Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-05-16
NO.. 12O.
Gales ano Skettbes.
GARNET GRAY'S FLIRTING.

BY MAY HAMILTON.

Good pity if there don't come old Al
miry SmondS; and a greater gossip don't
live between here and the Medygeranium
Sea. Good mornin' Almiry; how do you
do? Take a chair and lay off your bunnit.
How bright the sun is. do declare these
beautiful days make me feel so happy |
can't help sngn':
Tramp, tramp, the boys are march
in = and Rachel Brown might certainly
have been heard mile and half.
''Iou are quite a stranger. Mrs. ST.
monds," ] said, because must say some
thing.
"How is the baby ?" she asked
| looked up in well feigned astonish-
mcnt. Rachel suddenly ceased cheering
up her cumrades, and turned as red IA
boiled beet
What baby? What do you mean, Mrs.
Simonds? ? Who said anything about a ba-
by? ?" asked with cool dignity
"Why nobody didn't say nothin partic-
ular. Only Miss Kent and her Sary Ann
Went into the apothccary's last Saturday
to buy some gum drops, and she said your
hired man, Mike was in there buyin'
French nussin' bottle
"Well. and what then? Mikes wife has
Il year old baby to board her dead sisters
child | said, quietly, angry enough to
shake her false teeth out.
"Ies-but-well, but Miss Kent
does love to know pretty well what is 20
inc ON. and she told Sary Ann to come
around this way going home from school
and look on your clothes line. as that
would tell the story for Miss Kent vows
She saw a light in the parlor chamber and
heard baby cry. comm home from
classmeetn, Friday night
Mentally cheering up my tagging pa
tence, asked Just one question more
"Well, the clothes line, what did that
develop?" queried calmly.
80, Sary Ann says she never did see
bigger washin out. even for twins, slips
AMI shirts. and petticoats, and
Mrs. Simonds," said. louder than |
often allow my voice to rise. III trouble
You To rise and leave my house forever and
ever please call as you 90 home and tell
Sarah Ann Kent and all her relatives, male
and female. if they dare to come here
again to examine my clothes line.
I'll strangle them with it. Now go, and
if YOU dare to slander me- | will prose-
cute YOU"
''Terrible humble critter, amt she P''
unused my Rachel. looking out after her,
"IIow she does need a new bunnit
Just then there came sharp ring at
the front door bell. and Rachel called me
to receive Parson Smith As | stepped
along towards the parlor, felt in my
pocket for my portmonnaie for | could
not imagine his motive in coming. unless
it was to solicit aid for some charitable
purpose.
was at fault for once He sat awhile
in my great arm chair talking composed
| ~ of the weather. the crops, and the cold
state of the church and taking a mental
inventory of my furniture and dress. At
length he departed.
"What Il powerful long nose that man
has mused Rachel looking out from
her lair. Hes dreadful well satisfied with
that new carryall of his'n. guess he's
forgot when he preached in Chilleytown,
and his wife rid to meeting on an ox-sled,
on Il turned down peck measure
30, Rachel, Rachel, you horrible Cos
sip" called out thinking it was Just as
cheap to laugh as to cry.
\ girlish giggle just at that instant at
tracted my attention to the stairway. where
stood Garnet Gray, fresh as IA blush rose,
and charmngly pretty in pink French
cambric wrapper had remodelled for her
from one of mine.
Was ever ANYTHING so funny ?" she ex-
claimed, her face alight with mirth.
That is the very minister who married
John and |. He was preaching at Ma
year ago. SO he is minister after all
and Kate Edgeworth told me lie when
she said my marriage was not legal one
Kate Edgeworth9 What do YOU know
about Kate or her family ?'' questioned,
wonderinglv
More than care to know, at least, of
her. But get Your work-basket, and come
up To the bay-window in nv room and |
will tell you all about it. Perhaps she i'm
posed more than one falsehood upon me-
1t may be that my darling little baby has
Il father living somewhere, who will vet
own and love her after all
| walked off in quest of my work basket.
aud found it. Then seated myself oppo-
site Garnet Gray in the alcove of the deep
window, and sorted my tangled worsteds
with nervous. trembling hands.
II ought to have told you my story at
the outset" she said, settling herself;
"but was so i'll and unhappy when l
came here that day. didn't care for any
thing but to lie down and die. Few
women would have been the friend to
me YOU have been, people are so suspi-
cious; and indeed, circumstances were
sadly against me. | had pretty hard
struggle with the world trying to earn my
living respectfully, after grew tired of
being driven around SO by Mrs Warren,
at the Glen House. will not be so fool
sh as to pretend not to know that have a
beautiful face. though never cared much
tor being pretty until it won me John
Edgeworth's love. He found me in
flower store, where he called one day, to
buy a bouquet, and it was just the same
old story overy again until we were mar
ried. two months afterwards. You are
perhaps aware. that although the Edge
worths are very alistocratic, they are not
nearly As rich as they once were. John
told me there was some trouble about the
property, and Il number of good reasons
why our marriage was kept secret for
while. dare say Kate was one of those
reasons she was so fiery and so proud Of