West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-07-12
LETTICE.

bitter day.
Not pleasant day TO travel on, by any
means; but then Lettice Mainwaring was
one of the sort that makes the best of every
thing.
: Z st1fs long journey over the hills, miss, y
said the wife OF the landlord of the little
one-story tavern that was perehed on the
crest of the highway, ''and the SHOWS
powerful Deep
al think winter landscape is the pref
tiest thing in the world said Lettice,
cheerily, as she wound her iur round and
round her neck.
''And old Stokess stage is awfully un-
comfortable,r added the landlady.
Il like stage riding" asserted Lefty.
you'll not get there till dark. "
'NOh, that is sooner than / expected y
And Lefty climbed up into the stage
coach which stood cresking and groaning
AZ the door, having just rumbled up from
the next village, mile or so down the hill.
One solitary passenger occupied the OPP
pOsite corner-atall, dark man, with Span
ish sort of complexion and clear dark eyes,
who wore an odd sort of olve-grcen cloak
OF mantle, heavily trimmed with sable fur
He nodded briefly in return to Letty's
smiling recognition.
s Our little heroine would have talked with
polar bear, had a polar bear chanccd TO he
her travelling companion.
-Lettjce arranged her bags and her basket
and lrer bonnet strings, and wondered Sc
cretly how tar the tall man was going.
Can he of any assistance to you ~
courteously quoried the gentleman, as Let
" searched in the straw at her feet for a
dropped glove.
''Thanks-no, said lefty, coming up
Ill. a
Gle disheveled.. ''Are yoUgoing ailthe way
through ~ EEE a
Gas far as the stage goes--yes.
'tOh, said Miss Mainwarng $50 am
IL EEl III
The gentleman nodded iuterrogatively
and went back TO his paper.
Gross thing, thought Lefty, involun-
tarily pouting her cherry lips. ''Why can't
he talk and make himself agreeable And
he knows very well that we are to he shut
. up here together for eight long hours"
But the wild landscape, as it fitted by,
white, cleaning with SHOWS, and darkly
fringed with the waving boughs, was, after
all, nearly "a good study as the "human
face divine"
Lefty soon forgot her temporary annoy
ance and chagrin in the white, skeleton-likc
d wall of deserted Old paper mill, long since
disused aud fallen TO Iuin.
'Ewonder if IL IL hauntedi' said she,
aloud
The stranger smiled and laid down his
paper.
'Do you believe in such things z" he
asked.
Iettice Mainwa ing laughed and coloted.
- '0f course not, And .yeirrT1 are you
I" much Acquainted with this part of the
country 2" .eftsbtat - EFH
al have lived hereabouts good DEAL
ooh then perhaps you know Eastcrhan
fIis face frightened
"Oh, yes. YoJAre going there ~
eyes. | smsgeipgto1R goseraess to the
little children, said Lefty, making haste "a
senhghten bin as 20 her true position, in
order that he should fully comprehend that
she wasno elegant young lady coming tC
the Hall TO make a visit, but a humble It,
Ne worlSing girl, Yho Was obliged 70 tot
s.eadfastly for the daily bread shc ate.
"lndced :" he said.
And Lefty vas vcxed at herself for no
ticing the polite indifference into which hi,
tone subsidized
81 suppose It is very fine old place,
she went on.
"Very-for those who fancy fine old
places. To my taste they are apt 90 bC
overrun with rats, full Of draughts and pic
turesquely inconvenient'
'.And haunted, perhaps 2" mischicvousy
put in Lettice the roguish sparkles coming
back to her eyes.
$50 far as ! know, Easterham Hall IL
free from any supernatural occupants
81 am sorry for that, said Lefty.
He archcd his eyebrows
"YOu would like TO share your room will
ghost or two2 2"
"No but do IKE little tinge Of ro
nance about the place something 10 set 4
above and beyond the level Of the common
place
He did not answer, aud laxative Lett,
once more set the conversational ball roll
ing.
"Thc Easterhams are very rich, ! sup
pose %
eyes. "
II never heard Of them until last week,
sais she, musingly ',And now--hov