Iron County register., 1882-10-05
A CURIOUS DISPOSITION.


Fosters parlor: Miss Fortescue, large,
dark and of uncertain age, who monop-
olized the most comfortable arm chair :;
Mrs. Becker, shrunken and sandy, who
was constantly sliding off the sofa and
reinstating herself with a jerk, and Miss
Agatha herself, who sat apart from the
others, glancing out of the window, as
If distressed by their garrulity. Miss
Agatha was fair young woman, with
noble head and a countenance ex-
pressive of all grace and goodness. Yet
at this moment she entertained feelings
decidedly hostile to her callers, who had
run in, with the familiar freedom of
fellow-bearders in a family hotel, to
chat away the afternoon. At heart they
were immensely sorry that Miss Mamie
Foster had not yet returned from a
suburb, where she had gone the day
before. Miss Mamie, Agatha's cousin,
companion and chaperone in one, was
far more to their taste; she was more
attentive, more easily impressed, more
sympathetic, they thought. She never
sat looking out the window when they
were retailing their choicest bits of
scandal for 7her especial benefit. But
then she was a woman of years. How
q
ant place. The Fosters had the hand
soonest suite in the building-and fur
nished with snch taste! Such carpets |!
Such decorative art! And the Fosters
were tip-top people. There were four
brothers. ten and a dozen years her
their parents death, had kept the
oh hn 1ox II
to a close, the. room grew dusky, and
still the ladies fingered.
Agatha could endure it no longer
this, of all davs, she was without pa
tience. She rose quickly.
"Ladies," she said, with an indignant
quiver in her sweet contralto voice, ''you
conversational re
Miss Fortescue lifted her cumbrous
stand We will withdraw. We do not
wish to offend"
"Oh, certainly" family echoed Mrs.
Becker, sliding from the sofa for the last
time and preparing to follow.
Agatha's simpatience only increased.
Sand allow me to say" she ex-
claimed, with no compunction, ''that
think ladies might be better employed
than with their neighbors' affairs"
"Good afternoon" said Miss For
tesaue, savaeely.
"Good afternoon" sneered Mrs.
Becker.
aGood riddancei' cried Agatha,
sharply, ere the door had closed.
day of all days." she said, as she
walked to and fro in the dusk. Presently
the door opened.
Gan in the dark, Agatha" asked a
CHEEKY voice.
81 thought you would never come,
Mamie, - was the swift, unnerved reply.
Then she Lit the gas.
"Whv, what is the matter, my dear?"
sI have Just put Miss Fortescue and
Mrs. Becker out of the room, and tit
has annoyed me:
"Dear mel What had they done?"
"The same old sickening gossip. Miss
Bruce fiirts on the street; Mr.. and Mrs.
Brown have. shown no marriage certifi-
cate; Mrs. Gray holds her step-child to
the fire to burn it, and so on and so on"
uThey get their ideas from the morn
NO papers," said Mamie, calmly, un-
clasping her fur-lined circular. "The
step-mother holding the child to the fire
is q fayorite paragraph when news is
scarce. Sometimes she heats the fiat
iron.b For my part, L would never 60 to
that troublel'' b.
But Agatha could not respond to her
staid humor.ss She helped put away the
wraps, and inquired after the suburban
friends., -
HYoq look pale; aren't you wellP"
asked Miss Mamie, when they were
seated. .3s..
The girl dropped her eyes. "Nannie,
I have some news for you," she said,
with an effort. "I-last night prom
ised Mr.. Peters-to--to marry him"
Then she sighed as if relieved of great
burden z
The room was still, utterly still. If
Miss Mamie were surprised or shocked
she gave no token. She only sat quietly
looking at the girl and taking time to
collect her thoughts. Agatha never
lifted yer eyes until, after some mo-
meuts, her cousin cleared her throat
and TRANQUILITY inquired: s'Well, dear,