Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-25

CtfIdlniy nave believed tn2t she was GO
ing straight to poor Cousin Betsy's room,
10 end that lady's life by a jab of the
sharp, little knife-blade, bat she paused
at the candle-stand, set down the cadle
stick-knelt dOwn-Opened the family
Bible at the fly leaf, and slowly, cautious
ly began to the scrape, seraPe, scrape at
the two last figures of the record Of her
birth. Then she crossed the room, took
from "a fre-side cupboard a pen and ink
stand, wrote two other figures in the
pace #of those she had erased; blew
upOh the leaf until il was dry, carefully
touched up the rest of the record to
match in brightness, and drew back to
read the amended lines, which now plain
ly stated to all bachelors that she had en-
tered this world thirty years before, in
stead of forty.
"Nobody would guess that it had been
meddled WITH" gasped Miss COrnelia,
! Historically. "NObOdy-Oh, gracious
Now lay me- Oh, if 1 could only re-
member my prayers! 1 didn't do it-oh -
for an awful voice at that moment uttered
her name in her very ear;
"Cornelia."
1t was repeated. Ir seemed 10 come
from above. COrnelia looked up expect
ing to see something dreadful. 1t was
repeated;
''COrnelia, amt you coming to bed -
1t was only cousin Betsy speaking
through a disguised register, which had
once conveyed heat from stove in the
sitting-room TO the chamber above.
All in 4 cold perspiratiOn, COrnelia
managed to reply that she would come
In a moment, and then closing the Bible
and putting away the writing materials,
she crept up stairs, world of horrible
unseen things close after her. She felt
very sure "A spectral clutch ut her cignOn,
4 cold palm on her arm, would not have
2 -
crime worse than thai of robbing a
church, sI.e feared. she iIaG fucddiei
with the solemn record made by hands
long since mOuldering in the grave upon
the pages of the Holy Book, and she had
won ten imaginary years by il.
Very pale was Miss Cornelia Lunt next
morning. Cousin Betsey predicted "fe-
yernager," and advised quinine. Mr..
DumSday, when he called, hoped Miss
COrnelia was not i'll. Aunty Pring who
took tea with them that afternoon,
suggested that she looked "sort o. skeered
as II she'd seen suthin', :" and Miss Cor
nclia felt as though her guilt were brand
eel on her brow. However, she recovered
her peace of mind in time and was, as
general thing, herself again, though
there were times when she felt that "a
judgment" might be expected at any mo-
nlent.
Mr.. Dumsday regularly ''came a court
whose married daughter professed her
self anxious that pa" should have some
one TO take care of him. Miss COrnelia
had quite made up her mind that laven-
der should be the color of her wedding
dress-a cOppeT-COlOred bride-eXpectant
always does. And the two were sitting
together one evening talking cOnflden-
TALLY about rheumatism and its best lini-
meDt, when the door. bell rang and tall
lean gentleman, in suit of black was
ushered into the parior.
On eourting evenings Betsy kept her
self cut of the way, and only Mr.. Dums-
day WAS present when the gentleman in
troduced himself.
Miss Corneiia Lunt, believe" he
said.
''Yes, sir said Miss COrnelia,
The gentleman bowed handed her Il
card with sc. Dodridge, Solicitor ON
it, aud took the seat she offered,
II understand that your respected pa
rents are no more" said the solicitor.
They would remember better than you
probably, a period of thirty years ago,
when one Mr.. Noire boarded with them"
''Yes, Sir" said Cornelia, growing red
in the face, ''l've heard them speak of
him."
"Ah," said the gentleman, che was
very dear friend as well as client of
mine. lie died about two months ago i'll
ut the time of his death, and he never
forgot the extreme Kindness of the friends
of thirty years ago, who knew him in his
days of comparative poverty. Yes, they
are gone also; but the little girl who
waited on him so lovingly still lives.
She was eleven years old at 'me, l
suppose l address herr"
''No, sir" said Miss Lunt, redder than
ever-as Mr.. Dumsday turned an attract
i've ear to this dreadful statement-and
feeling that one lie begot many, and that
having fibbed in the family Bible she
must stick to it or die-''No, sir. l was
not born at that date
81 have my old friends record" said
Mr. DOdrige-''IS-w the date of his
arrival here. You were one month old
then. lS-was the date of his departure.
Plainly you were eleven years of age.
You attached yourself fondly to my old
friends heart, madam"
mo, | didn't" said Miss Cornelia,
taTtly. II ought to know. | never saw
him. | was born Just after he left, I've
been told. There's the Bible on the ia
BILE look at the date
She opened the volume AZ the fatal fly
leaf; the lawyer perused it slowly.
Il see. | sec,' he 5 id. Well, well;
and who was the little girl?"
Agony of agonies. Here was another /
lie needed Mr.. Dumsday's eyes opened /
widely. lie listened more intently. He
looked at the Lady. She must flip again,
and very blachly this time.
That w#s a little adopted child who
died, " said Miss Cornelia family. They
didn't think they should have any family
of their own
u s"e,'' said the lawyer, rising-''I
see; my friend hoped she had grown to
bc woman. Good-day."
''And I can't &c why you should come
here IO add To a lady'S age said Miss
C"rneIia. ''l'm sure it's very impolite."
Madam said Mr.. Dodridge, hat in
hand, Il have an excuse: : Mr. Noire, good
old man, left all his fortune 10 that little
SiFl. Had she lived she would be an i'm
meuSe heireSS. 4 lawyer is naturally
cautious. L paved the way-paved the
way, that is all.
Poor Miss Cornelia! She gazed at the
gentleman I'm utter CONSERVATION, and lie
continued:
However, some charities will be the
better for the fact; no wind bur blows
some one good, after all"
lie departed; Miss Cornelia bowed
him out. After all, what did it matter?
Fortune in the person of NJ. DUmSday,
a-aS at her feet, and she had saved ten
years of her age in his eyes.
But alas, what allied Mr.. Dumsdays
He had arizeu; his face looked pale, his
cOuutenanCe anxious. lie shook ms neau
slowly, went TO the candle-Stand, folded
the leaves OF the family Bible, and spoke
~ follows;
"Cornely, from what I see, you're
just abont thirty years of age, aren't
ye!"
Yes, " said COrnelia, wonderingly.
"ThiS is trial to me, Cornely," said
Mr.. Dums,Iay. II know I've been to
blame if il comes TO nothing, but We
must part"
Did you think 1 was younger:" said
Cornelia. "IS that it:'
''No, Cornely,'' said Mr. Duusday
''but 1 took Il Bible oath tC my daughter,
Jemmimy-Mrs. Nutmegs, that is-hever
to marry no second wife twas under for
ty. People generally thinks you rising
forty, so | picked you Out. Don't make
q goose of yourself by marrying girl At
your age, pa says Jemmimy; and she
made me swear on the Bible-she did in
deed. So You see l can't break that, and
its all up. Good by, COrnely. | hope |
amt spilled yer prospex. Some younger
man will"
lie passed, put his handkerchief to his
ewes, and turned toward the door.
OH cried COrnelia. ''Oh, come
back, IN tell the truth. | am forty"
Records can't lie. I seed it in the
Bible" said Mr.. Dumsday. Farewell,