The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-05-15
HOW 1T WAS WOUND UP.


mic tomorrow The wagonette's all
been painted up, and I've got the pret-
tiest new rug-all bright pink and gray
stripes. Say yes, Susie, do ~
Jack Horton looked pleadingly at the
blue-eycd golden-haired, crimson-ipped
little lady leaning against the honeysuc-
kle trellis.
81 don't think I care to 20, Jack -
she said retlectively.
What you'd rather stay at home?
And all the young folks going?''
eyes, l would. I'd rather stay at
home and read," she answered briefly.
And then Jacks big brown eyes sud:
denly dilated.
"To read ? Oh-h, I seel TO suit
Mr.. Fairfax Hamilton, Susie ?''
And then Susie flashed defiant look
from those lovely blue eyes that Jack
Horton thought, and thought truly,
were the loveliest in the world.
." Mr.. Hamilton is very educated,
cultivated gentleman" she retorted.
'Whom you have known exactly
three weeks. Isn't it just about three
weeks, Susie
eyes, it is."
years-all your life %
"Yo OH are SO ridiculous, Jack. What
if have ?"
con, nothing - he answered stiffly.
"And l don't doubt that Mr. Fair
fax Hamilton considers our rustic
amuSements SO much beneath his refined
taste that he has persuaded
"Jack |" Susie interrupted, coloring
with vexation. 81 did not say so,
She did not finish her indignant pro-
test, for at that very blessed minute,
Topsy, the little servant, opened the
sitting-room door, and ushered in the
very identical gentleman under consid-
Grafton.
'Well," Jack remarked, after cold
exchange Of bows, "I'll not detain YOU
any longer, Miss Lane. Good night -
"Good evening |" Susie said de-
murely; and never gave honest Jack
Horton another thought during that
delightful evening, when she and Mr..
Hamilton sat in the fine August moon
light, Oh the honeysuckled d-trellised
piazza, a cool westerly wind playing
around them.
And how enchanting Mr.. Hamilton
was, as, swinging lazily in the hammock
Susie watching him from her rustic
rocking-chair with fascinated eyes-he
repeated delicious scraps of poetry, re-
lated entertaining stories, and, best of
all, told her all about the world far be-
yond Farmingdale.
Why, Mr.. Hamilton, life must be Just
like a fairy tale."
"Well | don't know about the fairy
tale, Miss Lane, but the enchantment
certainly is to be enjoyed.
"And you ought to enjoy it; you have
just the temperament to riot in all ele-
CANT luxury and fashionable dissapa-
tion.
"Yon are buried alive here-no aD-
probation, no congeniality, no sympa-
thy. ia rather live among the cata-
combs than spend my life in this dead
and-alive hole {"
And Susie sighed, beginning to be-
lieve herself one of those rare blossoms
destined to "waste all her sweetness on
the desert air.
A vague longing rose up in her girl
ish hcart--a yearning for something far
and far above her commonplace, every
day life.
She regretted that people
had fallen into the habit of believing
her engaged to Jack Horton.
There was not one word of truth i'm it.
If Jack had been her familiar all her
life.
And then and there, sitting in the
moonlight. listening to Mr.. Hamilton's
persuasive tones, Susie resolved to put
an end. at once and for ever, to all the
stupid nonsense about Jack and her.
When Mr.. Hamilton took his leave,
at ten o'clock that evening, promising
to call for Susie to take ride at four
the next afternoon, Deacon Lane called
Susie into the kitchen, where he sat
sWeetening q huge bowl of buttermilk
for his special delectation.
Sc You amt q goin' to the picnic
with Jack, eh?"
Mono, father, 1--we changed my
And Susie made unusual haste in
lighting her bedroom candle.
"You needn't be in such q hurry, Su-
san. I've got word to say, and I be
a-goin' to say it,
Poor Susie WINGED at tho contrast be-
tween the rough, honest speech, guilt
less OF grammar, and the musical ac-
cents which she had lately heard.
81 don't like this here way you've
been dOin' lately, Susan-a-playin' fast
and loose with Jack Horton, the likeli-
est fellow to be found in these parts.
You hadn't ort to fool with him
he's wuth q dozen o. them city chaps,
and you'll find it out some day.
Don't you kerry it too far, Susan,
now mind"
And Susan, with scarlet cheeks. on
which her gentle little mother had SYM
pathetic compassion, had to stand and
listen to it all.
/" Susan'll come out all right, father:
SO don't be afeard," Mrs. Lane said
chcerly, as she mixed her dough for the
4 ESmorrow's baking.
& " Gals must be gals, you know, and I
IESSsssay let 'em fight their own battles. Su.
2ksan'll come out all right. Good night,
sas; run up to your bed now--it's nigh
On to half-after ten"
And IN consequence of which lateness
~ also, lerhaps, the fact that sleep was
more tardy than usual in visiting Susie's