South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1880-08-20
a DESPERATE RgMEDY.

Mrs. Banks this afternoon, and you
can't imagine how she has changed
She is actually the shadow of shade
Actually, Lily said Edward Reese
as he took the cup his wife handed
him.
Lilly's cheeks flushed at her hus-
bands tone, the slight sarcasm Of
which she was atno loss TO understand,
for frequently had she received a re-
proof for the thoughtless exaggeration,
in which she constantly INDUCED.
Well, perhaps not actually the shad
ow OF shade she said little resent
fully, but she is very i'll. Her mother
came last night. Such singular
looking person as tall as n bean pole,
hair as white as snow. and q voice
like the growl of licnr
she must, indeed, be singular
said Edward, dryly. Il wonder Bar
mum did not discover her. She wo1ld
have been a bonanza for him.
But Lily only laughed and pail 10
attention to his words. She was fond
of talking, and could not remember
to guard against her greatest failing.
Il also went to Mrs. Days to try on
my dress she continued, 'but 1t was
no kind of fit; the waist was mile
too large, and nearly died laughing,
when saw myself in it. shan't let
her touch another dress of NINE
But, poor thing! pity her, she is so
sickly, and is forever doctoring her
self up. She must swallow gallons OF
medicine every year. But she must
get this dress done in time for me to
wear to Mrs. Martins dinner. ]
wouldn't miss it for the world, and
wild horses couldn't drag me there in
that old gray silk, I've worn, ut least
n thousand times. The Martins al
ways have such elegant toilets
But then Mr.. Martin is worth oceans
of money and we arc not
NO, not even little stream said
Edward. q had no idea Mr.. Martin
was SO enormously rich. Strange, it
was never mentioned 10 me before 7
% Edward, you know well enough
what | mean, don't tease me son
Edward laughed, as he saw his wife 5
vcXation
We'll, to change the subject. Lily
he said, when are the Rociwells com
mgr
Tho idea of your forgetting, Ed
ward On Thursday. / know I've
told you a hundred times. I've in
vited the friends we spoke about to
meet them in the evening, and know
cousin Bell will expire with envy
when she hears that uncle and aunt
Rockwell are actually III my house on
a visit She worked like death to get
them to go to her last Easter, but they
wouldn't
q never cared much for visits from
rich relatives said Edward. Moth
ing ever suits them, and feel sure
we shall both be glad when your un-
Gle and aunt are back in their own
home again. They are certain to be
particular, and l am afraid you will
find it difficult TO amuse them whole
week
But | expect You to help me, Ed
ward, | am so anxious that they should
like you, and | DO hope you will hui
NOR all their little notions. / should
die if uncle Rockwell took a dislike
to YOU
i hope the case would not be quite
50 serious as that, Lily
We'll it would be terrible grief to
me. Apart from having a proper
pride in your standing as we'll "a with
my only relatives as Bells husband
does, / want TO be remembered in
uncle's will. What modification it
would be to me, if he left her all and
me nothing I'm not mercenary bit,
but l would like to be little better
off. Edward, do try to please them.
You can be such an angel when You
choose.
Edward laughed ut his little wife's
ilattery, and, rising from the table,
went into the cosy parlor adjoining
the dining room, where he threw him
self into an easy chair, and took up a
late magazine. But he failed for
some reason to turn It's pages, and,
when Lily came in, ten minutes later,
she found him deep i'll thought.
Are You planning how you will
amuse the Rockwell5, Edward she
asked, kissing his upturncd brow az
iechonatcly, rs she bent over his
chair.
yes, he answered, with peculiar
smile Il wonder how you guessed.
Il don't know, I'm sure-intuition,
| suppose. Thought at first. that you
were Matching some mischief, you
looked so pleased with YOURSELF
lie made no response to this re-
mark. and she did not see his eyes
/ twinkle with suppressed mcrrlmcnt.
| And little did she imagine what true
| guess she had made, or what the mis-
chief was that Edward had dctcrmin.