The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-08-12
-, V0.Tt,Ngrq 81 ab09N A3Ni
midnight Footsteps.
snNtM RMUlltitIYNN :

e.: 81: ||s( 81 g.:
dies that stood near in heavy silver candle
sticks The YOUNGER LADY,, ). and she. was
closely approaching fifty, was busily en-
gagged with long roll of flannel, from
whlGh abs ywps cpttipg petties9ats for the
,pooa, Any #ihtsr'Ae eXeHing for, two years
past the widowed Mrs. Crosby and Miss
Dorothy Grimble, her ,HieceT night sliaye
been found similarly employed, tie aunt
ruling her large estate with firm hand
from that writing table, and the maiden
,S nlsGs SFgsnif'"g gdAfe tAe feminine % charities Of
;!:tisstandalods ! That fellow Smith in
trouble again, and can't pay his rent. Soon
see about that idle rascal" pnuttered. Mrs.
Crosby. 30 ~
"Only fortnight till club day; won
der If, these petticoats will be ready for the
wonien,s" murmHSdiiited. naurHSdiitd Miss DOROTHY, AK. TX
iously.
Send them up to the school-house they
can be made there
They atesnlalsihg Now surplices fonthe
choir; can't do both"
ia'i'Bah NJ SurPllcess,, indeedl Petticoats
are much M Mm9Ie 4se ! and Pm sure, that poor
miserable RECTOR Is aa.mdci at til" mercy
SsSif S sssse ,SS5a SSmas f.if s5v 5v ps't'fodt '
"Well, Aunt Crosby demonstrated Miss
: Dorothy,r ''you can't e1pect ~ mans to know
all that woman generally looks after" :.
.rhte ought TO-, if! he hasn't got, a woman
to help him. How do l know all about
"ss AT sss sSy lsts; sfssE ess aSown
open, and the old butler announced the rec
tor of'the parish-I I~ ,n5,H4>j
:. Mr.. Preedy wasa very quiet, mild look
ing man. upward of fifty. He; entered
neryously for Ref WAS al ways iuncertai6s
until he had bce8 hieeted. Mic sthcEhis poaw,
erful parislloner,S MIS- Crosby, Intended too
snap at him or pat him Oh the back (metaa
pliorically). lie now received her gracious
shake Pf tlle band Ewith lasepsesofs pure
sgratifltati4.is X .fA\.fS ! ~ n
"Dont let ME disturb you; was just
passing-ahem, ah!"y .cg ~ - WI
And then the sontehscsSdisds away:nsSp
almost inaudlble whisper of self-evidenit
as' .as hS S6%a 1sa HS3sS in S.t
Dolly will talk to you."
Very nneasily he approached ''Doly,,"
workbasket, his hands i4esld8 fotdeGQh hib
,ion on the heaps of flannel.
'Always busy, always useful" he mur-
murGd
'a9 Miss Dorothy's maiden hand tw itched; .
and she o,k the flannel in aiwrong place. il
Excuse! me, = she said, rising in some
, confusion.d,tIf Iforgot, to leave out some
nledicine:1for aAfrs. Brown, will return
mmediate|y.pii<(jiE t3,% va. .iFtnI
The door had just closed when the rector
murm,ired alidibly: orfuh sa l-iG s3l
"Admirables woman Invaluable I"
"AhS" said Aunt Crosby, sharply turn
ing round, and the light from the fire made
her her speetaceaglss :;;a ,s sasswi! raised
IJs SIs pSfothy w"s won1d sb1nea% be e vo%
r = l-77-f-ah, she was to-leave you'll" 'f'''
s,'''Bless me !" responded Aunt Crosby, in
r tolfe iofa slight c6iitempts 'sno need to
trouble about't that till she talks of going"
nm, no; very true, madam. You have
such an amusing way of putting things /"
and he veptpredsonsa little nervous laugh,
from WAlsh be R0bered down s,ipernatural-
ly next mintite.F "pcrhaps@ @ahEslie might
marry ?"
"What is the idiot driving att" said Mrs.
Crosby to herself, irate at so many Interrupt
tions. Marry, did you say7" she inquired
aloud. s'Well, about five-and. twenty years
ago Dolly was:a well-looking young woman.
{ Still, l,ashesmight marry now, and 80 might
/, for'the matter Of th0t, If any one asked
mel Take look at the paper, Mr.. Prccdy;
they'll bring In the tray directy;9 and tho
pen scratched Oh again. ''','
What g cruel w9meni'' said the Rotor
to himself.t sFssho %on't1et ne speakl IN
try her again, though, see if I don't"
And having manfully turned the paper
iHalde out, he,gaye q preparatory cough.
-, WMfsi9 Chsby ,I have long wishedIsS"
~ aAWhy can'ghekGSp stllI2" mtittefed the
old lady to herself.
1 say, have long wished, ,"-and he
had attained tho fixed high key in which he
usually lntoncd the service, and the sound
OF his own voice thus pitched gave him
courage-'to express tho admiration l feel
for your niece" '.H.
'Wcll, she's an excellent creature, Mr..
Preedy," agreed Aunt Crosby; and in dcs-
pair at his pcrtlnacity, she put down her
pen, tightened her pinched glasses on her
nose, and turned her; keen face full round
TO await the further remarks Of her visitor.
t"What a. wife she would mako, Mrs.
Crosbyl" cried the cheered rector, enthu-
slastically. IWs s'1'Napto |
A glimmerlng of the trathtlit up the old
lady's mind, and she replied:
"You should be better Judge of that
than mo- Mr.. Precdy; did you want TO
marry her?"
"Oh, Mrs. Crosby, you are too, good
May hope7" ',,sl'''tS
With aA odd smile on her puckercd old
face, Aunt Crosby said:s9F5
Hadn't you better ask her (! III 60 out
as she comes In"
And, sultlng the action to the word, tho
mistress Of the mansion left the room az he,
niece entered. 81,
That night about half,past twelve, two