South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-04-14

oy sat, as good IS gold, nursing bot
tie or tomato sauce, snugly wrapped
IN dish towel, in the very spot where
she had been when Ric.S's ring sum
mcned her sister to the door. Only
one small flask lay broken on the floor
filling the air with the subtle frag.
rance of garlic. That won't lie miss
ed said Lefty. 'Thanll fortune, there
is no worse mischief done But the
thank was scarcely uttered when her
eyes fell upon the last jar Of the ia
nous peach marmalade. the secret of
The making of which died with grand
mamma, aud which was being care
fully kept for Aunt Emory's, (Arut
Emory was an old maid worth thirty
thousand dollars) birthday. There il
stood directly in front of Baby, with
more than half of its thick paper hat
torn of, aud yawning cavity made
IN Its precious contents by little scoop
ing fingers.
oh, 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 remained of the original cover
ing.
Then said Baby.
Rick tiss I-nice Rick =
oh, that is what he was doing
when she foolishly imagined he was
waiting for her to come and iuplore
his forgiveness-bidding good-by 10
Baby. She might have known il, for
ne had always loved Baby dearly.
Yes, Baby; nice Rick, good Rick,
dear Rick; but, for all that, the ring
he gave me goes back to him to.mos'
row unless | hear from him tonight.
How dare be wish that we had never
metz
But she did not hear from him that
night, aud ;hencxt 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 lie left his place of
business. But, all what q silent, sor-
rowIul maiden wandered about the
Lounsberry dwelling thereafter what
q ilstless, weary voice repeated The
nursery rhymes that Baby demanded
htty times a day.
No nice Rick-uo more said Ba-
by, missing the merry tones and the
happy laugh.
But Mrs. Lounsberry was not at all
displeascd with the turn affairs had
taken. Brougham Brown suited her
much better as prospective son ~
Law than Richard Creighton. One
was q wealthy young brewer, the 9th
or poor CLERK in 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 loyo disappointment is
always hard to bear for while.
thought l should have died when Ste
phen Ford married my cousin; but
didn't; lived to marry you. and
have a sealsl.in cloak, and Mrs. Forl!
hasn't even q jacket
And so Brougham Brown, who was
reailya manly, generous, good.heart-
cd 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 sac seeing her mothers
pleasure thcreat, and hearing no word
from Rick, received his attentions in
q passive, unresp0nsivc, way.
Three months went by, and il was
Aunt Emory's birthday, and that &C.
centric old lady had decided to divide
II among tie family, luuching with
one portion, dining with another, and
supping with a third The lunch
party was given at her sister Letitia'
(Mrs. Louusberry,) and some half q
dozen old friends aud come dozen re.
latlves vero hidden to Tie feast Let
~, in a sea green gown O,ick's favor.
tie gown with spray of pink hya-
cinths (Rick's iavorite spring aoworl
in her hair, went quietly about vel,
coming the guests. Brougham Brown
following her ike Ter shadow, until
lunch was announced. Then taking
her place at the table. the young man
still near her, she raised tie cover
from aud dipped o spoon ilto the last
jar OF grandmamma's famous peach
marmaIada (sho had had il placed be-
fore her. trusting TO be able 20 hide
the mischief Baby had done,) when
some body said, addressing her moth,
er.--'Have you heard that Richard
Creighton is going abroad Tor hia
health? lie has gwen MP bis situa.
lion, and sails in q DAY or two. They
say he has failed fast lately.
And the very next moment Aunt
Emory fixed her spectaclcd eyes upon
her uicce's poor pale face, and asked
sharply: Whats the matter. child?
Do you see anything dreadful in tho
swcets?'
NO, mama, answered Lefty, with