The National tribune., 1883-03-22
CHARMING BETTE;
And How Sic Came TO Acquire That
Distinction.


Her s1iaii blue eyes were liked abSently or
ths lite wood fire. She knitted without look
ing. fran long habit.
i1Ycryoae, 1iss Better asked Priscilla
North. ''I'.les, you had oae, too"
- Il was al very tong ago." remarked the old
mad - an y0n believe was ever pretLyg"
Priscilla o,leiled her mouth TO speak. She
hardly knew what she going to say; but
Miss Bottle dia not wait 10 hear her.
Yes, Z was pretty once she said, and
Wa cssilrd Charming Bette"
She lsa-i,d . lt.tie oddly al this, and went
on with her ku:tiH. "a few iHornengs ia silence.
"Iv lair was Always curly she continued,
presently, a4I Ias cres used 10 * very bright.
My cheeks were r.ssd-so red, they accused me
o. pain liig ,i8slGy flnle-s.Gd my teeth while
and even and lay figure round and trim. Yes,
] was called 'Chsra,ing Bette, ," she repeated,
and her i'pS tHi.chcl with something like a
smile OF l,e..s3 recollection
Somehow Priscilla did not feel quite so ike
smiling l0.y Sac th9aght ii was little pa
thetic-Ai Go,ti-'s innocent vanity concern-
ing tho past she wondered. asshe, too. wa:chrd
the bright @oaa f.re ii sae woald look like
Miss Bette. when she was her - e, aud ii every
thing IN Is, would seem So ended for her.
zhore sg,s - little lclt ia the lonely little old
msid's lie she thought, with yoRshnl pity.
tshe had htr Snag brown house, with its
pretty Ola-..ssaie8ed garden, her birds and her
flowers, aid her Waite kitten, it was true; bat
she must al times be very lonely il spite Of it
all
Priscilla could picture her in the long winter
evenings. sitting IN the little dim lamp-lighted
parlOr kniTt.12-kaitting.
Hiss Brttie.' sae said. gently, after a little,
"who called sou fllat-'t Charming Bettie2'"
"Nboy 0h goyd many. Heeailod me so,
first, and tagn they all got 20 calling me that"
Go or. please said Priscilla, slipping down
on the 1Goe beside the fat kitten. Tell me
az about it--sio
.'Well, uiight as well tell you. guess"
said Hiss >liga, slowly. Il never have tod
anyone yet Bet. sometimes, think ii would
do me good Just 10 speak about il. / gel tired
of only thinking think SO much, with o
little sigh. and the knitting lying idle. now, IN
her lap.
Tel nae who lie was the young girl said,
raising d curious young face.
His uame was David Allyn" said Miss Bet
tie, rather trelnlOusy
david AIiyn-I.awyer Allrn2" cried Pris-
ella her IL. eyes large with intense surprise.
The silESJcr nodded.
81 have a picture OF him. taken when he
was quite yoaug," she said, and she got up and
Went TO q lit3le shelf and took il down. lie
was q handsome boy she went on, handing
the faded dsguerrootype to tie young girl,
sand he va IS good As he was handsome"
The beS.rd IS boyish face, with its irregular
uniformed stssaaros, and rather sHnken black
eyes, did no5 strike Priscilla IS being At all
handsome
You SAY he was very good, Miss Better"
she ventared to say, however
Yes, IS good as he was handsome" Miss
Sligo repeated, IN her old-1ashioned way.
Priscilla c0Hld hardly repress a smile. She
handed back the dim, coloTless little picture.
Did you meet him here IN R-:" she
asked.
Yes. at a dance at ono Of the neighbors.
He bsI
and hadn't hang out his shingle. But nc was
uncommonly bright and smart, even then. he
is our Leading lawyer now, y0a know, the
spinster added, With no little pride.
1t seems 50 strange 10 think he was your
lover" fr-sci u exclaimed.
Yes, 1t does seem strange NOW, after al
these wears" said Miss Bette with another
little sigh; bat II seemed very natural then
We me- very often alter tlle night OF The dance,
and We greE 70 know these country roads near
here by heart. for many were the long walks
we took together. There is enc rcad--t!lat one
that Leads ty the Hilinsan cc:tage-I never
care % 20 ,la-s. 1t was there, OF that road,
just about dark, one October evening that he
told me he loved me. There had been a fine
sunset and tae sky had been bright hamo,
color As the glow faded, and the meadows
grew dark, and \ little mist BEGAN to shut oct
the hills VIC turned TO come home. Lean on
my arm, dear he said, and when / di1 SO.
trembling little, he said: How would ycu
like young fellows strong ann 10 lean OF aI-
ways?'"
Yes, yes" cried Priscilla, again raising an
eager, interested face. Go on what did you
say, Miss Bettie?"
j didn't say anything right then, he took
me SO By surprise; and presently he went or
Bette, he said, you are q Hice girl-Ilicer
than any II e, or any place else, for that
matter. and some day am going 10 have you
for my a'ife, y you sag So He was bold
sort OF boy. You would never think so low.
10 sec HIM would you? And then ne told Fst,
how pretty he thought ! was and he said. r-ith
laugh, aDd giving my arm a little pinch
am gong % name you Charming Bette So
ai'ef THAT ne Always called ne that, and sooE
everyone IL R began to call me il. too
We We're never engaged to each other
although ! wear the little ting lie gaze ne. in
remembrance oi oar love yet" said Miss Bette.
and held ont one Thin hand on which shore.
IN the hreligst, worn hand Of gold There
Was Just tais understanding between us: son,c
day, when i2e had got nice start IN the law.
and had a l5tlle home Of his own 10 lake me
70, then WAS 10 be his wife
We were young, and we were content 20
walt; and one DAY he Hent away To the city
70 60 into partnership with an old established
lawyer, friend of his fathers.
IL was q grand chance, q fine opening fir
him, and we both knew It, and reioicea oyer il
14AE Aaal- -t-it4 sslll3lra VIC dreaded tho SeHaFa-
ton Never mind, Charming Bette he said.
when he came TO kiss me goodbye In fcsg
years VIII be nicely fixed: perhaps rich, who
kn0wsr Anyway, III have good start, and
VIII COME back and carly you awayi'
AND Chen he was gone, and that was The
end," said Miss Bette, rather abr1lutly. and
she picked up hcr work and The needles iaiglv
few
The end What do yoc mean?n cried
the young girl, a E5tle breathlsssly.
If was the end Of everything between lls
i mean, sid the spinster. and still knit
ting fast, " for when David Allyn came home
2t the end Ct Two years he did not come alone
he brought his wife with him.
Oh, Mss Bethel And you called him
Eooa. shall never want 10 speak TO him
again; dis,ionorabe man.
30, not thst Weak. pe.haJ,s. but NOT dishon-
eTsoie." sald Miss Bette, quickly. Lucy Har-
per was a sweet-laced. swect-Inannered cir. -
abe went on; =" she was the daughter of
Dsyic's partner, IN the CITY, and II was not
lsng before she fel in love with David. She
cS;tid not OF would not try to conceal il: and
soon everyone SIW, David among them. noyV
much she cared Tor ha Slie was a delicste
little creature, and aroused Dayid's syannatlly
his mother has often told ne all about it
and So it finally ended In his asking her to
marry aim
ijer parents had never crossed h,r IN auv-
tiilpg, and they gave their consent to the match
and David Allyn brought Ler home, orc day. TO
his pcolie
They stayed here a little while and then
70 N.r 80 d