Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-05-21

alley, and were Just - common As dish.
water. That was thirteen years ago.
Then he says they went East, but it
couldn't have been the same family,
could it?"
81 dare say not" said mechani-
cally, though l know nothing Of the
details of their former history. There
the subject dropped, so far as was
concerned.
Not so with Miss Dayton, who fire.
auently boosted of her blue blood and
her wealthy connections. Had not her
father been Governor of the State, and
her grandfather Colonel in the regu.
lar army? To be sure, things had
been said that threw something
stronger than suspicion upon her
fathers fair fame, but that had been
hushed up and nearly forgotten, years
ago.
Our singing certainly improved after
Miss Nellie joined the choir, aud she
grew steadfastly in favor with our best
people, for no one who was unpreju-
diced could withstand the sweetness
and beauty Of her face and her charac-
ter.
- don't know how it u.s." she said
to me one day, "but can't get on
with the young ladies in the choir.
Either they dislike me, or fail in some
way to understand them. Perhaps
they consider me a usurper there?"
If they do, we don't" l said, for
we have never had such singing be-
fore. / don't want to think 80, but
possibly they may be envious of your
superior voice"
"Oh. hope not. If thought that
they felt that way, / should want to
leave the choir"
"No, no; We can't afford to lose you.
If there are any who are dissatisfied,
I'm sure the people would prefer they
would leave rather than you," 1 said,
hastily, "and my husband feels ex-
actly as I do about it,"
She thanked me gratefully. SIT is
curious" she said, after q little hesita-
ton, "but every Sunday, either be-
fore the service or after, Miss Dayton
asks the other girls, in way that
seems obtrusive, if they don't smell
peanuts. 1t is said just as regularly
as the Sunday comes round"
I found it difficult to restrain my
lau ghter at this, indignant though l
was; and of course it was impossible
for me to make any explanation of the
matter. My reply was, therefore, very
simple: "Oh, would not mind it. 1t
is dou btless some joke of their own"
A few Sundays after this, Nellie
came to me again, panied and trou-
bled.
81 wish l knew what to think about
it," she said. sit almost makes me
sick. What can they mean by smelling
peanuts? It has gone hey ond mere
joking, and looks as If they intended
to drive me out of their society. I am
sure there must be something in it. All
their talk is of peanuts"
Now l do not consider that retalia-
ton is Christian virtue; far from 1t;
but there may be instances when les.
son is needed. I thought in this case
that the time had come in which to
give Miss Dayton and her jealous COM
panions a rebuke.
1t was known, though the matter was
hushed up, that Governor Dayton,
prior to and during the war, was in
some way connected with the light
houses on the Southern coast. During
that time he was in league with others
to manufacture and use sharks oil for
the lighthouse lamps. The sperm-oil
provided by government was sold by de-
frauding officials at high price. and
thus large sums of money was realized.
The matter was hushed up soon after
the roguery was discovered, and per-
haps, as I said before, was partly for.
gotten.
As Nellie stood before me, her
sweet face teuchingly sad, and her
pretty lips trembling with emotion, I
gave her her lesson, and sent her away
smiling.
On the next Sunday the persecution
commenced as usual.
Why, is it possible you don t smell
peanuts 2" asked Miss Dayton, as Mel
lie stood in the midst Of group of
admirers after the services were over.
Indeed I do not" said Nellie,
earnestly. ola fact, have not smelt
anything to-day. or for several Sun.
days back, except strong odor of
sharks oil. It is very much more dis
agreeable than peanuts"
A sudden burst of laughter followed,
and poor Miss Dayton. crimson as her
ribbons, turned away in painful confu-
sion.
twas the last time that Nellie ever
suffered persecution about peanuts,
though she learned afterwards that, in
her fathers early days, after losing
the proceeds of q fair business through
the dishonesty of others, and being
disabled by ill health from pursuing q
more active career, he did keep fruit
stand for year or two in Chicago.
But for this she only honored him the
mcre.-GARRY Moss, in Youths Com.
pdniOn.