The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1881-02-11

Set right down here, Gar Ilhe,
called my sister-in-law, the moment l
came in sight, pointing to vacant seat
.on her right. ] obeyed, unfolded my
napkin, took cup of coffee somebody
handed me, said, "YeS, thank YOU" TO
an offer of roast chicken, when Adeiine
Eliza, with her mouth full Of succotash,
turning to her neighbor on the left, re-
sumed the story which my arrival APP
parently had interrupted for moment:
"A great, tall fellow with big" |
jumped up hastily. There was an un-
occupied chair at the chidren's table.
"Pll help take care of the little Ones"
said !, and fled once more.
Dinner lasted about two hours, and
shortly after a stalwart, brown-faced
young farmer bashfully proposed a
swing, or SOUP" as he called it. i
eagerly accepted bis invitation. Any
thing, anything, thought, TO get away
from those "big black whiskers," and
keep Gabriel and that forward Price
girl out OF my mind. Besides which, |
was very fond OF swinging. So in few
moments was merrily flying up among
the tree-tops, and in another few mo-
ments a shrill, too well known voice
followed me. glanced down. Adeline
Eliza stood beneath an adjacent tree,
talking to her deaf old grandfather.
No, no, didn't say black sisters"
she screamed; "black whiskers-big
black whiskers."
And thereafter, no matter how high |
scared, that wretched story scared with
me-"
81 gave him choke" yelled Adeline
Eliza.
mo. no, not Joke 1t wasn't no
Joke but real burglar"
"Let the cat die," murmured | to my
farmer friend, and before it was fairly
dead sprang from the swing. and pre-
Clpltately Joined noisy party who were
playing Follow my leader" with
shouts of laughter that could have Ger.
tainly been heard a mile away.
Supper. Another heavily-loaded table,
and people eatingas though they had had
no dinner. Adeline Eliza sat opposite
tome. An elder sister, who had just
arrived on the scene of action--her car
riage having broken down and tumbled
herself and children into the dust five
miles up the road, from whence they
had all trudged, while "pa" went to
look for blacksmith-took her place at
my side.
Il declare, when that wagon went to
pieces" said she, Il was almost scared
to death"
"Scared to death |" repeated my sister
in-law, with an accent of scorn.
Guess il you'd a walked up and seen
burglar in your room, as did t'other
night"
Nor exclaimed her sister.
"No mo about it," replied Adeline
Eliza, gulping down her ice-cream in
such hurry that her nose turned blue,
and | shivered. "a great, tall fel-
low"
! started to my feet, pumped an open
eyed, open-mouthed urchin into my
place, handed him my cake and ice
cream, and rushed out into the old
fashioned garden. Even there my evil
spirit seemed to pursue me, and iancied
the crickets chirped over and over
again, g A great, tall fellow" and the
treetosds and katydids joined in with
big black whiskers, big black
whiskers."
"Oh, Gabriel! Gabriel" said |, "il
you but knew what | have suffered, you
wou ldn't even speak to that Price girl,
let alone play croquet with her, as |
suppose you have been doing all after
noonw
And | wandered about among the
sleeping flowers until the crickets and
tree-toads and katydids had resumed
their usual song, and then returned to
the house, hoping to find the old arm.
chair that stood at one end Of the porch
without an occupant. 1t was. All the
party, as saw when peered through
the white muslin window-cu curtains,
were assembled in the long, iow-cei'
inged pallor Adeline Eliza sat in the
center of the room, one of her children
asleep in her lap. "And | woke up"
size was saying, "and there stood"
"Wbere. oh, where shall ! GyP" ex-
claimed |, in nervous agony; and in my
agitation and the darkness, missing the
porch steps, l stumbled, and fell into
the arms of--Gabriel, my Gabriel.
"Who are you flying from, dearP" he
asked, as he gave me kiss.
"A great, tall fellow" began |.
He put me away from him sternly.
"While / have been at home alone all
day." he said, thinking OF you, and at
last, unable to endure your absence any
longer, have followed you here, you, il
seems, have been flirting"
mo, no, Gabriel" / almost shouted;
"you are mistaken-ever so much mis-
taken. You can't imagine you never
could imagine-what this day has been
made TO me by-what's its nameV-'i IL
eration,' as somebody says in Henry the
Fourth. Poe's raven, with its funereal
Never more must have been bliss in
comparison. Only listen" And he list
ened, laughing heartily one moment,
and sympathizing with me the next.
"You poor little martyr" he said,
when had finished. But it's all over
now, and well never quarrel again.
Had you fifty mothers, they should all