Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1879-09-04

|
pany," Rachel Motfatt felt constrained t,
say.
"Thank you but my errand is urgent,
Walter Gibbs answered. "Glad to hav,
your company" hemuttered as he walkeC
away-"a pretty story that, and she wish
ing me ten miles away, from the momen
joined her! What poor blind fool
have been!"
The woman whose happiness George
Reynolds had trihed with so wantoniy
walked slowly toward her home and sa
! down on the little porch, watching thu
moon come up. She overheard hel
fathers words as he talked to her mother
There's as good fish in the sea as wa,
ever caught. It's my opinion the mar
who gets our Rachel will find there is
better than George Reynolds has caught;
and I'm sure Rachel will find better
fish than George Reynolds, if he does
think he is the biggest toad in the pud.
de-"
Over Rachel Mofatt's sad face fitted a
smile that was almost merry. To think
on comparing Medbury to puddle, and
George Reynolds to the biggest toad!
| Then he. thoughts wandered to herself.
Did her father and mother suspect her
liking for George Reynolds2 And Walter
Gibbs-had her face tattled to him of Sc.
crets that she fam would have kept
Hencetorth she would wear mask, and
hide her secret in her heart
She went into the house and sat down
by the lamp-light. Her mask was on, and
she wondered If Mrs. Reynolds had made
the fruit cake for hereception, or whether
they had bought it Of the baker of Med
bury.
Mrs. Motfatt thought that Mrs. Rey
nolds would make it. She was such a
hand to have everything done up in her
kitchen. Maybe" she added, "Mrs.
Reynolds would like your help in making
lady-cake or something. You're such
master hand in lady-cake, you know,
Rachel. Supposing she should expires,
herself that way, what should say to
herr"
Rachel's mask threatened to fall. To
20 into George Reynolds home and help
prepare for the reception of his bride
was blow for which she was Ill prepared.
Only moment and the tOtterlng mask
was up. Certainly" Rachel answered,
'if Mrs. Reynolds should ask my help.
would be glad to CO." she added a mo-
ment after, as if she were giving the mask
final securing touch.
And so Rachel Moiiatt found herself
beating eggs and stirring butter and
sugar In Mrs. Reynolds kitchen, listen
ing to the woman's garrulous chat.
"Lady-cake it will be, | expect" she
said, pausing in the midst of her culinary
operations to watch the whites of eggs
rising in foam under Rachel Moffatt S |
dexterous manipulations. And expect
she's a very fine lady we're a-making it |
for; but it's matter that wouldn't like |
to go no farther than between us two
that Id a been satisfied if George had |
picked out a wife nearer home. I'm sure
| shouldn't a said a word it she who is
making the cake and she who would eat |
the cake had been the same identical IN.
divldual."
Rachel's mask shook little, but she
was brave girl. "Oh, am sure Georges
wife will be nice lady, and dare say we
will all like her very much, " she answered.
Rachel MOtlatt's words were fully ver-
fed. George Reynolds wife proved to be
a very nice lady-a little delicate creature,
all pink and white, whom it was impossi-
BILE not to like. because she was thorough
ly amiable and lovely.
"Who Is the lady in white with the
pink flowers in her hair?" asked the
bride Of the bridegroom, the evening of
their reception, as Rachel Motiatt entered
the room, somewhat late. "She looks
very lovely, but | shouldn't think she
would like to wear flowers of the Judas
tree. Don't you know" she asked, an.
swering the inquiring look OF her nus
band. That is the name of the tree
that bears those pink flowers. am a
great botanist-don't you know that, my
darling?"
The darling colored, seeing Rachel Mof-
fatt and the pink flowers. and remember
ing certain words uttered beneath the
shadows of the pink branches.
Rachel Moffatt was a study to another
man at George Reynold's S reception. Wal
ter Gibbs eyes followed her wherever she
moved, and he went home thinking of the
mystery Of womanhood as it revealed it.
self in Rachel Motfatt and pink flowers
The Judas-tree had never bloomed but
once when George Reynolds and his wife
came to Medbury to live.
George don't get on so well as could
expect" Squire Reynolds said and Mrs.
Reynolds limited to half dozen neighbors,
hoping it would 90 no further than be-
tween herself and the one with whom she
talked, that Georges wife was we'll
good-hearted little creature,
but, bless her heart! she didn't know the
first thing about housekeeping, and she
hadn't any knaCk at making the most of
her means.
George Reynolds wife sent for Rachel
Motfatt one day. 81 would have come
down myself" she apologized, "but really
| was not able;" and Rachel, looking in
to her face, saw that the pink had all
faded out, leaving only the whiteness of
the previous year. 'You see, DEAR" she
went on, with a winning trankness, 81
wasn't brought up to anything useful, and
the housekeeping don't go right, and
we could manage better and it would be
better for the baby. remember what
beautiful ladycake you made for our re-
ception, and the praises that were in ev-
erybody's mouth about your cooking.
And now, my dear Miss Moffatt, would
you mind showing me little, and see if
! can't learn to manage better, and make
Georges home more comfortableP II
thought would rather ask young per.
son like you than Georges mother, even"
And so Rachel Moffatt found herself in
George Reynolds kitchen, instructing the
in the mysteries of cooking,
and trying to impart to her some of her
'rare knack," as the people called it.
One day, as she came out Of the little
gate and took her way toward her own
home, gentleman passed her on horse
back. Looking up, she saw man with
q full beard and good figure; stranger
she thought him until he wheeled about
and exclaimed, "You are not running
away from your shadow again, are you,
Miss Rachel2" And the stranger was no
other than Walter Gibbs.
Rachel laughed this time without effort.
"They are harmless things, as you said,"
she replied; and then she inquired kindly
after his health and stay in Medbury.
81 presume strangers occupy the cot
tage yonderP" Walter Gibbs remarked.
pointing to the cottage Rachel had just
left.
George Reynolds lives there" Rachel
answered. "1've been up to assist Kate
Mrs. Reynolds-in canning fruit"
Rachel Moffatt's face did not color or a
feature CHANGE Either her mask wos