Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-12-09

light.
fsI did not say that j did not like
her," answered Lady Delight, with
gentle surprise.
mo, but you never seem to care
for her society. You hardly spoke
a word all last evening just rocked
that dreadful baby"
"The baby isn't WELL" interrupt
ed Delight, land mother is worn
out with toothache."
Privately, che thought Roxy
might have taken care of the child,
under the circumstances.
sob! / beg your pardon, but you
know Pm not partial TO babies. AT
least I prefer them asleep, looking
like slumbering angels. By George!
but it's fun enough just to hear Roxy
laugh"
This speech hurt little Lady De-
light. 1t did not sound like Rick,
who she knew was fond of children,
and who had always been tender
and considerate. But she only said:
Eyes, she had noticed Roxy's
hearty laugh" and "No, she could
not go out in the 'PetreP tonight,
and certainly he might take Roxy"
Soon, so soon, there was an end
of the sunset walks and moonlight
rows. Rick and Delight drifted
apart she never lifted finger to de-
tain him. 81 never knew why he
loved me-" she said to herself, land
now do not know why he leaves
me-"
She was always outwardly calm
and gentle, though sometimes, at
sight Of Rick and Roxy together,
she would tremble like a leaf. They
had come to avoid each other-to
| look no more into each others faces;
it was far less pain to Lady De-
light at least to be apart than TO be
near, And Rick-Rick knew he
was wrong. can only say in his
| excuse, that he was not the first
man bewitched by a willy and hand
some girl from allegiance to his true
love. He seldom came to the house,
but Roxy met him on the beach,
by Brant Rock, where the little
Petrol was moored. If Mrs. Doyle
found her sister of less assistance
than she expected, she made no
complaint.
LET him take Roxy, If he is such
a fool as not to know that Delight
is worth two of her. / shall be
suited" with a pursuing of the
coarse lips and grimace of the mar
row forehead.
All the little world about lady
Delight could see how matters ran.
The brothers, who seemed too rough
or too young to understand, were
very kind to her. The little boys
hunted all day for great punches of
wild flowers, with which they bur-
dened her, for the sweetness of ev-
erything seemed gone to poor Lady
Delight. Ben, next older, who
hated to work in the garden, faith
fully hOed her pinks and tied up her
vines. And Dan openly resented
ROxy's interference in his sisters
affairs.
"Mighty takin', she thinks she is,
with her hair kinked up, an her
tongue always a-waggIn'! Hand
some! She amt no more handsome
than a horned pOut," and Dan spoke
sincerely, inf his prejudiced eyes
Roxy was no ways attractive.
"She won't never cut me no bread
an butter, an if she slaps Bunny
again when mother amt lookin',
I'll tear her old ruffied gown J" put
in Tom, one of the twins, and Lady
Delight was too weary to reprOve
the child for bad manners. She on
ly smiled a faint response as Dams
brown hand stroked her golden hair,
and Tom hung around her waist
heavy and loving.
But one night Roxy went down
to the boat mOoring, and hounced
back about 8 O'Clock, evidently out
of sorts. 1t TRANSFERRED the next
morning that Rick Revere had not
met her, for word CHANGED to come
that he was sick.
"They do say it's smallpox, but
may be it amt" said the boatman,
who lounged in the doorway and
chatted with Skipper Doyle.
But it was that dreadful disease,
which Rick Revere had somehow
in his intercourse with seafaring
men contracted. The town author
tiles interfered and obliged him to
be removed from his home to lit
tie stone house, far remote from any
other habitatiOn, which stood far
down the shore, whittier his proud,
adoring old grandmother went to
attend him. She had had the dis
ease in her youth, and she would
not have Rick left to strangers.
"The smallpox ~ shrieked Roxy.
"It's catching! And he was hold
ing my hand and / was sitting on
his knee only night before last. If
/ hGUelt taken it, hope l never
shall set eyes on him again, that's
allv
"Well, you amt one of the faith
full kind, such as we read about, be
We ?" remarked Skipper Doyle, dry
ly.
"I wouldn't have my complexion
spoiled by smallpox for all the fell
lows in Christendom 7" returned |
Roxy, tartly.
"Well, you'd better be a little |
useful as well as ornamental, since |
Delight has walked herself off her |
feet with that teething baby ~ re-
spOnded the skipper, who made no |
secret OF not liking his Wife's young |
relative.
For Lady Delight was lying pros
trate in her little white chamber
The last fierce excitement
hhu uAACllS ocPpCu hCA "ohhAhS
strength. 1t was not the teething
baby, it was an aching heart which
had SO worn on her. She was
weeping now, in silent breathless
way, among her pillows.
LONELY. suffering-and he will
die, and never know that 1 loved
him better than She!"
And now her IabOrs redoubled by
Delights illness, and dissatisfied
with Roxy, since affairs had not
turned out as she wished, Mrs.
Doyle fell out with her sister.
you've just played the mischief,
an done no good at all since you've
been here, Roxy Reed. You'd bet
ter just pack up an go homew
81 will that !" pouted Roxy, and
was as good as her word.
Roxy was soon gone, but for three
ong weeks Rick Revere lay terri
bly, ill in the little stone house far
away.
Secretly, for Lady Delights sake,
Skipper Doyle eXerted himself to
obtain daily news OF the sick man.
only his old grandmOther's intelli-
renee and faithful care saved his
life and prevented serious disfigura-
ion. They heard, at last, that the
a. 4 /