The Beaufort tribune and Port Royal commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879, 1877-06-28
Ais Well That Ends Well.

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When Mrs. ex-Congressman Perkins brought
home a pre- ty waiting-maid, the latter attract
ed the attention of the whole village.
When this fresh young girl vas known to
freouent ghostly old Mother Prim's desolate
abode, the goSsips wagged their tongues, and
the juvenile cutic,e rose In an universal goose
flesh.
Mother Prim's cottage door opened to admit
Dolly and closed again, untouched by human
hands.
So. at least. claimed the village urchins who
were wont to feed their taste for the horrible
by watching old Mother Prim as she nightly
chopped her kindling wood.
One night Dolly remained within that un-
lighted cottage until it was time to hasten home
to put the hair of Mrs. Perkins in crimplng
pins. and make her otherwise ready for the
reign of Morpheus.
Then she stepped alone out into the night, a
mans voice from within bidding her tender
farewell.
Still alone, Dolly sped toward home at a pace
that made her own shadow seem to be leaping
and running in the moonlight to keep up with
her.
She did not reach the Perkins mansion un-
molested.
At the bridge the very spot that it had made
her heart palpitate to think OF, she was inter-
cepted.
Il would as soon believe harm of an angel as
of you, Dolly, but what means thisT
The man who stopped her spoke as one nav
ing authority.
Edward" cried Dolly edo you watch where
you promised to trust?'
It was bitter to the lover to find that the
maiden was not glad to see him, and his wrath
rose with his jealousy.
He said, sternly:
"Whatever this business is, it has stolen
Your heart from me. l am not one to brook
mysterious and unknown rivals. I saw you
come forth from that house where they tell me
only an old woman lives. / saw the shallow OF
a man, and heard his voice. I believe in you,
Dolly, but also claim your confidence. EX-
plain this to me now, or cast me off forever"
Dolly trembled like the moonlight shadows
in the summer wind, but she answered brayeiy:
'.Then this, too, this last sacrifice of all If
only it may not be in vain Edward, am not
free to confde in you"
The man stood silent. As the meaning of
these words entered his heart, he seemed to
petrify He uttered no appeal In moment
the night resounded with the echo of his re-
ceding footsteps.
Mrs. Perkins. in the magnanimity of sympa-
thetic nature allowed heshan to be well pulled
that night and showed herself worthy to be
the mistress of no ordinary maid, by abstaining
from teasing her with questions.
peared in fresh toilet in their elegant breakfast
room, the Hon. DIR. Perkins, who was fas-
tidious gentleman, informed her that her rich
lace cap was on awry, and also that her necktie
was veering as idly as weatheryane.
Mrs Perkins glanced anxiously at her re-
fiec.ion in shining coffee Urn, where she saw
it, combined with the reflection OF the freight,
dancing wildly.
1t required more fortitude than big man
would believe, to sit there consciously disfg-
ured, and it wrung from the pretty little woman
the ejaculation
"My Dolly is certainly bewitchedn'
As soon as possible she made the signal to
RISE and, under pretense of warming dainty
French slippered toe by resting it on the bright
steel fender, she surreptitously regulated her
toilet in the mantel mirror over the fireplace.
The husband, much amused with such
pretty vanity, followed her in a bantering
mood. He was diverted by the arrival of the
morning mail.
Throwing himself into his easy chair by the
fire, he opened the first letter.
"Why, love !" he soon exclaims, that fe:-
low YOU made me work to get clear from the
charge of house-breaking proves to be son of
the old murderer Larkins, who escaped from
justice ten years ago. and for whose recapture
there has been ever since reward of five thou
sand dollars offered"
"Nonsense r cried Mrs. Perkins, conclu-
sively: "Why: you forget that my man Is
Dolly's father"
''As if that hindered it !" impatienrly ejacu-
lated Mr.. Perkins, rising. 81 tell you, my
lasyer has evidence that your man is a
housebreaker, and the son of a murderer, and
you've made me make fool Of myself, and it
amt the first time"
sBut do consider, dear" replied the wife, in
a modifying and convincing tone, "Pve had
Dolly wears, and she'd be as afraid of house
n 4 II r-N,,ll
sWhat geese you women are, and what
idiots YOU make of usw responded the Hon.
Mr.. Perkins, stopping to survey the pretty wife,
who he now felt to have been great beset-
ment to him. "Marc Antony was no bigger
fool than the rest of tH. Here am mixed up
in disgraceful mess because, forsooth, Dolly
coaxed You to coax me-"
Mrs Perkins here evinced some indications
of bursting into tears. Mr.. Perkins, knowing
his own weak point, hastened to avert such q
painful climax.
"Afterall," he said. coiciiatingly, sit itislikely
to end in the securing of both men. A de-
tective is v
at this moment the conjugal confidence was
interrupted. Dolly herself stood before them.
She looked excited, and asked permission
to "go out for an hours airing.
When she was gone, the master OF the house
said, severely:
"That girl must be watched Let this be
the last time she goes out alone"
Mrs. Perkins perceived a certain look in her
husband eyes that caused her to meekly re-
spond:
"Yes, dear"
Chow ridiculous men are" she petulantly
exclaimed to herself, when alone. ''As if
would keep poor Dolly in to prevent her from
such absurdity as seeing murderersr
Meanwhile Dolly, by circuitous route but
with great speed, hastened again to old Mother
Prims.
She entered unbidden at the rear Of the cot
tage, where no opening was visible to the IN
initiated.
Within. an old man crouched in the most
obscure corner of a darkened room.
In plaintive minor key he cried:
0You can't come in, whoever you are you've
no business here keep away. Mary, Mary,
come and send them off.
The poor wretch shook like palsy, and was
only induced by the presence and urgency of
Mother Prim to remove his skinny hands from
his haggard face.
BE was a vivid illustration that the wages Of
sin are something more than physical death.