The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-02-27
ATERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

Miss Pidgeon engaged p said Mr..
Duckett.
'Well, really now."
Mr.. Duckett sat at his little round
table, in the cool shadow Of the vines,
breakfastipg on buttered toast, and
coffee fragrant as Arabian gales.
He had this theory about the gravita-
ting power of the world ; but he liked
fully as we'll to hear about tho latest
quarrel between Mrs. Squire Allen and
her sister, the parsons wife.
"a meddlesome old baboon !" said
pretty Alice Dexter, when she caught
Mr.. Duckett looking in ut the window
one day. to SEQ whether the tall young
man by the chimney-picoo was Henry
Lake OF Walter Fitzwilliam.
"a most intelligent person p said Mr..
Mountmorris, when Mr.. Duckett conf
dentially informed him that he had
overheard, behind the stable door, an
active Irritation between Betsey, the
maid, and Artemus, the hired man.
II dou,t believe in all this kissing
and hugging," said Mr.. Duckett.
'And thought perhaps you would
like to know"
SO that the public opinion of STAN
dale was pretty equally divided on the
subject of old Mr.. Duckett.
He h"' been up nearly all night, with
a telescope, looking for new comet,
and consequently was breakfasting rather
later then usual; with Mrs. Hopkins,
his land-lady, waiting on him, in her
best cap and apron,
eyes," said Mrs. Hopkins, rs she
brought in fresh fried egg Oh piece
of toast, "it's really true this tlme-to
Mr.. Paysley.
"And they do say that Dolly Dutton
is ferocious enough to kill her, for every
one knows that Paysley has been play
ing fast and loose with Dolly these
three years, and has only thrown her
over now because Miss Pidgeon's old
uncle has left her three thousand dol
lars, and set of silver spoons"
''Hum /" said Mr.. Duckett. between
his sips OF coffee.
every extraordinary"
"Though for my part" said Mrs.
Hopkins, II never could see what there
was about Alphonso Paysley to take the
fancy OF the girls.
''But should not wonder if Dolly
Dutton sued him for breach Of promise
yet,'
Mr.. Duckctt was very much interes-
ted in all this.
=. He had seen Miss Pidgeon once-a
tall, pale, lean female in spectacles, OF
some four-and-thirty sauless summers /;
and he knew that Alphonso Paysloy
was the clerk III tho village store, q sort
OF "gay Lothario" on small scale.
And pretty Dolly Dutton often came
in to help Mrs. Hopkins with her churn-
ing, preserving, and household saturn
alias Of that nature-'-a rosy, pink
checked young damsel with dimplo
on her chin, n mischievous CLEAN under
her pearly lashes, and q mortal fear of
the lodgers telescope, which, in her
own mind, she could not altogether dis
sociate from a camera.
"Miss Pidgeon engaged |" repeated
Mr.. Duokett, rs he pushed his plate to
ono side.
"Then there's hope for the oldest and
ugliest of us all Oh, Mrs. Hopkins?
"Even mo ?"
"La, sir" said tho handlady, "there
amt any reason you shouldn't have
your piok and choose of the finest ladies
of the land -
"Do you know of any pretty girl that
would take pity on IN ugly old Nachlor
like mo ?"
"Plenty of them, sir p said Mrs.
Hopkins.
''Then," said Mr.. Duckott, suddenly
changing the subject, "pack my bag.
Mrs. Hopkins, if you please.
II am going up into the woods to
follow the course of the geological
strata that underlie this locality"
''Dear me, sir p said Mrs. Hopkins.
II shall be gone two days." said the
philosopher.
Ivory we'll, sir"
Ana when the sage was gone, she
sat down to her household mendinp
with a sigh.
II really do miss that dear old gentle
man when he's gone" she said.
It's rather hard to be left without
even cat to talk to-"
It was two days before Mr.. Duckett
came homo, and when ho did come