The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-02-14

:" You must try to make up your mind
that he's better of, Mezzy," said Cordy,
trying to say what was proper. And
not word did they say about being
better of themselves. And when Meza-
hab was gone, Diseordia resolved not to
smile while he was in the midst of family |
trouble. However, at eighteen, smiles |
are natural to a healthy, happy girl, and |
when some girl-friends came that very |
afternoon to ask her to go bathing, |
though Cordy said Z" she didn't think it
was right" Mrs. Peck called out:
"Why, Cordy, what a goose you are!
Why shouldn' you battle? Because Mez
Dunn's gran'ther is dead?'
And Cordy, not to be laughed at, went
with the girls. But the bath did not do
her much good. She returned as pale as
a ghost, and with her finger elaborately
wrapped up in piece of her new hand
kerchief. And that night she cried her
self to sleep, and the next day-yes, and
for many days after-she was sad in
stead of CHEEKY, and answered what was
said to her in the briefest manner.
To any question put to her, however.
she only seplied:
81 don't think it would be right for
me to be happy when Mezzy has gone to
his grandfather's funeral"
| Meanwhile, Mezahab was on his home
ward way.
He felt very sorry when he looked at
the dead face of his grandfather, and
had read his age on his coffin plate
ninety.
He had choked a little, and had
lump in his throat, when he saw his
father cry, and he had felt that it was
rather a mean thing to sit down and
hear the old mans will read.
But now that it was over, and he knew
thathe had two thousand of his own,
and more holidays together than he had
ever had before, and remembered he
would so soon marry Cordy, he could
not feel very miserable; and when they
stopped for dinner at roadside tavern,
he walked out with cigar in his mouth,
and began, involuntarily, to build air
castles, in which little home of his
own, painted white, with green shutters,
occupied prominent place, and he had
even gone to the length of putting up a
porch-Cordy liked house with good
porch-when voice at his ear said:
"Shan't tell your fortune, mister p
And turning, he saw at his side a
dark and dirty little woman with baby
on her back-a gypsy woman, though
Mezahab did not know it, for no gypsies
: had ever camped near his home-a poor
Y squalid thing, not in the least like the
a gypsies of the ballad.
s But though Mezahab had not heard o.
t gypsies, he knew about fortune tellers.
e There was one at home, and the girl
S went to her slyly of winter evenings
t and she was reported to "tell true;" 81
not one whit astonished, he looked dowI
}, at the woman from his height of sil
; feet, and said:
n "Thank-ee; my fortunes told. Pv
a Jest had it left me in a will dom
l. need to know about it."
It eyes, but there's other things thai
n money" said the woman. "That prett
girl you are in love with, mister"
'e ooh, that's told, too," said Mezahat
t. with a laugh. "She's got my engage
% ment ring on her finger"
ID And he turned away.
,r There was no money to be got fro1
$. Mezahab, that was plain, and the gyps
|; was furious. In her wrath she launche
rs random arrow.
n "Your ringp' cried she. "Why she
ct given it away to another man. You loo
out for that girl; she's a regular fiirt. %
ne {" say" cried Mezahab-"I 1 say"
id But the gypsy had hurried away.
OF "PshawP said Mezahab, "I amt sue
IN fool as to mind her..
w But he knew he did mind her.
'e- He knew that from that moment /
ep could think of nothing but of gettir
home to Cordy and making very sui
lis that she still had the ring upon ht
a finger.
e; When he did appear in the low doc
he way of the Pecks' Kitchen the next da
o. | Discordia was on her knees before tt
he fire making toast.
ng Daylight was fading, and tea was {
he the table.
he She arose and ran to meet him, ar
'p- he kissed her.
The forefnger of her left hand was
Mt, its work-day guise, wrapped in a pie
ng of muslin.
to Of course the ring was under Il
ed wrap, but Mezahab felt that he shou
like to see it, and it was hard to Wa
)g- until tea was over. He had no appetit
ad nor did it improve his condition to S
IRE that Cordy had none either
I'd, How pale she was! How often s
ed looked DOWN.
Mezahab felt, as he inwardly e
ess pressed it, like he had the chills."
ng But tea was over at last, and the lo
ID. talk with the elder Pecks, and now car
ely the time when Cordy and he sat togeth
ihe in the parlor.
lel Then, with an inward shivering wol
wo than ever, Mezahab turned to Discord
Dat "Seems to me you keep your fling
she well wrapped up this evening, Cordy
a he said.
sat Cordy's lips quivered.
led ooh, Mezzyp' she said. "The
lily now; the first thing, Just as l said
nat myself, Mezzy. Pve lost the ring!
nd went to bathe with Ray and Mamie Il
ap- Thursday; somehow l didn't want
LAX but they coaxed me to, and / lost t
Inc ring. I'd wrapped my finger up, but
slipped off all the same; it was loo
ne you know"
He Mezahab caught Discordia's hand, a
ks his eyes grew greener than ever, a
l.. glittered iercely.
eek "Who saw you? Who knew of yo
md losing it, Cordy ?' said he.
Nobody" said poor Cordy. "I
axe too bad to tell soul"
"a likely story, indeed" said Me
pie hab, finging her hand away; Gas if y
ele- wouldn't have screeched out! / KIN
en- girls better than that. Pshaw! / v
18th told you'd given it away to another ms
now | know you have"
ine "Who told you such lief' cried L
the cordia. ooh, Mezzy, you know bette
ng, But there was no power in her to p
ped suade Mezahab to belief; and befor,
lge- week was over the whole little world
f. that little village knew that Mrs. Pee
ger Cordy and Mrs. Dunn's Mezzy had fal
ook out, and that Mezzy Dunn had ship,
50 with Captain Kidder, and was going
'au- voyage.
it: "She's gone and firted with so
ve," one," said the matrons.
and "He's changed his mind" said
maidens.
axe But Cordy kept her story to herself
'lso, She wept necessarily, until her e
were rather red than black.
low II -. i --:..--l1. l.ll.