The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-03-08

The mOrsel upon Miss Betty FORK
remained untasted, and the Captain in
this way spoiled many meal for his
daughter.
And so the summer Waned, and Sep
TENDER was at hand-Septembe with
her soft blue haze and rich warm sun
shine; and though the widow had
brilliant garden of her own she was
fond of the wantOn wild flowers that
grew so Iuxuriously in the woods of
Granville. She and the young minister
filled the house with great clusters Of
gOlden-rOds and asters and big purple
poke berries. One day the pony phae-
ton stopped before the door of Ga tain
Van d. Ike and the widow was led into
the sitting room, where she found Miss
Betty almost hidden by a mosquito net
ting which she was busily patching.
=. Come, child" said the widow,
''put away that rag and run and get
pretty dress on. I've promised myself
this many a day we should take this
drive together, and l declare to you it
shall be the rarest one you ever had in
your life. The day is made richly to
order for it: the balmiest air. the gold
enest sunshine not q cloud in the sky.
Run away and make yourself look as
pretty as you can
You are very kind" said Miss Bet
ty, with a little trip of cold jealousy on
her tongue, ''but l must mend this net
ting for poor Fifine. She is sick with q
fever, and the mosquitoes are dreadf I'll
down there in the wood. Mamma says
l may have this netting if l can make
it do, it Is so badly torn" said poor
Betty, land o perpleXing! But l
could not sleep, Mrs. ! ensOn, she
added, with an air of gentle dignity, in
which there was also slight sniff of
reproach-" could not sleep in my own
bed of luxury and know that poor Fifine
was languishing there prey to fever and
mosquitoes"
If the widow had thereupon offered
/ to drive to town with Miss Betty and
/ buy for tiline a brand-new canopy Miss
/ Betty would have put the old netting
! a idc; but she was at heart very glad
! that the fine lady offered no such sacri-
/ flee to charity, for she could not bear to
/ find her altogether perfect
Ten chances to one, my dear, said
/ the widow, you'll have your labor for
/ your pains. These poor creatures arc
very superstitiOus and queer. and don
/ know what IS best for them. We no
! doub', in any case, she has pretended to
be sick to get rid of some clear-starch-
ing for your good mother. Fihne
/ can be with that lubberly IOut of a hus-
band of hers. She is the finest and best
! of laundrcsses, and sorry should l be
/ to have anything befall her; but you
must not believe all these willy French
/ women say"
The color mantled high in Miss Bet
/ ty' S cheeks as these ISLANDERS fell upon
her ears, and she steadily refused to put
! her work aside.
You are a little goose" said the
widow at length . Must / tell you,
| then, that we shall lave some charming
| company with US? We are TO stop at
my house for Mr. Roake-there, now,
| Miss Betty, run away and dress.
The color fled from Miss Betty S
cheeks and the needle trembled in hel
fingers. AS she raised her blue eyes tC
the fine black ones of the widow a tear
or two trembled within them.
''You are wei ONE to your charming
company" she said. Il will go Oh
with my work for my poor Fifne."
The widow laughed lightly and went
away, leaving poor Miss Betty tC
struggle on with her troublesome task,
which was more and more irksOmG
now that she knew how some
other people were spend NC their after
noon. As rent after rent yawned be
fore her, and her weary little fingers
grew less and less nimble, more thar
once the question arose within hel
whether it was better to go on. Since
nobody cared for, why should she care
for ANYBODY? But her generous heart
conquered all these litter temptations,
and nearly at night-faH she ran up
stairs to slip on the pretty muslin robe
all smoothed and crimped by the ar
and industry of poor Fiiine. The net
ting was not very heavy burden, bu
she carried also q kettle Of ice with heI
and pot of Jelly. She took the road
through the woods, and though it wa,
growing darker and her heart bea
rapidly and she could not brush tn,
mosquitoes away because her hand
were so full, yet she was upheld by thu
thought of rescuing poor kitine. Since
she could not save her from the sting
of SANDER and reprOach she should q
least be free from those of mosquitoes
At last through the trees she could SCI
the chicken-cOOps of Fitine, and sOO1
she was at the poor woman bedside
The heart of Miss Betty was fired will
Indignation when she remembered thu
: cruel words of the widow Fitine la,
} upon rude bed in the corner. Away
thin and brown, she might now hav,
been taken for an exhumed Queen 0
Egypt, and Miss Fetty could not imag
inc how all these mosquitoes could fine
it in their anatomy to prey upon poo
Fifne when the fat and unctuous sub
stance of George was temptingly athan,
upon the bench outside, where he wa
enjoying his evening pipe. Miss Bett
stopped over the sick woman and sal
softly: u have brought you some ice
dear Fifine."
All, my angel! my angel of light
; said Fifne, Thou hast of hearts tn
most mcreiful; but, alas. l cannot hav
the ice. ! am too cold already, m
: little one. There is a cold hand at m
q heart. No, no; l cannot have tn
ice"
Every well, FiRne," said Miss Petty
: putting down the kettle which had bee
such a nuisance to her, you shall no
, be troubled with the ice but here
some Jelly"
) All. my blessed onen' cried Fiiine
/ "thou art like sa mt from Heaven; bu
talk not to me of Jelly. They hav
r given me of jelly many years ago, afte
} some bitter medicine, and l have sine
= that time no hunger for Jelly. All, m
rose of the wildwood! 1t makes me sic
, to think # it.
Then do not think of it. Fifne,
said Miss Betty, putting aside the Ia
that had grown heavier and heavier a
: every step of the Journey. but thes
dreadful mosquitoes, they are devourin
; YOU
: "Ah, yes, my adorcd one, they ar
4 demons without mercy; they hav
2 drawn all the blood from my body, an
2 their dreadful song is madness to m
Z brain. But rest tranquil; death viii 500
5 p an end to my Misery
but see here, m poor Fifne, > erie
| Miss Betty, eNultingly unroling he
, | nrnninms net. ..nnM Won can sloan II