The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1878-10-04

put w ShDVJ h'J iiCouoni 40 IouS us
| pleased.
We were going to have a double
wedding. Abby and Juliet were
to be married on the same day, and
my two fair sisters we're deeply.
truly happy.
One evening, just a week before
the wedding, Mr.. Grambling called,
looking very grave.
81 bring bad news, ladies'" he
said, abruptly, "and it concerns
uncle"
+ felt a cold child creep up my
spine.
"Wcll," said Abby.
"Mr. Jefferys left "a later will /; it
has just been found to-day and he
left his property to an orphan
asylum"
Then there was a long silence,
and | questioned the realty of
all earthly thing. Three white,
shocked faces confronted the law
yer.
at cannot be true" l cried out
at last, Uncle Maurice surely was
not so wicked"
Bnt it was true, and we were as
poor as when we lived in Mrs.
Jenkins back attic.
Abby and Juliet accepted this
reverse of fortune very calmly, but
| wept and refused to be comfor.
ted, and took pleaSuSe in hating
uncle Maurice.
With magnanimity worthy of
praise, Mr.. Chaloner again came
forward and proposed but pride
made me reject him this time.
"No," | said proudly, 81 would.
MT marry you when | was rich,
don't ask me now"
Then ] went up stairs and cried
until my nose was the size of a tea
cup.
My sisters naturally thought |
would make my home with them,
but | had not the remoteSt idea of
such a thing. We had "A warm dis
cussiOn OH the subject one night,
and | came oft victor.
"But what are you going to do,
Clitf?" asked Abby.
81 am going to Pickensville to
teach school and wear ont all my |
finery."
SO after the wedding / departed |
for Pickensville. This highly in
teresting village was composed of
two dozen houses, five stores, and a
set of the most respectfully stupid
people that | ever saw.
The mild dissipation the Pickens-
indulged in, when compared |
to that | had just given up, was
like blue skinned milk to rich, led |
wine.
My life was a dreary sameness
rom week to week. If | had kept
/ diary it would have been as bar.
'eu of events as Mark Twain's on
Here would have been
IN entry:
Eat my breakfast, went to
school, and whipped all the chill
lreu because they would obey me,
Dismissed at five O'clock, went
lome and put on one of my pret-
lest dresses, and spent the remain
Ter Of the day in the delightful oc-
upation of tormenting Josephus
aneS, the village lawyer"
Abby and Juliet wrote regularly
ach week, and as regularly begged
ne to give up my foolish pride and
ONE back to them but StnbbOrnly
One morning when | started to
ny daily torture - teaching the
outh of Pickensville was torture
o me-l felt so blue, and spiritless,
longed to lie down by the way
ide, aud never rise any more.
All through the day | inwardly
loaned over my lot, looking back
egretfully to that year of pleasure,
hat lay like Il rift of warm light
cross the graynesS of my life.
At recess, when with several dis
inctive yells my unruly scholars
eparted for their playground |
ut my head down on the desk to
ave good, comfortable cry.
The first tears had just splashed
own when the door opened and
Iugh Chaloner entered. Ny heart {
lrobbed fast with joy, but | dried
~ eyes, and tried TO appear as I
Dol and calm as May mornings. t
ut didn't succeed for |
"YOu have been crying. CIiff,"
ere among the first words he said !
} me. ]
a. haven't,a | cried Indignantly.
"Well, there are tears on your
zee anyhow"
"O-I-that-is-"
"You are not good at telling sto-
es," he interrupted with a laugh.
hen he looked keenly at me and J
lid:
" You are pale and thin, Clifford" !
" 1t is only the cool wind that
axes me look pale. have splen- {
d health and nice time"
I" Imdeed.n
" Yes, Mr.. James is so kind and
yreeable.n
Mr.. Chaloner laughed. !
I" | am glad you are SO happy, :
iss Royal, but you must congratu
te me now.
4" What ont" / asked, feeling my
,art sinking. |