The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-03-02

pleasant voice, suddenly, - would yOd
kindly take me home? It is not much
out of your way, and l see that Mrs.
Simmons has forgotten me-"
This simple, cordial address fell like
balm upon Johns wounded pride, and
he never forgot to be grateful for it.
Helen Losing knew that he was suffer
the lost daric, so that she might drop a
word of sympathy. But though he
talked continually, he avoided all allu-
sion to what had happened.
As for Miss Marthania, she, after few
days, quite enjoyed the occasion. How
many times she told the story of her
loss, into how many sympathetic ears
she poured it, it is impossible to say.
She felt herself to be an afflicted being,
and made large drafts upon the sympa-
thy of her neighbOrs, was frequently
asked out to tea, aud had rather social
success for the first time in her life.
That by hints, mods, signs and insinua-
tions she was greatly injuring John
Modica's reputation was fact which
did not greatly trouble her. With the
promptness of a mean nature to believe
in what was wrong, she had been from
the first convinced that he had stolen her
daric; and even if he had not, she re-
Elected, he would be only too glad to
avail himself of her friendship again if
she chose to extend it to him. Her con-
fidence in her own powers of attraction
was something sublime.
1t may easily be imagined, however,
that the loss of the daric put a prompt
ending to the proceedings of the Numis-
matte Culture Club. On that point So
ciety in Scramble was unanimous, and
when Miss Marthania had told her story
twice over, society became weary of
that also, and she would have felt her
self to be rather deserted had not Sc
we're attack of influenza FRUSTRATED her
before the invitations to tea had begun
! to flag. With the first dawn of the in
fluenza symptoms, Miss Marthania in
dited a cordial invitation to her cousin
Betsey Franklin to g come and pass the
winter with her,
Well, Marthy Ann, you want me to
come and stay, eh?'' said Miss Betsey,
as she walked into Miss Marthania' S
! bedroom two days after. 81 knew L d
! find you down with the infuenzy soon
as got your letter, and your house piled
/ thick with dust; and here It's all Jest as
I'd fixed it in my mind. Now don't cry,
and make a fool of yourself. 1 amt
mad, and I'm goin' to make you a bowl
of bOneset tea right off, and then s soon
s I've got you fixed up, I'm goin' to
set to work and clean this house It's a
real shame the way tbs, Marthy; I guess
! it's ben sIcked and never cleaned ever
sence you've lived in it,
Il wish you would call me Mar
thania," replied the invalid. in whin-
ing voice.
q Botherr' replied Miss Betsey, con-
temptuously. Your names been
Marthy Ann nigh fifty year, and 1 guess
1 amt goin' to say no different now.
When Miss Betsey was in this
mood, people as well as things were
wont to give way before her. Miss
! Marthania turned her face to the wall,
and submitted to be taken care of in
silence.
Miss Betsey Franklin was a capital
nurse, and though sharp of tongue, was
tender of hand, and so well did she at
tend to her cousin that she was soon up
and about. On the first occasion of her
appearance in the parlor, Miss Betsey
turned the sick-rOOm - out of windows, -"
as she expressed it, and soon got it into
a dazzling state of cleanliness.
''Now, Martha Ann" said she, APP
pearing when her labOrs were over, and
sitting down opposite the invalid, knit
ting in hand now Martha Ann, I've
got everything fixed up, spick-and-span
clean, and l hope you'll keep it 50.
The only thing l amt quite salts fled
with is this parlor. amt had time to
turn all the furnitoor out-of-doors, and
opless you do that, a room amt never
swept IS it had ought to be. Why, round
the feet of this table, there's quite lit
tie heap of dust; and faint no use to
brush round the feet. You've got tC
move the table and
Its heavy, and I can't move il
every time l sweep" replied Miss Mar
thania, fretfully. I'm sure my house
is as clean as most peoples
1" Is itP'' replied Miss Betsey, witt
scOrn. I'm sorry for the folks yoU
know, then; and I'm a-goin' to clean
this parlor n1y way tomorrow.
Miss Betsey had her way, and the
parlor was cleaned as she though
proper. A few days afterward Mis-
Marthania indicted the following note
and sent copies of it to all her fellow
disciples:
- To the Members of the Scramble Numis
matte Culture Club:
"DEAR FRIENDS AND FELLOw-DIsCIPLEs Il
THE PURSUIT OF CULTURE: May not nsl
T you once again to share with me the pleasure
: | anticipate in pursuing the stddy of numis
MATES, and pressing forward subsequently t
other fields of study? No chill need rest upol
cient Persia, my daric, has been found.
MAURITANIA FRANKLIN
On the following Monday all the mem
bers of the club, including, of course
! John Modica, were present. The daric
+ placed on a red pincushiOn, occupied
conspicuous position in the center o
6 the table round which the disciples O
: culture were gathered, and Miss Betsey
q with a satirical smile on her lips, antici
TOD hor. IN
q by saying:
The fact is, Marthy AIMS kind O
ashamed to have found her coin, so II
f just say how twas. l was turning ev
erything Out-of-doOrs for a real old
; fashioned cleaning, and found it unde
r one of the 9gs of the table. You Sc
r she amt very strong, and she hadn'
/, moved the table; She d only sweep roun'
y it, and"
= THAT will do, thank you, Cousin
Elizabeth" interrupted Miss Marthani
. in a voice which quivered with NORTH
h cation. Dear Mr.. Modica,h she con
: tinued, laying a lean hand on his arm
t and smiling what she intended to be
a winning smile-''dear Mr.. Modica, vii
you tell us why you would not ALLOW
yourself to be searched?"
+ Certainly" replied John Modica
r with twinkling eyes. 1t was becaus
l happened to have t,0o Persian daric
- in my pocket, each of which is so pre-
=. cisely the counterpart of yours that
h knew it would be impossible that sus
n picion should not attach to me If the
4 were seen. And here they are" h
Q continued, laying them on the table
:, Il bought them, intending to have
, bracelet made if l could match them.
In the general movement which TO
: lowed, John seized an opportunity t
whisper in Helen Lossing's ear:
q Il am cleared now, Helen. / can as
l.. 1t