The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-03
Only Joe.

he may come IN. -
boy of fifteen or siXtcn years of ace
shyly entered.
Inc cntranccway was the white drop
curtala OF white tent pitched on the green
'nwn OF Decrsficld. The interior, with q
charmlngly transparent whitencss Of wall
vail effected by the MONDAY rays Of the Au-
gust sun, contained three pretty schoolgirls,
busy with boxes Of fincry A negro nurse
was opening on Il Turkish mat tha: carpet
cd the tent ground carton of gaily colorcd
ribbons.
NOW, Joe," said Caroline, eve have
let you in only on one condition, and that
is, you don't tell, and you don't lcok.n
"r-s-t-two conditions" stammcrcd Joe.
'Wcll, keep them both," said Caroline
in her shrill, authoritative voice.
Joe rested himself upon camp chair in
an angle Of the awning, with water color
sketch book in hand. Occasionally, as his
pencil moved, ho glanced critically at the
girls, who had stretched themselves in rap
turous attitudes upon the ribbon hcapcd
rug, and who were by this time too en-
crossed with their morsels of fincry to OBJ
serve the unobstrusivc act.
'Pm going to Charlie Evans ball as the
Enchantrcss," said Belle. ''Ncvcr mind
if it is a childps ball."
Dear me l wish didn't hare to be
onl J flower girl" sighed Jane
I'm the daughter of the Regiment, "
cried Caroline, striking martial attitude
She marched up to Joe, and with a uuc,
motion tossed the cap from his head
Crude boy you are in the presence of la
dies"
II was for-for-bidid-dcn to lo-look."
''Looll now," said Coroline, s'and keen
youreycs forever aftcrward shut"
Joe lifted to thc little tcrmagant his
bright distant, but inquisitivc eyes.
Then he returned to his work and Ca
rollne, as she turned away, heard him soft
~ repeat her words, without any trace of
fatal slammcr: "Forcvcr aftcrward shut"
The family at Dccrsiicld vas rather sin
gularly grouped. The children of the
house were of divided parcn,agc. Belle
was the daughter OF Dccrstieltis present
owner. Jane was his orphan niece. Ca
roline, the only child of widowed mother,
was destined 20 be heircss of Dccrsfcd
after the lifetime of her cousin Bellies
tathcr Joe was the half-brothcr of Belle
ny her mothers former marriage lie was
an orphan, possessed Of n substantial patri-
mony. The guardians Of the four children
were the Eastcr OF Dccrsticld and the
mother OF Caroline, who very harmonousy
ruled these incongruous elements given into
thelr care hy strange fate. Belle and Jane
were not difficult to manage Joe, a gentle
lad, gifted with a wonderful talent for
coloring to the lite, and afflicted with q
staN,mcring speech that made hlm rcticent
OF talk and shy Of companionshp, was de-
voted almost to the degree of solitude in
his ccasclcss application to his art. Caro-
line was tease and a romp, forever in dis
grace.
IL was no matter of surprise to Joe that
on the morning after Charlie Evans fancy
ball the daughter of the Regiment was in
solitary confinement ns punishment of some
objectionable act. She hailed Joe from
her widow as he crossed the lawn, mo-
tlonlng to him that she wanted to let down
basket for provisions, as she would not
and could not eat 'dry bread"
Joe had been her foragcr before; her
slave he always was. TO say truth, he
loved this wild, naughty, sclf-asscrtivc
playmate of his with all the secret feryor
OF boys heart. Caroline was aware of
the hidden sentiment, and imposed upon
the homage cgregiously.
Joe, having satisfied himself that the
coast was clear, received the basket which
Caroline dropped from her window with a
cord. The basket contained three cor
ncrcd note
DEAR JOE: Its perfectly shameful that
I'm locked up. l should starvc if it were
not for you. All did was to go up in the
cupoa last night with Charlie Evans to sec
his Gagged eagle. Poor thing, it pines
And it was so nice. up there, we staid an
hour. Mamma was awfully angry. So
was Ben, for was engaged two dances
mid ~.
you ought to have been thcrcl it was very
poky in you not to come late, as you pro
miscd
Nell Nanto send minced vcal if she has
any-l think she husband plenty of
bread and butter (and some brown sugar
TO sprcnd), and some pickles, and piece
OF cold chicken, and anything else that is
NICE CAROLINE.
A quick, sharp flush crossed Joc's face
us he read this note, not in disgust, as
one might imagine, at the mundane appc-
tlte OF his fair goddess, but at tho one sen
tcncc OF the note not marked cmphatcaly
with underline: up in the cllpoa last
night with Charlie Evans"
Joe smothered his Jealous pang, bribed
Nan, the cook; literally, and sent tho bas-
Rct up 10 Caroline, so heavily loaded that
one ounce more would have broken the
cord.
Mamma, from recess of the library
window, caught a glimpse OF this transac-
lion but by the time she reached the third
story, unlocked the door and confronted lie,
prisoner basket and contents had alike va.
nishcd. ,Carolines lips were extremely
red, but otherwise there was no sign that
anything had been devouretl. She, sat Ii
the window space breaking bread into
crumbs; a flock of wood birds, lowered
around her. .2a3E.r &5f"f
81 cannot cat dry bread, mamma, . she
said; .but my birds do; theyIt eem te
lovc It," ,f.S., s's ,,,,. ,,..
Carrie, Carrie, what a girl you are p
said mamma. She meant. to be reproach.