The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-10-16
CHARMING IBICTFIE.

CHARMING BETTE.
cit was all very long ago." the old
maid said. "Can you believe l ever
was pretty2"
Priscilla opened her mouth to speak;
but Miss Bette did not want to hear
her.
eyes, was pretty once, and I was
called Charming Bettie.' My hair was
always curly, and my eyes used to be
very bright. My cheeks were red-so
red, they accused me of painting many
time, and my teeth white and even,
ana my figure round and trim.'
She had her snug brown house, with
it's pretty, old-fashioned garden, her
birds and her flowers, and her white
kitten; but she must at times, Priscilla
fancied, be very lonely, in spite Of it
all.
Priscilla could picture her in the long
winter evenings, sitting in the little
dim, lamplighted parlor, knitting
ting.
Miss Bette" she said, gently, after
a little, 'who called you that-'Charm-
ing BETTER"
"Who2 Oh, good many. lie called
me SO first, and then they all got to
calling me that. | have never told
any one yet. But sometimes l think
it would do me good TO speak about it.
| get tired Of only thinking-l think 80
much," with Il little sigh, and the knit
ting lying idle now in her lap.
His name was David Allyn" Miss
Bette said rather tremulously.
david Allyn-Lawyer Allynl" Pris-
ella cried, her dark eyes large with
intense surprise.
The spinster nodded.
IL have Il picture of him, taken when
he was yOung," she said, and she got
up and went TO little shelf and took it
down. ''lle was Il handsome boy"
she went Oh, handing the faded daguer-
reo-type to the girl, land he wa as
good aS he was handSOme.'
The beardless, boyish face, with it's IL
regular, uniformed features, and rather
sunken black eyes, did not strike Pris-
Gill as being ct ai! handsome.
Ibid you meet him here in It-2n
she asked.
Eyes, ut dance at one of the neigh
bors. lie was a young lawyer, had
just graduated, and hadn't hung out
his shingle. But he was uncommonly
smart, even then. He is our leading
lawyer now, you know" the spinsteI
| added, with no little pride.
''lt seems SO strange to think he was
your lover" Priscilla exclaimed.
cS, it does seem strange now, after
all these years." Miss Bette said, with
! another little sigh, "but it seemed very
natural then. We met very often
after the night Of the dance, and
we grew to know these country roads
near here by heart, for many were the
long walks we took together. There IS
one road-that one that leads by the
Ilillman cottage-I never care to go
now.
1t was there, on that road. just about
dark one October evening that he told
me he loved me. There had been "a
fine sunset, and the sky had been IL
bright tlame-color. AS the glow faded
and the meadows grew dark, and a
little mist began to shut out the hills,
we turned To 60 home. Lean on my
arm, dear, lie said, and when [ did so,
trembling Il little he said: How would
you like ayOung fellows strong arm
to lean Oh always2" didn't say any
thing right then, he took me 80 by
surprise; and presently he went and
! told me how pretty he thought was,
and lie said with laugh, and giving
my arm Il little pinch: ~ am gong to
name you Charming Bette So after
| that he always called me that, and soon
nearly every one in R-began calling
me IL, too. We we're never engaged to
each other, although 1 wear a little
ring he gave ne, III remembrance OF
our love, yet," Miss Bette said, and
held out one thin hand, Oh which shone
i'll the iirelight, a worn band of gold.
| ''There was just this understanding
between us; some 'lay when he had got
nice start in the law and had little
| home OF his own to take me to. then |
was to be his wife. We were young
and we were content to wait; and one
day he went away to the city to 90 into
partnership with I'LL old established
lawyer, u friend Of his fathers. 1t was
agrand chance, u fine opening for him,
and we both knew it, and rejoiced over
it like children, although we dreaded
the separation. Never mind, Charm
ing Bettie,' he said, when he came to
kiss lie good by In a few years 1
will bo nicely liked; perhaps rich, who
knows? Anyway, l'll have a good start,
and will como back and carry you
away And then he WAS gone and
that was the end, for VIXEN David
Allyn came nome at Cne ellu or two
years he did not come alone; he brought
his wife with him.
'"They staid here little while, and
then went back to the city. met her,
once, in church and l overheard her
ask David who that ugly little thing
with the red face was he was staring at
so hard2' If that was Charming Bet
tie2' That dayl walked for tho first
time after David's marriage up the
llilllnan cottage road, and, although 1
shed many bitter tears, resolved not
to let what happened spoil my life for
me; but somehow it has" the spin
ster ended sadly, and she stared at
the fire with dim eyes.
"Miss Bette, she is dead now,'' the
girl said softly, after a little pause,
"and he is a widower."
II L. IL L 4 4 a