Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-12-21
WOODBURY., n J., THURSDAY, DECEMBER a. 1882

"A what?" repeats Peabody, naGur-
ally astonished, looking down on the
small object in front of him. Molly
gives a gasp Of horror. In another
moment that child will say " Aunt
Molly told me So" Get out Of it she
must.
As she walks away her prophecies
come true She hears shrill, childish
treblei els yoti-Aunt Molly said 50
"a silicus peacock r.
CAMP" she hears an answer.
"Aunt Molly says I'm peacock. But
don't quite grasp the adjective
Never mind the adjective thinks
Molly grimly; and then she wonders if
there be corner in this wretched
island where she can hide from that
man for as to ever looking him inthe
face again, she never can. However,
she need not trouble herself about that.
He will probably turn his back on her
before she has the chance. She seeks
refuge in the dining-room, which is
beginning to fill with the crowd
of hungry pedestrians. By-and-bye
in sail Irma and Mr.. Peabody.
Toots has disappeared. i'1rma has
probably garroted her," thinks Molly
with great satisfaction. They seem to
be in the best of spirits. AS they ap-
proach Molly, to her horror she hears
Mr.. Peabody say, "If you'll allow me,
Mrs. Randolph, I'll take this vacant
seat next to Miss Randolph" "Is he
going to speak or mention it2" she
thinks in an agony.
Peabody seemingly takes no notice
of the wretched, blushing little being
at his side. at least for some minutes.
Poor little soul,'' he thinks, show
wretched she is making herself. She
shall call me whole geological garden
if she only won't look like that"
So, half in fun, half in earnest, he
leans over her with, 81 don't mind
bit, indeed / don't. / dare say you're
right; we men are wretched creatures.
He had a funny, staccato way of
speaking which in the morning Molly
had decided to be particularly dis
agreeable. Strange, it doesn't seem so
now
Molly's spirits return. "It's GER
tainly very nice in him." she thinks,
"not to be sulky." Really says
she, laughing, and locking little bit
in earnest through it all, "do you
know think it's very nice of you. 1
should mind immensely if you called
me names" giving him a shy glance
from under her long lashes.
"Perish the thought | You suggest
an impossibility," he retorts.
"How delightful" exclaims Molly,
cheerfully. perhaps I may like you
then"
"Will you two people eat your din
ner? p interrupts Mrs. Randolph, who
has been watching this proceeding
with the utmost satisfaction. And
she says to herself Perhaps-sup-
posing if-after all. 1t would be
capital thing"
But every paradise has its serpent.
The serpent at Bar Har5or turns up in
the person of Mrs. Crosbie, a widow,
irreproachable in family, but envious
malicious, gossiping and with a pale,
detected daughter thirty years old
Mrs. Randolph hears of this arriva
with CONSERVATION. She rushes up to
Molly, who is sitting on the piazza by
dining-room window, chatting with
Peabody. "Our good times over"
she cries. MRS. Crosby is here, and
Maria's with her, and by tomorrow
none Of us will have any character
left" Peabody looks CONSERVATION
itself. Molly cries: The slanderous
old tabby." She has hardly spoken
when a voice from behind the dining
room blinds cries " Maria, my dear,
wilt you close that window? The
chatter outside is so tiresome." And
they know they have been overheard.
"Gracious heaven cries Mrs. Ran
do1ph s'she's there, and listeningp'
Nothing followed this catastrophe,
however, for many days and Mrs.
Randolph began to think they had not
been overheard. Peabody even went
so far as to begin to pay court to Mrs.
Crosby, hoping to cut her fangs, if not
to propitiate her. He had been talk
ing to her one day, when he saw Molly
in front of the piazza, without hat or
parasol. By this time he and she had
grown quite intimate, Mrs. Randolph,
like a wise woman, looking on and
saying nothing. They had ridden,
walked and boated together, and had
sat for hours side by side on the rocks,
watching the sea off to the south. He
now rushed forth with almost an air
of proprietorship.
How can you,' he said to Molly,
"stand out here, in that way, in the
heat? A nutbrown maid is one thing;
but Sioux or Cherokee ?
Are two" interrupts Molly, gayly.
"It's hopeless case, Mr.. Peabody" :"
and she holds out two little brown
hands for his inspection, and then looks
up into his face with laughing eyes.