The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-04-24

COuISe, VI SOLuC Aoip r, Va q Wtuo"'
"I can't say as to that, but I imagine
she's good-looking, and that David is In
love with her." -.
"Dear, what makes you think that ?"
"Oh, because of the pains. he has
taken about the house. Lots of new
furniture, and every thing redded up.
He's bought carry-all, Sally said"
e.. "Who is this person that you are
talking about2" asked Felicia.
GA neighbor of ours-seven miles of,
to be sure, but that counts as neighbor-
hood in the country. Such nice, clever
man, Felicia, good farmer too, and
thoroughly respectable in every way;
but, poor fellow! so unfortunate in bis
appsarance-a dwarf almost, with the
head and shoulders of grown person,
and stunted legs no bigger than a
child's."
!. "Oh!" almost shrieked Miss NAL
lows, "that must be my little man in
the car. I came al the way from New
Haven with him and his BRIDE" and she
plunged into description which left
Mrs.. Lenox as much excited as her
friend.
"I must see her |" she cried. "We1l
drive over in day or two"
Weather was unpropitious, however,
and the day or two proved nearly q fort
night. Mrs. Lenox had double errand,
being provided with basketful of 10
male geraniums to be exchanged for cut
tings from old Sally's famous chrysan-
themums; but when, after knocking a
long time at the seldom-used front-door
of the farmhouse, they made their way
round to the kitchen, and from thence
to the family sitting-room, no one was
visible, and the fireless hearth and neat
" piled books and papers on the table
made it evident that the apartment had
not been used of late. While they ling
cred and wondered, acreaking step came
down the stairs, and old Sally, with a
tea-cup in her hand, entered the room.
She saluted the ladies grimly.
"Thank ye, Mss Lenox. I'd like the
Fgeraniums well enough if I'd time to tew
round with 'em, but Jest now my hands
Eis full, without taking care of plants,
Amusing Miss Dairymple."r l.
ry,c Mr.. Dalrymple's' wife2- Islshe i'll p
yes, She is and, she amt. "Tain't
mo pertikilar gkind of sickness as can
see; but she's weak as water, and looks
Fbad. I give. her pennyroyal when she
fust come, thinkin' it might be she'd
ketched an inside cold on the journey;
but it didn't do no good, and she KEEP
on not eatin' nothin' and gettin' more
and more peakin', till finally she took to
her bed, and to-day Mr.. David's gone
over for the doctor. He set up with her
last night. She didn't want him to, but
ne said he shouldn't sleep anyhow, and
she'd ruther. 1t don't seem as if it need
take up any time a-waitin' on her, for
she don't ask for any thing from days
end to days end; but sickness takes
steps any way you fix it, and 1 haint done
much except go up stairs and down agln
for these four days"
"Dear me p began Mrs. Leno1. But
Felicia, moved by an impulse, broke,
in,
81 think I must have come in the
same train with Mrs. Dalrymple.
wonder if I might 60 up and see her p
Rather to her surprise, Sally made nc
objection.
"She hain't said she wouldn't see no.
BODY, and mebbe it'll rouse her up 8
bit, was her ultimatum, and Miss Nal.
lows ran lightly up. A door stood hall
open; ;she tapped, and in answer to q faint
"Come in, /" entered the bedroom, where,
covered with resplendent star-pattern
ed patchwork quilt, lay her late fellow.
traveller.
The pale cheeks, from which. much oi
the childish roundness had wasted, flush
ed at sight of her.
81 hope you will forgive me for com
ing up so unceremoniously," began Fell
cia, speaking rapidly to hide her OWL
nervousness. "Your old housekeepel
gave me leave, and-well, felt 80 sorry
for you, sick and alone in strange
place, that I wanted to come. If it tires
you, you must send me away"
The girl looked at her a moment IL
silence. Then she said: "Won't you sit
down? There's chair"
Miss Mallows sat down. She was 6
pleasant object to look at in her olive
green's and pheasant browns, with cheeks
and eyes frightened by frosty air, ano
the invalid felt it.
"You was in the car the day I came,
wasn't you ?" she said. 81 recollect
your hat. I've been sick most ever
since. It seems long time"
"The first few weeks in new place
are apt to seem long," replied Felicia,
kindly; "and dare say you miss your
home"
81 haven't any home to miss sadly.
"Iudeed p
"No. I don't remember my folks al
all, or scarcely. Ny father he died
when I was born, and mother when
wasn't but two. I hadn't any body else,
so they sent me to the orphan asylum
and lived there fifteen years."
"Poor child! Did you? And what
then?"
"Then I was took by Mr.. Parker
over to Cheshire. Twas their help, bu
they was very good to me, and it wal
most of a home I'd ever had. Mis-
Parker she liked to have me call hel
'ma,' and I did,"
"And then you married Mr.. Dal
rymple."
Eyes" The blue eyes clouded over
and the lips closed tightly over the on
word.
"And now I hope you'll have rea
home of your own at last. What
pleasant old place this is Even a
this season one can see that. And m,
friends tell me that Mr.. Dalrymple is g
kind and good and clever, and so mucl
respected in the neighborhood: an
sure you can not fail to be happy will
him, though just at first the farm ma,
seem a little lonely and strange"
The reply to these well. l.meant remark
was unexpected, for the bride burs
into violent fit of crying, which NJ
soothing on the part of her dismaye'
guest availed to check.
"I'll tell you about it., she sobbed q
last, quieting little, and won to conf
dence, as it were, by the tears il
Felicia's cwn eyes. 81 haven't had an.
one to tell before, and I'm so unhappy
I didn't ever think I should feel 81
when ! got married. They all said
should be a fool if I didn't take MI
Dalrymple, because he was 90 we'll of