Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-04-26
THE TILE-ROOM AT DEADWOOD.

For twenty years the old mansion at
Deadwood, with its gables, muliioDed
doorways and embsyed windows, had
stood unoccupied. Colossal elms swept
over it, rank shrubbery hid its lower
windows, and lush grasses and weeds
swampe'i the garden, yet still the place
was beautiful. 1t Is said TO have been
built after a magnificent estate in Wales;
but no one remembered its origin. 1t
stood on a great hillside overlooking the
sea, and sailors and boatmen going by
always looked up at it as something pic
turesque and grand.
The mansion stood solitary, yet was
but hali mile from the village by the
river crossing the plain. beneath, and
when, after this great tf|Al OF i's indie.
structibleness human life appeared there,
it was Immediately discovered by the
surprised villagers Halt score of men
had moved their way up the front door,
had set every chimney smoking from the
great fires built below, had hacked and
hewed mercilessly at the overgrowth OF
intrusive shrubbery, and finally CAR
riage had come bringing air young
girl with mulatto attendant.
81 think it's-il's fearsOme like, don't
you, Miss Queenle2'
Nonsense; it's delightfully."- antique
and romantic. Only Pm not going to
live in the dark. Tell the men to cut
down these locusts, Patty; they shut out
the sun and are worm.eaten beside. Oh,
it's going 10 be lovely here Pattyl I'll
have those walks leading down to the
gate just blazing with tulips in
what will you do for company, Miss
Queenie 2"
"Oh, Guy is coming the first of May"
It was early in April then. The brave
young heiress of Deadwood took boldly
hold OF the work in hand She called
sunlight in through curtains OF white
lace. She hung the chamber walls with
rose-colored paper. She spread bright
rugs over the black WALNUT floors and
filled the rooms with graceful bamboo
and softly cushioned furniture. And
when her little dot was quite expended
upon further details Of chipa, books and
statues, the girl sat down to enjoy the,
home she had made.
1t was the first she had ever had and
already her homeless lie rested in it
with feeling OF satisfaction which had
been found in no other source.
Il am glad Guy is poor, because now
! can give him a home with myself
she murmured over her wedding clothes
which she was embroidering. "He shall
have buggy, and pick up nice prac>
tice at the village; and SO we have our
good prospects after all"
For the matrimonial prospects of these
young people of eighteen aud twenty
two had looked doleiul, very doleful,
until the woman suddenly rose equal to
the emergency.
Deadwood is mine, you say, Mr..
QuilIs2" she said to the lawyer.
YES"
"And it won't sell and it won't let.
And have only FIVE hundred dollars Of
interest money in bank stock p
"Just so"
"Then will live at Deadwood."
"Alone 2"
"Well, yes, for the present; Patty
and l." with smile, sweet, yet quizzl-
cal, at the old lawyers dismayed face.
So far all had succeeded better than
she bad dreamed possible. She had made
the old mansion habitable and pleasant;
and now II the fallow land were brought
under a mans hand, the hitherto uDprof-
liable piece OF property might even yield
an income for Miss Elinor St. Edgar and
her husband, Mr.. Quill declared.
But the things everybody expects sell.
dom do happen after all, and the things
nobody expected TO transpire are always
confronting us. After blithe letter Of
invitation from his lAdy-love, Guy Blon-
del arrived at Deadwood one fine May
day, and found Queeuie, as everybody
called her, SO pale, 80 grave, so almost
speechless, that he was dumbfounded.
/" Not single smile yet, Queenie ?
Why, what has come over you? Have
YOU seen ghostY"
The girl winked as II he had struck
her.
"You do not believe In ghosts GuyH"
Certainly not; no sensible person
Goes. But what hes changed you 30,
OueenieY You chill and astonish me
YOU have altered 30 in q few weeks Ano
I expected to find you perfectly tri.
umphsnt over your success and ready to