The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1882-03-18
A GIRLS STRATAGEM.

d ullluD Ulnh lHuHUl.
Phoebe Mays was Farmer Mapes
bound girl. This fact alone explain,
why her life was a hard one, for Farmer
Mapes was no easy master-penurious
grasping and exempt from the feelings
/ Of charity and forbearance.
But Phoebe had plenty Of courage, ,anG
"a sunny nature on which sorrow rested
but lightly. Had this not been the case
every spark of spirit would have been
crushed from her generous young heart
long ago.
1t was dark night but oppressively
warm. There was no moon up, and the
sky was obscured with clouds. Phoebe
had carried dozen fresh eggs to Deacon
Baily's about a mile and half from the
farm, aud was returning home the long.
est way,
She walked through the fields gaily,
her torn straw hat pushed back on her
short, black curls; her warm brunette
skin flushed with exercise.
A feeling of freedom pervaded her.
In the silent night, with the vast heav.
ems above, and only the solemn croakine
Of the frogs disturbing the calm peace,
Phoebe's buoyant heart was happy.
She skipped along, touching the till
clover with her birch switch, and singing
softly to herself.
~ suppose they will raise row be-
cause I'm 50 late. But let them, I'm
used to that! Ican stand it, she thought
with gay little laugh.
She was nearing an opening to strip
of meadow land, when voices arrested
her attention. Gruff, menaciug voices,
with sound of wicked triumph in their
tones.
Phoebe's cheek blanched at the sound
her heart seemed TO stand still,
The roughs from Thomaston againr
she thought. ~ wonder what mischief
they are up to now. Maybe they will
burn Mapes' barn, or kill us all in our
beds tonight as they threatened the last
time he sent them to jail.
She crouched down in the shadow oi
the stone wall, and listened with intense
eagerness; she even tried to restrain her
breathing. knowing we'll the imminent
danger she WAS in.
'I1e has been stepping at The Grove
Tor the summer, and II fine stuck-up gen.
tleman he is too, with his music playing
in the middle of the night, and his stat
ues with fine names stuck in every cor
her. There he is, say, with all his
money, poor crippled thing, not able to
put one foot before the other, and only
an old woman in the house! Just think
of twill ye? Both the men servants
off to Carrolton till the morning. and
only an old woman and a cripple between
us and-goldr
The grnff voice fell into husky whis-
per and ceased. Others took up the
strain,
"Aye, aye. 1t would be worth the
riskl They say the cove has heaps OF
money!
"And an easy matter to settle him Il
he whipped out a pistol, for be cant o.
move from his chair without help!"
well, we won't stop to fool any long
erF::the gruff voice which had spoken frs
continued. Just you do your part ant
Ill do mine. Unjust go about my owl
business now. At eleven O'Clock, yor
know where to wait for mel"
And after a few more whispered re
marks, all arrangements were conclnde
and the party separated.
Phoebe did not move from her hiding
place till the last sound had died away
Then she stood up, her pale face lookinl
out of the darkness like a spirits he
large. black eyes horrihed and strained.
What e revelation this work of sin anC
plotting was to her. And she had beer
crouching only two yards away from mel
who could discuss the killing OF fellow
o;eature without touch of pity.
oh, what would her fate have been i
discovered She shuddered at the though
and remembering the victim Of their aw
full plot, she started forward eager anC