The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-12-15

we picked our fingers, and lost our
tempers, and" .......
"And so you sent them to Miss Fon-
taine, eh3" laughingly questioned the
major.
''How did you knowp" said Ida,
with wide open eyes.
but don't tell mamma" added
Bertha.
''Oh, I knowa good many things"
said the major, smiling. ''And assure
you that your secret is quite safe with
me-"
Agatha Fontaine was walking alb.
sently along, with her face bent down.
ward and her eyes fixed on the ground.
She scarcely saw the major until he
paused III front Of her; then her cheek
kndled into sudden fire.
Major Trixon |" she cried. 'The
very one wanted to see -
| Fontaine -
'"The DOCTORS bill," she said, color
| ing. "It Is SO much moro than we ex..
pected and-and if you would lend us
little, Major Trixon, I should be 80
glad to repay it in sewing /"
~ will lend you the money, Miss
Fontaine," he said "but as for sew
| ing"
'Your housekeeper may find some-
thing for me to do," said she, wist-
fully.
He turned.
LET mo walk along by your side,"
said he. "Let me tell you, Miss Fon-
taine, how closely I have studied your
character since first Rideau took me to
your sick brothers. bedside. Let me con.
fess to you how dearly have learned
to love yOu-how truly to respect your
noble nature. am a rough, brusque
old fellow, [ know, but believe could
make you happy if you would but allow
me to hope for your lover"
'But me !" cried she, breathlessly-
me, who am but poor sewing girl ~
II love you," he said, simply. "I
could do no more than that if you were
a crowned queen"
So he married her, and the once pov.
erty-stricken family live in the brown
house now opposite the park, where hot
house flowers scent the rooms. and birds
sing to amuse the crippled boy, while
every luxury smooths his early-sadden-
ed path.
And Miss Erminla Bruce never knew
that her deceit about the special unit of
the twelve shirts, which had fallen to
her lot, was the straw which turned the
current of Major Trixon's fancy. He
liked and admired her before; he could
never do so again. And Agatha Fon-
talne was so good, and innocent and truel
And above all things, a wife's nature
must be truel At least so reasoned
our major, and he was no mean Judge
OF human nature.
Philip Guyer OF Patterson, New Jer-
sey, lost large sum OF money by thett
RECENTLY. He suspected an old woman
of the neighborhood, but did not have
sufficient evidence to warrant his
making complaint against her. What
made it the more suspicious was that
the woman called every morning to ask
Mr.. Guyer if he had got any trace OF
tile thief. The following story Is told
bv Patterson police official: MIR. Guy
er ascertaincd that she was very super
stitious, and the next morning, when
she called and asked, as usual, if there
was any news of the thief, he replied
"No; but expect to know who 1t
was to night"
"How?n atked the woman.
"Do you see those three nailsp" sait
Mr.. Guyer, showing t e woman thre'
E very old and rusty nails "Well, the!
came from coffin that had been burlet
for hundred years."
= "The Virgin save u.s." said the wo
man crossing herself.
, ''And do you see that paperS'
81 do.n
"Well, that Is prayer, which jus
got from the priest"
\ "And what are you are going to d
with those things2"
:. "Well," answered Mr.. Guyer, slow!
% and impressively, looking the woman
3 the face, "to.night at IL O'Clock al
-, to 20 into certain yard where there
y a pear tree. am to nail that prayer
the tree with these three nails. Eve
u time drive a nail am to repeat tn
a prayer aloud. When drive the la
nail and repeat the prayer for the la
r. time the person who stole the mon
aI will drop dead"
80 The woman turned pale and depart
ut without saying word. That evenin
ny about O'Clock, there was q rap at
nm front door. He went to the door a.
al there was no one in sight, but on the s
ur he found small package contain
the money that had been stolen.