The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-06-02

herself she was saying, The man
might have married Reby once, but he
shall not flirt with her now"
81 am glad to find Reby unchanged" "
said Henry Maclane in response.
Mrs. Ellis replied, brusquely: She
is wonderfully changed to me. The
years have brought great strength and
goodness to Reby. She is not woman
to tolerate nonsense of any kind"
She justified her brusque speech with
the mental comment: "A man with a
wife and five children has no business
to stand there with undisguised admira-
ton on his face, and congratulate him
self on finding Reby unchanged. It's a
trying ordeal to her, and l would
shorten it if I could"
Her remark brought the color to
Reby's face, and Henry Maclane looked
annoyed. II don't understand" he
began.
Mrs. Ellis interrupted him. "You
will bring Mrs. Maclane when you come
aggain?"
"Possibly her husband will be free to
come with her." was the quiet response.
"Husband! Are you not Mrs. Mac
lanes husbandm asked Mrs. Ellis, Won
deringly.
me? Oh. MOI My brother Joshua
is Mrs. Maclane's husband" replied
Henry Maclane, with smile.
And father of the five children?'
continued Mrs. Ellis.
Father of the five children" echoed
Henry Maclane.
"And haven't you any wise?" asked
Mrs. Ellis, curiously.
"TLe Bible says, "A good wife is
from the Lord,'" replied Henry Mac
tame, gravely. "He has never given
me such blessing"
Mrs. Ellis eyes twinkled.
II could give you i'ible quotation
that might help YOU" she said, de-
murely; but warning glance from
Reby stopped her, just as visitor was
announced.
"You will come to see us soon?" said
Mrs. Ellis, as Henry Maclane arose to
leave.
"Can 1 come this evening?' he
asked
Certainly" replied Mrs. Ellis. eft
is well to get a gaslight view of things
you are interested in buying"
When the door shut, Mrs. Ellis
turned to Reby. apparently much in
terested in the visitors card. "Do you
know what I was about to quote?
Ask, and it shall be given YOU"
"Oh, Sue!" demonstrated the shrink
ing woman. "Don't toss me to any
man, as if l were a ball to be picked up,
or let alone. as suits his pleasure"
At the dinner table Mrs. Maclane
turned eagerly to her brother-in.law
with the question: "How do you like
house:huntingw
Immensely" was the hearty re-
sponse. II think I never enjoyed any
thing so much in my life"
Mrs. Maclane looked searchingly at
the man. 1t sounded like sarcasm, but
there was genuine pleasure in the face
she scrutinized.
"It must have been satisfactory
house." she said, complacently. "Now
tell me all about it."
at is q pleasant-looking house {;
brown-stone front, high stoop. and
three rooms Deep" answered Henry
Maclane, gibly.
Mrs. Maclane looked gratifi I'd.
"What was the condition of the paper
and paint?" she asked.
1.-The hall paper was dark, and the
wood work dark, and in good order. "
replied Henry Maclane, positively.
"Well, the rest of the house?" pur-
sued Mrs. Maclane.
Henry Maclane passed from positive
to negative condition as he answered,
in puzzled way: II hardly know. |
couldn't exactly tell. 1 think the hall
was an index of the rest"
Mrs. Maclane smiled. "Closets'" she
suggested
"The hall had closets" said Henry
Maclane, in much the way a schoolboy
begins recitation of which he knows
only the first paragraph. Il guess they
are all right"
Mrs. Maclane laughed heartily as she
remarked, "Inever take closets on trust.
Sewer gasp"
"No," responded Henry Maclane;
"there was sweet odor of violets as l
entered the parlor."
"Good" exclaimed Mrs. Maclane.
cit sounds like Araby the blest."
cit was," responded Henry Maclane,
in an undertone.
"Well, about the rest of the house?"
continued Mrs. Maclane. "Did the
violet odor pervade the whole of the
mansion?"
"I don't know" answered Henry
Maclane. "She didn't come"
"She? who?" answered Mrs. Mac.
lane. in puzzled way.
"The sister" was the brief reply.
,"Who's sisterp" said Mrs. Maclane,
in perplexity. Brother Hal, do you
know you are talking incoherently? I
can't seem to follow you. Are we talk
| ing about house or womanp'
"Both," answered Henry Maclane,
with 4 smile.
"What was the woman likef" asked
Mrs. Maclane.
"Light wavy hair, not a bit fluffy
nor plastered s+itfly, but just falling
over her forehead in pretty ripping
| waves and coiled in knot at the back,
clear eyes that demand the truth and
tell the truth, good nose, an express
sive mouth, delicate hands and Il shapely
| fgure-that's the woman" answered
Henry Maclane, enthusiastically.
"You can give better inventory Of
the woman than you can Of the house."
said Mrs, Maclane
Never mind; I'll try it again" re-
piled the brother-in- law. cheerfully.
When?" asked Mrs. Maclane.
II promised to look at the house by
gaslight," answered Henry Maclane;;
"To-night's gaslight?" asked the
woman, wonderingly.
"Of course" was the decided reply.
Procrastination is the thief of time.
tits my duty to cry Stop thief'"
"In the meantime, i think III man
age to look at the house myself" said
Mrs. Maclane. what is the name of
the lady am to ask for?"
MRS. Ellis" was the reply.
Il never knew any one by that
name" commented Mrs. Maclane.
IN or l." said her brother-in-law.
Mrs. Maclane looked puzzled. She
had been thinking Hal must have met
some old friends.
At the supper table that night she
turned to her brother-in-law with the
query: Hal. what possessed you to tell
! Mrs. Ellis we wanted the house just as
you found it? You know we have
more furniture than we can stow away
comfortably" :.
"She didn't understand me-" replied
Henry Maclane. Women are dread.
fully dull of comprehension.
"And men are incoherent and equivo-
CAL" retorted Mrs. Maclane. For
instance, you told me you had never
heard of Mrs. Ellis. She told me you
were an old friend"
"She wasn't an Ellis when I knew
her," replied Henry Maclane. "She