The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-01-22

Was seventeen then, about the same age with
MISS carrie, and much richer than the other
young lady, so she was bent on being mar.
rled first. There was one gentleman {and a
generous gentleman he was too, as l'ye good
cause to know, Mrs. Tomkins. nv dear(.
that was mighty fond Of Miss Carrie. Il
was about that time that poor Wilson was
counting me, my dear; so natural. like
took great interest in Miss Caroiinc's affair.
and did what | could for Mr.. Bachelor:
that was his name. and a very bad one. too,
II was for q nice.spoken man that wanted
TO marry. Mrs. Wells was round good bit
herself, my dear, pushing her own daugh-
Ter forward. as YOU NAV believe. There
were several times when Miss Carrie was at
our house Mr.. Bachelor fixed to tale her
10 some entertainment. and once he got his
way; the second time Mrs. Wells had one of
hcr dangerous headaches, as she liked TO call
them, when she would declare that if Miss
Narric diuht slt by and IAN her she. would
go out OF her mind. You see it was EASY for
MISS Hattie to say that her mother thought
Miss Sanders0n the best nurse OF the two.
and hint to Nr. Bachelor that there weren't
no need TO throw away the ticket to the
OF them Is so stupid sometimes, my dear.
That spitetul girl actually cave him to I'm.
.lerstand that Miss Carrie didn't like him.
Now when he comes to me for help | saws to
him, "Mr. Batchellor," says, ''you'rc a
fool" l says. Not right straight up and
down, you know, Mrs. Tomkins, my dear.
Lana alive ! didn't dare! Not but as being
honsekeeper amt above the cook and such
like in position, you know; but still he was
Il real gentleman out and out, and was one
as always knew my place, which | am sorry
10 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:
10 YOU think couIl put what knew into
his head? "Why. it's you, Mrs. Carter"
save he, smiling pleasantly, "as is mistaken.
Miss Wells is doing her best to persuade
Miss Sandersoa q wish you could have
heard how he spoke that name, it did
my heart good, | tell yoW to-to-like
me-" And he blushed, onor-bright, my
dear; he went the color of the fire there. But
ii | didn't fly off the next minute when he
says as calm rs possible, al have a great
many coed friends, Mrs. Carter" says he;
last night Miss Warburton showed me,
real delicate like" says he, "that she knew
what was going on, and would do all in her
power to help me-" "Sllc did, cries out,
quite torgetlul of myself, for once, and
jumping up to put more wood in my stove,
"she did," 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 brcathed. The
others, some of them, were bad enough for
deceit, but she did beat all!
Mr.. Bachelor looked surprised first and
then gave, and then he says, ''lt seems to
hie you haven 4 good opinion OF anybody,
Mrs. Carter" very sorrowlully indeed.
"sfop,v says /; ''you just begin to talk
about Miss Carric.' says !, land you'll see
who ! think well Off," says I. "rmnot blind
nor deaf, nor crazy neither, thank the Lord"
says l, "and il you don't get Miss Carrie, -
says l, getting pretty excited, you'll be
sorry to the end Of your days." says I.
Whether he was angry with me, or whether
some sense was coming into him at last,
don't know to this day. but he looked ut his
watch and says, ''ll's late, Mrs. Carter, and
I'm much obIigedto you. Don't forget me-"
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.
Well, for some weeks after that, Mrs.
Tomkias, my dear, l kept my eyes we'll
open, and nice little game was PLAYED.
Mrs. Wells and Miss Warburton was rs thick
y you can think, and Miss Florrie, it was
settled, was to keep Mr.. Bachelor 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 life? 1t
was "dear Mrs. Wells,0 and "dear Mrs.
Wells" and Startling Hattie" and all the
time she was trying to CHEAT her "darling
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 FITTINGS 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 nv 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 impioring 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 u regular paid
nurse, but 'twasn't the same as Miss Carrie
by no means, Mrs. Tomkins, my dear.
Well, one night (and never shall forget
it il l live five hundred years, which
mayn't, for its out of nature, you know Mr.,
Bachelor asked Miss Carrie to 20 to q
church with him some way off to hear the
music that he said was rcai beautiful. Some
way that mink Miss Hattie got to know
about it, and she says, quick as lightning.
for heard her, "Let's make up 4 party"
says she, as bold as you like; 1.-THE more the
merrier!" Natural like, the poor man
couldn't say no, so she runs to her mother,
Miss Hattie does, and tells her she's going
to ask Miss Warburton to 60 along. Mrs.
Wells, she was agreeable to any fun for her
spoiled baby, and then she calls me. "Ask
Johnnie Taylor, too," l heard Mrs. Wells
say, as I come into the room: "he's very
fond Of my dear Florrie, and Mrs. Carter III
90 with you to carry wraps and make herself
useful" Johnnie Taylor" says Miss Hat
tie, quite Grossly; "don't YOU know better
than that, mamma, and Carrie with ns?"
And she wnked very slyly, but l Saw her
plain enough. ''rhere's no ,lse," says she,
scowling, for Mrs. Carter to go; the wealth.
er amt cold and don't want my shawl"
MlS. NuIlcI Will ~, says MIS- W CHS. III
her most settled way, II wish it," Aud
when it come to that tone, Miss Hattie didn't
dare to say "beans!" You see Mrs. Wells
knew what kind OF q 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, III be bound. 1t
was thin blue dress that she had on, with
a bunch OF little forget-me.n at the throat,
and blue hat to match set wee bit back
from the pretty fair curls that came down
on her forehead. She did look like picture,
and just hoped Mr.. Batcheller 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
Frank used to call the rag-bag! Poor dear
boy, he was of to the West for good aud 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 frock
OF Miss Hattie's. but she thought it was real