The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-09-17

asleep for more than half an hour,
when she started wide awake, TO see a
spectral form at the window, and to
hear spiritual rappings on the panes.
In an instant more the ghost had re-
solved itself into poor woman. whose
pale face was made CHASTITY by q black
hood, and who, seeing the teapot and
Aunt Betsy's amiable face in conjunc-
tion, had bethoaght her to ask for a
cup OF tea
Aunt Betsy was kindness itself. She
opened the door to the woman, and
made her sit near the stove, and COM
forted her not only with tea and bread
and-butter, but with raspberry jam,
and finally went to the door again to
speed the parting guest" with
| amiable words and silver coin.
"Ah, poor thingl' she said to her
self, as she went into the coy sitting
room again. "How hard it is for her. "
.Hard for whomp" asked Mrs. Ruffit,
who had returned to the sitting-room
we'll wrapped in the big dressing
gown, which somehow seemed more
Voluminous than ever. whats hard
for whom, Aunt Betsy"
"Oh, Rehecca," said the good old
lady, 20 person has been here begging
cup of tea. Her husbands dead, her
sons in Texas, and she's walking
twenty miles to try and find daughter
who married man named Smith, tif-
teen years ago"
'Oh yes,n said Mrs. Ruffit who
was only sentimentally sympathetic
with herself. II see-the old story!
And you gave her all the small change
you had in your pocket and she went
away to spend it at the next gin-shop.
You are such a soft-hearted goose,
auntie. / only hope she didn't steal
anything Good gracious, Aunt
Betsy! where is my new dressP"
You took it upstairs with you,
Becky" said Aunt Betsy.
Mrs. Ruffit ran upstairs with more
celebrity than could have been expected
of fair, fat, and five-and-forty, and was
heard to open sundry closet-doors, to
rush about wildly, and to shrek. Then
she reappeared in the sitting-room.
''It's not up therer' she shrieked.
wringing her hands. "Oh, Aunt Betsy,
tell me you've put it somewhere!
Don't say it's goner"
II don't see how it can be gone, !"
cried Aunt Betsy. flying wildly up and
down, shaking the curtains, looking
behind the sofa, even opening the six
inch drawer of little workable.
"Oh, Rebecca, I'm sure you took it
with you! I'll find it. Didn't you put
| it in the parlorp"
Away the ladies flew with queer lit
tie squeals and means.
Every spot in the house was ran
sacked, even the coal-cellar; but the
dress was not found,
AT last Mrs. Rufiit fell into the arm.
chair, fortunately as strong as it was
capacious, and sobbed:
This is what has come OF your
absurd fondness for drunken beggars.
Aunt Betsy. That woman of yours has
carried off my dress"
"She couldn't-she hadn't thing in
her hand" said poor Aunt Betsy.
Then conscience told her she had
left the woman alone for five minutes
while she took out tie jam.
1t was all discussed over and over
again, and the fact that in Miss Betsy's
absence the woman had put the new
dress through the window, and picked
it up when she went out, was fully es-
tablished.
The police were notified, descrip-
ton of the dress and the woman put
in their hands, and note Of regret
written to the Dumsdays.
Mrs. Ruffit was persuaded to take
some tea and toast, and sat bewailing
her loss and rocking to and fro.
"a dress that cost me ninety dollars
before it was made, and twenty-five
for the making" sighed Mrs. Rufiit
II can't afford another like 1t this
winter, and Colonel Cowes was to be
at the Dumsdays', and he admires me
very much. Aunt Betsy, and it's most
annoying. I'd calculated ON it two
weeks, and you must beg and pray q
tipsy tramp to come and take tea with
you ON purpose to have my dress
stolen"
a didn't beg and pray her. She
asked me for a little tea, and she
wasn't tipsy," sobbed Miss Betsy.
"Oh, Rebecca Rufiit, how cruel you
arer
Il suppose you expected me to
dance for joy" said Mrs. Rufiit II
must say that's too much to expect;
but might be not only robbed. but
murdered, If you could only give all
the money you liked to drunken
tramps. That's your monomania,
Aunt Betsy, and / must say it If you
kill me-"
| Then began woful quarrel, in which
all the reproaches that could be utter.
ed on either side found vent
| The ladies wept and sighed, and DO.
moaned themselves.
They spoke Of parting. They shook
their heads and rocked to and fro, and
the fire went out, and the oil burnt low
in the lamp. The clock struck ten
and eleven, and still the ladies found
new recriminations to utter.
| AT last twelve o'clock came. The
carriages which bore the departing
guests home from the Dumsdays' great
party were heard to roll past, and
Mrs. Ruf1it burst into fresh flood o.
tears.
II feel SO dreadfully sick Aun,
| Dator, - che oaiJ. sssn hoou, -. n,,o.u