The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-04-24

4
way" explained his niece.
That's the poeticai way Of putting it,
interpolated Mrs Dusenbery.
but she was LETT almost destitute, y
Miss Spooner went on, land she's deli.
cate little thing, and
circumstances were too many for
her." suggested the polk-merchant.
| ''Just So" asseuted his hostess. but
most fortunately, she possesses the gift oil
song; and with what her writings bring
her in, and the presents which are show
cred on her wherever she goes-she Is such
met her at Mrs. Bluelight's party last
winter, and we took such fancy to each
other right off. and she told me her story
in the conservatory. Young Chandler was
there, too, but she didn't see him he was
at the other end of the room, behind some
tall plants-he was very attentive to her
afterward, and gave her pearl bracelet
on her birthday-and l cried till my nose
looked like "a"
Cherry" suggested Mrs. Dusenberry.
Adding, in a sprightly manner, Gap
tain, if you desert me for this enchantress
II never forgive you. to the great aston
ishment of the honest Captain who had NOT
exchanged three sentences with the lady,
and indeed had never seen her until this
very July afternoon.
"We)l," said Mrs. Spooner, changing a
ring from the fore6nger of her hit hand
TO the fore6nger of her left. 1--WE must all
be very kind to ner. l sympathize with
her with all my he art about her child.
know how I'd feel if | lost you, Isabella. "
"'My babelet sweet! murmured Mrs.
Dusenberry, fixing her peculiar eyes on her
friend, on which the gawky youth at her
side dropped the fan and burst into a loud
guffaw.
flush" cried Miss Isabella; ''Here
she is.'
And up the garden walk tripped slight
g:rlish- looking woman. dressed in blne-
gray silk. with Gainsborough hat, from
which floated long black ostrich plume,
coquettishly set on the back of her head.
Her pale yellow hair hung in babyish
curls about her snOw-white brow, and she
raised pair of lovely yellow-brown eyes
to the group on the veranda.
Miss Spooner, With astonishing quick
ness, considering how stout she was, ian
down the steps and caught her friend in
her arms. "You darling!" she SAID with
enthusiasm, 1--WE have just been reading
your sweet, sweet poem, a Mother S
Wall Welcome to the homestead"
How beautiful it ISL said the little
woman, clasping her daintily kldded
hands, and speaking in a low, clear voice,
perfectly audible to the listeners above,
as she turned toward the river ''That
glimpse of the water! the grand old trees.
the fragrance of the air! and''-raising
her beautiful eyes-''the glorious sky, so
like''-with a catch in her breath-"so
like the eyes of MY lost, my darling boy!'
In less than a week every man in the
house was more or less in love with Mrs.
Montgomery Montague-the captain, the
pork-merchant, the old clerks. and the
young clerks.
And the women-well. the women
didn't like her as well as they did before
she came
''She's pretty enough and clever
enough, said Mrs. Dusenberry, but
for one am getting tired of her blue-eyed
boy. As said in letter of mine to a
distinguished literary gentleman-imme-
diatelyupon reading it he enrolled him
self among my band of admirers have
lost children, lost them in the grave, but
| never bring my shadows to cloud the
sunshine of my friends.' And. to do
her justice, she never did. On the con-
trary, so uncommonly well did she bear
her bereavements that one could scarcely
believe she had ever been bereaved.
But to go back to the pretty poets low
ers. Capt. Hottop was the most devoted
of them all. He had never been in love
before, and love, like scarlet fever, is a
most serious complaint when contracted
late in life. He followed Mrs. Montague
around like faithful, loving slave, car
rying heavy shawl to spread on the grass
when she chose to sit beneath the trees,
and large umbrella to shield her. from
the sun when it was her pleasure to ram
BILE along the road. He named his sail
boat Lillian after hel, bought pony and
pheton and placed them at her service,
swung her for hours in the hammock
which hung in the orchard, and listened
with patient, heartfelt sympathy to her
longings for her blue-eyed boy.
BLESSED if it amt too bad," said he
one day they were sitting beneath the
catalpa-treesl, as the little widow pressed
her lace handkerchief to her eyes to dry
the tears that sprung to them Just after
she had remarked that the twittering of
the dear little birds was like baby's
'darned if it amt! Couldn't you
GIT him away from the folks? Pears to
me couldn' refuse you anything when
you clasp your hands and look at me with
tears In your eyes.
"Oh, Captain" sobbed the sorrowing
mother. there are very few people in the
world like you-very few. You are one in
thousand-yes. FIVE thousand. But
never had a chance to appeal TO them per-
sonally. was very i'll when-when they
took my darling away; and letters, with
no matter how much feeling we write
them. are so cold.
"Why don t you try personally, them"
asked the Captain, swinging her dainty
parasol about, to the imminent danger Of
the delIcately carved handle.
She blushed, cast down her yellow
brown eyes. raised them again, looked
him in the face like a child resolved to
tell the truth, however painful it may be.
ana said, Il have no money wherewith to
pay my passage to England. Understand
me. would willingly, most willingly, be
a Storage passenger. a stewardess, any,
thlng-anythlng to bring me nearer nv
child. But coming to them save as betit-
ted the wife of their son and brother, nv
husband proud family would disown me.
and | should be alone in strange land
more heartsick than ever"
Well. if the want of moneys all.
cried her honest lover. that's easily set
tied. I'll give you the money TO 60 in
bang up-style. and"
But here he stopped in amazement, for
Mrs. Montgomery Montague had risen
from her seat and drawn her small figure
to its fullest height. .'Sir. do not insult
me-, she said. with trembling lips
Insult you.' cried the Captain. spring