The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-06-03


| have tolcrable voice, | should he fright
ened if were to try to sing in public, that
| could not utter Il note"
''Ah, my child" said the father, eff YOU
had only married some one of those rich
admirers of yours |"
Annis laughed.
"What is the use of saying that, papa
Not one of them has been near us since your
failure. always suspected their devotion
was not to be trusted. But if one of them
uid care enough for me to come forward now
and offer to pay these dreadful debts, | be-
lieve would fall in love with him out of
sheer gratitude. l would marry Il ciod, to
see your name clear of debt"
The father and daughter had come out
FOR short walk ut evening, and neither of
them noticed that as Annis said these words
Il gentleman who had been walking behind
them, passed them slowly, with lingering
glance into the girls beautiful face
Some days passed and then very queer
letter came to Annis Prime. 1t read:
''DEAR Miss II hav watcht yu often
when yu ditlunt no it. hurtl wat va scd
too yure fothcr ahowt marriun emmy wun
hoo kood pa hiz diets. kan doc it, and if
yule have NEE, will imc clod, but i've got
the mummy. Ware wrcd rozc in ynrc
hare. when yu go out to wauk the nextymc,
If you aksep and the jent that gives yu Il
bokay will be me- C1oD."
Annis spelled this strange epis,lc with
some difficulty, for it was miserably written
aside from the spelling. Then she showed
il to her father, and laughed lii she cried.
dc spells rose with 81 and red with
an "a. But think shall 'akscp,' papa,
if You don't object, just for the sake of the
'bokay.' You'll be with me, you know"
Accordingly, the merry girl, when she
went to walk that night, wore red rose
coquettishy below one ear, where its GRIM
son and velvet beauty brought out the
golden tint of her natchlcss hair ravishinn-
ly.
Her father was with her. They had not
been walking long before they noticed ap-
preaching them the srangcst specimen of
humanity either had ever bchcld.
lie was tall and awkward in his move
ments, his hair hung long and straight upon
his shoulders. lie wore very broad d-brim-
med slouch hat Of soft felt, swallow-tail
coat, and plaid unmentioablcs, with patent
leather boots, narrow of toes and high of
heels. In one hand lie carried bouquet,
which he held at arms length, as if it were
something explosive.
itNiN IN iS"t'S ptlGt, ATnlS,
with smothcrcd laugh. Snow be surc
yon are civil to him. "
She accepted the bouquet which the
stranger proifelcd her smiingly, and her
father politely invited him to 20 home with
them, Which he did.
'Annis noticed, with some surprise, that
her bouquet was made up in exquisite taste.
But that she attributed to the florist of
whom the ''clod' had probably purchased
it.
But what surprised her most was to find,
when the evening was over, and the strange
guest had departed, how much she had
really enjoyed it. IN spite of his oddities
and awkwartlncss, the "clod" had conlrivcd
to be interesting.
''lic has fine eyes and good features, pa
pa, she said, ''and if he would cut his hair
and dress with some regard to taste he
would please me better than any of those
others whom you would have liked me to
marry, and whom am sure would every
ohe have instantly withdrawn their suits
and they known the condition of your
affairs. l wonder if he is really 50 rich rs
he says2" aS.
"iave no anxiety about the money, "said
Godfrey Prime, to his daughter after few
days. 'Fhe fellow has come most uncx-
pcctcdly into an immense fortune He could
pay my debts and set me up in business
again, if lie chose, without missing the
money. And he stands ready to do it if
you marry him." ...
81 am ready" said Annis, gaily. "NIy
heart warns to him already"
The marriage took place soon.
The merchant was reinstated in his bust
ness, and in a grandcr and more tlourisi,ing
manner than before.
The SPLENDID residence which he and lis
daughter had inhabited before his bank
ruptcy was rcpurchascd and refurnished in
the most magnificent manner.
Only one thing troubled Annis Her
''clod' still remained a 'sclod," do what
she would All her cfforts-though she had
made him cut his hair and Danish his rain
bow suit-could not make him any different
from what he was at first t.r
But he was devoted to her; and, because
of his riches, everybody courtcd him. His
very awkwardness became the fashion, and
his most ungrammatical speeches were
passed from tongue to tongue as profound
wit .o.e.t. ..f ....
Besides all this, he had a good heart so
much genuine kindness of disposition, be-
ing always ready to succor the unfortunate
and he loved her SO well that Annis could
not help loving him in return.
''Dcar Clod," she said to him one day,
disparingly when, In spite of all her nstr,c-
tions, he would flame out in fancy neck
tic, and persist in saying ''hain't" for "havc
not"-''dear Clod, you arc too stupid for
belief; but somehow, 1 can't help loving
you, in spite of that"
The ,"clod" smiled and kissed her most
tenderly.s 'ha Ht'i
81 have been stupid" he said, "and you
have been more patient than deserve. But
from this hour you shall see change in
me-"
Annss laughed indulgently. She. had re-
signed herself to see him always 'tclod."
"Bnt, to her amhzemcnt, that evening when
hcr. parlors were filed with the elite and
fashionable ofth city, her husband presented
himself attired in exquisite taste, and SO
altered IN every other respect that only the
eyes Of loye could have traced in this clc-
CANT gentleman any of the characteristics of
the "clod" o.mI,
Everybody stared, and Annis, understand
ing that he had been playing a part, was
grieved and offended. 8 d