Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-01-14


were several times when Miss Carrie was at
eur house Mr.. Bachelor fixed to take her
to some entertainment, and once he got his
way; the second time Mrs. Wells had one OF
her dangerous headaches, rs she liked to call
| them, when she would declare that II Miss
Carrie didn't sit by and fan her she would
| go out Of her mind. You see II was easy for
Miss Hattie to say that her mother Thought
Miss Snnderson the best nurse OF the two,
and hint to Mr.. Bachelor that there weren't
no need to throw away tho ticket TO the
theater. And he was taken ing The best
OF them is so stupid sometimes, my dcarl
That spiteful girl actually gave him to un-
derstand that Miss Carrie didn't like him.
Now when he comes to me for help says to
him, Mr.. Batchollor," says, YOU'RE q
fool" says. Not right straight up and
down, you know, Mrs. Tomkins, my dear
Land alive didn't darel Not but as being
housekeeper amt above the cook and such
like In position, you know; but still he was
q real gentleman out and out, and was one
as always knew my place, which am sorry
to say, Mrs. Tomkins, my dear, there's
many girl now that doesn't But / give
him to understand that Miss Hattie wasn't
worth the other one, take her twice over
his hcadi "Why, IT'S you, Mrs. Carter"
sayc he, smiling pleasantly, "as is mistaken.
Miss Wells is doing her best to persuade
Miss Sanderson Il wish you could have
heard how he spoke that name, 1t did
my heart good, i tell YOU'D to-to-like
dear; he went the color of the fire there. But
II didn't fly off the next minute when he
says as calm as possible, ~ have great
many good friends, Mrs. Cartel" says he;
last night Miss Warburton showed me,
real dclicate-like," sayshe, "that she knew
what was going on, and would do all in her
power to help me-" "She did !" / cries out,
quite forgetful OF myself, for once, and
Jumping. up TO put more wood In my stove,
"she didw For, you see, none better than
myself knew the slyness of that young lady;
and as for lies, my dear, they were no more
to her than the very air she breathed. The
others, some OF them, were bad enough for
deceit, but she did beat all
Mr.. Batchcllor looked surprised first and
then gave, and then he says, SIT seems to
me you haven I good opinion OF. anybody,
Mrs. Carter" very sorrowfully indeed.
"Stop,''' says I; '.you Just begin to talk
about Miss Carrie" says L, "and you'll see
who think well Of" says /. "I'm not blind
nor deaf, nor crazy neither, thank the Lord"
says |, "and II YOU don't get Miss Carrie" +"
says l, getting pretty excited, you'll be
sorry to the end OF your days." says l..
Whether he was angry with me, or whether
some sense was coming into him at last, L
don't know to this day, but he looked at his
watch and says, ''It's late, Mrs. Carter, and
I'm much obliged to you. Don't forget me-"
Anu Win tnat nc SIPS u neaNy reInlnuer INTO
my hand and walks away. | used to be
afraid that the servants would notice him
talking to me, but he was very careful about
not staying long, and they all guessed that
Wilson and me was promised. g~
Well, for some weeks after that, Mrs.
Tomkins,. my dear, | kept my eyes well
open, md nice little game was played.
Mrs. Wells and Miss Warburton was as thick
as you can think, and Miss Elorrie, it was
settled, was to keep Mr.. Batchellor away
from Miss Carrie and push him onto Miss
Hattie without loss Of time. This was the
plan, my dear, but do you fancy Miss War
burton ever kept to her word in her lifey 1t
was "dear Mrs. Wells," and "dear Mrs.
Wells" and "darling Hattie" and all the
time she was trying to cheat her "darlng
Hattie' out of the man she was after! That's
friendship for you! But Miss Hattie was
too sharp for. her for once, my dear, and
though couldn't abide Miss Hattie, was
wicked enough to be glad that Miss War
burton's flrtings and gigglings came to
nothing. "
Well, pretty soon elegant flowers come
every few days for Miss Carrie, and don't
you think had to hide them in my room
and send her word to come for them! Ii the
poor child wasn't bothered to know what to
do with all her baskets! And the hearts,
eases standing up all round, as imploring as
you please You see that very same Aunt
Charlotte was an old vixen, or pretty near,
that had lost both husband and children, and
she didn't care for no hing but to have Miss
Carrie around. She had II reg'lar paid
nurse, but 'twasn't the same as Miss Carrie
by no means, Mrs. Tomkins, my dear.
Well, ore night (and l never shall forget
1t il live five hundred years, which l
mayn't, for its out of nature, you know Mr..
Bachelor asked Miss Carrie to 90 to n
church with him some way off to hear the
music that he said was real beautiful. Some
way that mink Miss Hattie got to know
about it, and she says, quick as lightning,
for heard her, "Lets make up party, /"
says she, us bold as you like; " the more the
merrier" Natural like, the poor man
Miss Hattie does, and tells her she's going
to ask Miss Warburton to go along. Mrs.
Wells, she was agreeable to any fun for her
spoiled baby, and then she calls me. "Ask
Johnnie Taylor, too," heard Mrs. Wells
say, as / come into the room; she's very
fond OF my dear Florrie, and Mrs. Carter n
go with You tocarry wraps and make herself
useful" Johnnie Taylor" says Miss Hat
tie, quite Grossly; "don't you know better
than that, mamma, and Carrie with usr'
And she winked very slyly, but saw her
plain enough. "There's no use, says she,
scowling, " for Mrs. Carter to go; the wealth
er amt cold and don't want my shawl"
Mrs. Carter will co." says Mrs. Wells. in
her most settled way, al wish it," And
when it come to that tone, Miss Hattie didn't
dare to say "beans!n You see Mrs. Wells
knew what kind of girl she had been her.
self, and she didn't trust any of them very
far.
Well, you never see anything sweeter than
Miss Carrie that night, IN be bound. 1t
was thin blue dress that she had on, with
bunch OF little forget-me- -nots at the throat,
and a blue hat to match set wee bit back
from the pretty fair curls that came down
on her forehead. She did look'Iike picture,
and just hoped Mr. Batcheler would have
| things settled that night, once and for all. II
you could have laid eyes on Miss Hattie! II
she hadn't fixed up in her most expensive
white dress and lace trimmings, that Master
boy, he was off to the West for good and all
when he couldn't marry Miss Sanderson
and he didn't know no more about dress
than an old cow. But he was real good
spite Of that? He couldn't abide that frocE
of Miss Hattie's, but she thought II was rea
what she did look handsome in 1t, with three
big scarlet roses at one side, and white
bonnet that set off her dark hair. And what
did Miss WarburtOn wear, you want Il
knowg declares just don't remember n
this moment. but she was got up fine, you
may be sure, Mrs. Tomkins, my dear. Mrs
Wells didn't want Miss Hattie to wear thai
white dress, for she said it was too snowy.
like to go out in; but the young lady only
| laughed and ran out OF the room, calling Il
me that she was ready. AT last we set off
and Mr.. Bachelor gave his arm to Miss Car.
rie, saying that she was the first invited ant
making his excuses to the others. Miss Hat
ties eyes blazed up, and for the first tim,
that night knew she meant mischief. Well
we hadn't gone very far, both Miss Florri
and Miss Hattie as mad as hops, when sud
denly Miss Carrie tripped, and though sh,
had Mr.. Batchellor's arm, and to this day
don't see how he come to let her fall, dow
she went all In the soft mud. / was tina
frightened l could hardly speak, and Mr.
Bachelor was STOPPING over her with tn
We helped the dear lamb up, and she wasn'
injured mite, only her dress was covere,
with mud, and she had to drop behind lit
tie bit with me to have it brushed off witt
my whisk that ] had the sense never to e
without. That was themoment, Mrs. Tom
kins, my dear, for when / put that brusl