The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-05-09

little rift within the lutte, and he had
not been near Laura's door for three
whole days. Hadn't he better step
over this evening and see how she was
enduring it? he asked himself. And
about this trip to Boston! How could
she leave her district school? 1t was
only some nonsense of Mrs. Bender's,
no doubt. But delaying in the hall on
Wednesday evening to brush his hat,
he overheard Miss Prue saying to her
mother: ..Ellen Dow taught school
for Laura Vaughn to-day. l wonder
the committee don't complain. 1t Is
very odd about her going up to Boston.
She asked Ellen Dow not to mention it,
too. And Ellen told me not to say a
word about it, either, SO don't you let
it out to Mr.. Devens, ma, just to tease
him. wonder if she met Jack? Her
father doesn't approve of him, and so
she meets him on the sly" pursued
Prue, weaving her romance from the
meager material in hand. II wish
you would forbid somebody coming to
see me and them But then Mr..
Devens entered.
HIS Laura suspected of meeting an
other man on the sly! 1t gave him a
cold chill. He had fondly believed that
she only waited his beck and call; it
had never occurred to him as possible
that she could console herself with
another lover. And who was this Jack
about whom Miss Prue discoursed so
volubly? Should he 60 to Laura and
beg for a reconciliation-he had fully
made up his mind to this step before
entering the house-or should he give
her lesson?
Ibid Miss Laura match your fringe
to-dav?" he asked nonchalantly.
II didn't like to ask her." said Prue.
II reckon she had other fish to fry
"When young lady goes to the city
to meet a sweetheart, she can't attend
to matches of any other kind" said
Mrs. Bender, facetiously.
Ibid Miss Laura 90 to meet a sweet
heart, eh?' he. asked, with an air as
if it didn't signify in the least.
''She went by appointment, Mr.. Dew
ems, to meet young man, too. don't
see why it should be kept from YOU"
''Indeed! did Miss Vaughn tell you
SOP"
Not she. It's dead secret, but it
leaked out"
$50 it seems"
''Laura's something of tlirt, like
the rest of us. There was young Sam
pie, the clergyman-in fact, it's her
nature to be on with the new love be-
fore she's off with the DID,
'.Mrs. Bender, Miss Vaughn is a
friend of mine,' said Devens, reprov-
ingly. while he thought bitter things of
her himself, and made desperate re-
solves.
''And I'm sure Laura and I've al
ways got on well together. But it
strikes me that we must be tolerably
familiar with a young fellow when he
signs himself Jack and nothing more.
Shouldn't you say so, Mr.. Devens? l
shouldn't like Prue to be on such terms
with anv but declared lover myself"
'Does Miss Vaughn show you her
love-letters?' he asked, already caught
in the snare.
mot muchly, Mr.. Devens. But muir
der will out, you know. believe my
self that it is a dangerous innovation to
teach servants reading and writing, as
the Vaughns do. No good comes of it.. :"
Mr.. Devens experienced strange
distrust straightway. Not being versed
in the wiles of women of the Bender
type, he mistook her airy insinuations
for law and gospel. Laura had played
false, had taken advantage of their lit
tie quarrel to encourage a rival.
Should he not return the compliment
by bestowing his attentions upon some
other damsel? Naturally Miss Prue
became the recipient of his temporary
favor. 1t was Prue who drove with
him through the lanes that led to Lau-
ra's schOol-house, where they were
pretty sure to meet her going or COM
ing. and see the quick color deepen in
her cheek and forsake her lip; it was
Prue who played backgammon with
him in the lighted parlor, with the
curtain of the window looking out
upon the Vaughns' premises raised and
the interior visible: and it was poor
Laura, in the darkness of her own
room, who watched the pretty game,
with tightness at her heart and tears
in her eyes.
"What a blessing postal-cards are,
to be surer' reflected Mrs. Bender, as
she looked at the pair. "Now, if
TINT one hadn't been thrown in my
teeth, SO to speak, he would have been
spooning over at the Vaughns' this very
minute"
Mr.. Devens, blinded by his feelings,
failed to perceive that the situation
looked peculiar; he never guessed what
topic he afforded at the sewing So
ciety and the Bethel meetings, nor how
much occupation he provided for the
neighbors' eyes and ears. He never
once staid to question how his behavior
affected any one but Laura. Prue
was used to flirting with Tom, Dick
and Harry, and she had never received
wound.
Its kinder natural and handy, liv-
ing under the same roof" said old
Mrs. Goodhue, looking over her spec
tacles at the spectacle. ~ s'pose Pru-
dence and her ma cosset him within an
inch of his life; the way to mans heart
is through his stomach; you must PAM
per his appetite or tlatter his vanity, and
the Benders are equal to the occasion, l
reckon"
"lt's propinquity," remarked Miss
Blue, who read mental philosophy and
novels, and represented feminine cul-
ture in Chester. When Laura left her
school, again and again, to the tender
mercies Of Ellen Dow, and repeated
her excursion to Boston, Mr.. Devens
g.: ,e l1os,,r. ,,,oro IS 4