Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-08-04

in her throat-''I will at least not for
sake the traditions. l shall leave a lit
tic money with the parish clerk, that
he may see that the graves of my dead
are keptin order, as always have loved
to keep them. and hope they will forgive
my departure; but will at least 90 as
Ludkins should. 1t is my desire to DO
married in my grandmother wedding
gown"
Miss Lyddy's voice trembled, and
there was a humidity in her eyes, at
which did not wonder, for it was much
like funeral, after all.
Il thought, perhaps" went on Miss
Lyddy, ''if / brought the venerated
relic TO you, you would tell me if any,
thing were necessary to be done to tit it
to me. l don't care for the fashions,
you know. and my grandmother, as
remember her, was about my height,
but still, you know-some changes
might be advisable"
Certainly" l said, "do bring it to
me. l should so like to see it.
1t is sprigged India (she called it
Ingy) null. My grandfather, Captain
Simon LudkinS, brought it home from
overthe seas. I'll bring it."
Like some pale and gentle ghost she
rose then and went to bureau drawer
and unrolled from folds of linen that
smelt of lavender, the fair, frail relic of
Mrs. Captain Simon Ludkins' wedding
state. 1t was fine embroidered null,
the undOubted product of Indian looms.
1T is lovely" I said, land so well
kept that it will be just the thing for
you. Will you try it on? We can tell
then just what it needs"
Miss Lyddy proceeded to disrobe her,
As she did so, the changes in fashion S
mandates became only too evident. 1t
had no waist to speak of, and just lit
tie lace-trimme! puff for sleeves. Miss
Lyddy was evidently surprised. She
had not thought of this. l knew well
what the troubled look upon her face
meant, and pitied her maiden sensi-
bilities. Could it be possible that her
grandmother, Mrs. Captain Simon Lud-
kins had ever worn such gown as this?
She said not word that could indicate
the depth of her modification, but her
face was study for an artist.
There must be sleeves" she muir
INJURED, after few moments of silent
and embarrassed contemplation.
Eyes" 1 replied. cheerfully as my
constrained gravity would allow. "And
you might have a fchu and a founce
on the bottom"
She looked down. She had not be-
fore realized that the skirt of the VEN
Grated relic lacked full quarter of a
yard of touching the floor.
However could theyr' she eiacu-
lated in an undertone. But she quick
ly recovered herself and looked up to
me cheerfully over her spectacles.
How ingenious you arer she said,
with an air of sweet relief. 81 knew you
would help me out"
We went out together and bought the
requisite null that day, but when we
came to put it beside the ''venerated
relic" of Mrs. Captain Ludkins it was
evident that time had so enriched the
color of the latter that the two were most
unfortunately unlike.
I'VE can lay it out on the grass" /
said; "these June dews are Just the
thing for it, and as it will be evening
nobody will in the least notice."
Again Miss Liddy smiled gratefully.
and declared that my suggestion should
be carried out in the most faithful man.
ner.
The Rev. Nehemiah Applebloom-"a
lovely name, don't you think SOP" said
Miss Lyddy, and she blushed and
smiled like schoolgirl in her teens
had but a short furlough, and the mar
riage was to transpire the next week,
so the relic was put out to bleach forth
with. 1t had already been upon the grass
three days and nights, and been relig-
iously watered by Miss Lyddy at morn
and noon and dewy eve, and the next
day it was to be taken up early and
put into the dressmaker's hands for the
necessary alterations, when the dread
full event occurred with which this mar
rative opens.
GLORY" said, 'do you keep watch
for Miss Lyddy when she returns. Say
nothing about what has happened un-
less she misses the gown from the grass
In that case tell her that l thought it
was bleached enough and took it up
to dry, and you don't know where
have put it. | am going out now, but
If she asks where, tell her you don't
know"
Glory was faithful, and had besides
the natural craft of her race, and
knew that she could be trusted. As
for me, l swiftly donned my bonnet and
set out to find Major Hawthorne. 1t
was bright June evening, and my
walk through the meadow and the
grove that skirted Hawthorndeau
would have been a delightful one if 1
had borne a mind more at ease. The
Major was gentleman by birth, but he
had lived out his fifty bachelor years in
a gay and careless way that had seemed
to set the gentler part of creation at de-
tiance. In the lifetime of his parents
Hawthorndeau had been beautiful es-
tate. 1t still retained many marks of
wealthy and cultivated ownership, but
II was sadly run down, as the home of
a bachelor is apt to be. The grove,
which had once been the pride of the
place, was grown up to brush now, and
the sere leaves of many summers
growth rustled under my feet as
walked through it. At one point. COM
ing. suddenly around a thick clump of
underground, heard a chorus of tiny
snorts and the scampering of number
| less hOofS. and knew that had inyad-