
They seem to have done so,D said
Tomlinson, remembering the dissolviue
view.
He went away shortly after, and left
his compliments for his cousin.
Miss Priscillamarried MFR. Dinwiddie
this time, and really grew to love him
but there was something charming
about her Cousin T0mlinson, erect as a
poplar, and prim rs a Quaker, which
was exceedingly to her taste.
His little pink mouth and narrow,
well-drawn eye brows were very, very
pretty. His hair was always parted
properly. There was no dust on his
coat. She sometimes contrasted him
with her husband, and wished that
Heaven had given her such man; but
no one ever guessed it, and the poor
young Lady seemed very much ashamed
of the silly secret hidden in her breast.
She was in all respects q good wife,
and resolutely set herself. to banishing
her cousins image from her breast.
She believed herself to have succeeded
when ten years had gone by, but Tom
linson was stilla bachelor, and still kept
the room he secretly called Priscilla's
parlor as a sort of secret hiding place,
where he went at times very late in the
evening with . fiat candlestick to bewail
his single-blessedness and indulge in
But q change was at hand. Mr.. Din
who was fond of horses, bought
a finespirited one in the morning, and
rode him out in the afternoon.
That night Priscilla kept dinner
waiting long-iRdeed forever; no one
ever ate that dinner, for in the ghostly
as she sat at her window,
she saw her husbands horse rush past
like some black phantom without his
rider.
The poor fellow lay three miles back |
upon the lonely road, prone on his face,
tone dead.
And SC. Priscilla at twenty-sesen was
! widow.
As time passed, and her grief soft
med, she certainly looked very well in |
ler cap. Tomlinson thought so, SO did |
Mr.. Wincher, who settled her hus
,and's property.
This time Tomlinson made up his
mind promptly. OF course it would
,e indecorous to mtrude upon a Wild
WIS grief with words of love. Hej
gould wait year for decency, and one
month over for good measure.
The year and one month would bring
hem to December 9th, 49,. He
rrote the date down in his note-book,
nd counted the days as a girl does
hose between the present and her first
all.
Meanwhile he made 20 sign and kept
way, and Mr.. Wincher, being Mrs.
3inwiddieis legal gentleman, found it
ften.
The year tottered away. The month
fter it waxed and waned. Once or
vice when they met by chance some
hing in Tomlinson's eyes had revived
Id fancies in the widows heart. But
t the end of the year she remembered
le had not so much as called once. She
ave very little sigh and looked in the
lass.
Twenty-seven is not seventeen"
he said, as she pinned on her first white
ollar, and tied on little white Grape
ow. I'm sure, at least, that Tom
nson used to think me very pretty"
just then servant came to tell her
hat Mr.. Wincher had called about a
iccc of land.
On the 24th of December, 49,, at
alfpast seven In the evening, as he
ad decided, Tomlinson Perrybrook,
iss thirtysix, dressed himself with
luch care, and observed, with some
that a bald spot as big as
killing interfered with the straightness
f the back parting of his hair. But
,ning pair of pearl-colored kid
loves, he betook himself to his cousins
esidence. He rang the bell, the girl
nswered it, and took in his card. She
to beg that he would wait a
w moments. Tomlinson waited half
n hour: Then jubilant gentleman
anne flying out of the parlor, and
nook hands with him.
1t was Mr.. Wincher, whom he knew
cry well.
Wen go i'm and see her in a mo-
tent, my dear fellow" he said, in a |
hispcr. "She's a little agitated.
aides ALWAYS are on such occasions |
Yell leave her to herself awhile"
"Occasions-what occasions ?" asked
omlinson.
You haven't suspected me, then ?"
said. "She has just promised
make me happy by becoming Mrs.
fincher." /,
Again Tomlinson, with woeful :
'Pect, uttered congratulations. |,
Again Mrs Dinwiddie gave little
l.