The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-05-13

the lounge, tnrttSt ner Ieet IntO ncI sip
pers. and fastened where duty had been
calling her for some time. Baby sat, as
good as gold. nursing bottle of tomato
sauce, snugly wrapped in dish-towel,
in the very spot where she had been
when Kicks ring summoned her sister
to the door. Only one small flask lay
broken on the floor, filling the air with
the subtle fragrance of garlic. That
won't be missed" said Lefty. Thank
fortune, there is no worse mischief
DONE" But the "thank" was scarcely
uttered when her eyes fell upon the last
jar of the famous peach marmalade. the
secret of the making of which died with
grandmamma, and which was being
carefully kept for Aunt Emory's (Aunt
Emory was an old maid worth thirty
thousand dollars) birthday. There it
stood directly in front of Baby, with
more than half of its thick paper hat torn
off, and a yawning cavity made in its
precious contents by little scooping fin
gers.
30, Baby, why couldn't you have
taken any jar but that?'' asked Lefty,
reproachfully and dramatically.
But Baby evidently had no excuse to
offer for not doing so, for she kept on
grooming to her bottle-doll, while her
sister hastily fashioned another paper
hat and tied it securely over what re-
NAMED over the original covering.
Then said Baby, s. Rick tiss I-nice
Rickr'
o, that is what he was doing when she
foolishly imagined he was waiting for
her to come and implore his forgive
ness-bidding good-by to Baby. She
might have known it, for he had always
loved Baby dearly.
Eyes, Baby, nice Rick, good Rick,
dear Rick, but for all that, the ring he
gave me goes back to him tomorrow
unless hear from him tonight. How
dare he wish that we had never met?"
But she did not hear from him that
night, and the next day the little band
of gold was released from its hiding
place in her thick brown hair, and a too
faithful messenger placed it in Kicks
hands as he left his place Of business.
But, ali! what silent, sorrowful maiden
wandered about the Lounsberry dwelling
thereafter! what listless, weary voice
repeated the nursery rhymes that Baby
demanded fifty times day!
No nice-nO MORE" said Baby,
missing the merry tones and the happy
laugh.
But Mrs. Lounsberry was not at all
displeased with the turn affairs had tax
en-. Brougham Brown suited her much
better as a prospective son-in-law than
Richard Creighton. One was wealthy
young brewer. the other poor clerk in
a counting house.
Lefty will soon get over it." she
said to Letty's father, whose heart ached
at the sight of his daughters sad face.
"a first-love disappointment is always
hard to bear for while. 1 thought 1
should have died when Stephen Ford
married my cousin, but l didn't; l lived
to marry you, and l have seal-skin
cloak and Mrs. Ford hasn't even .
jacket"
And so Brougham Brown, who was
really manly, generous, good-hearted
fellow in spite of his beer and wealth,
encouraged by the maternal head of the
house, began devoting himself in the
most ardent fashion to Lefty, and she,
seeing her mothers pleasure thereat,
and hearing no word from Rick. received
his attentions in passive, unresponsive
way.
Three months went by, and it was
Aunt Emory's birthday, and that eccen-
trio old lady had decided to divide it
among the family. lunching with one
portion, dining with another. and sup
ping with third. The lunch party was
given at her sister Letitia's (Mrs. Louns-
berry, and some half dozen old friends
and some dozen relatives were hidden
to the feast. Lefty, in sea-green gown
(Rick's favorite gown with spray of
pink hyacinths (Rick's favorite spring
fiower) in her hair, went quietly about
welcoming the guests, Brougham Brown
following her like her shadow, until
lunch was announced. Then taking her
place at the table, the young man still
near her, she raised the cover from and
dipped a spoon into the last jar of grand
mammals famous peach marmalade (she
had had it placed before her. trusting to
be able to hide the mischief Baby had
DONE when somebody said, addressing
her mother: ''Have you heard that Rich
ard Creighton is going abroad for his
healthP He has given up his situation,
and sails in day or two. They say he
has failed fast lately"
And the very next moment Aunt
Emory fixed her specialized eyes upon
her niece's poor pale face, and asked,
sharply: whats the matter, child?
Do You see anything dreadful in the
sweets?'
"No, ma'am," answered Lefty, with
a pitiful attempt at a smile, when the
spoon struck something harder than pre-
served peaches should be.
'.Let me help you," said Brougham;
and with one turn of his wrist he placed
upon her dainty china shell before her
a wad of paper.
'.And so that is the last of the cele-
brated marmalade, is it?'' said Aunt
Emory. II don't want any. / prefer
my sweets unmixed with unknown for
eign substances. Take it away, Norah."
But Lefty was already slowly unroll-