Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-10-25

AAAhA0 was IiCtN13 wv 81 ~ Woo
no wonder If handsome, stalwart
Basil BellflOwer had taken a mo
ton" to her, with her sloe black
hair and eyes to match: her dark,
Olive-hued cheek, and her mouth,
soft and scarlet. AS sun-rlppened
Indian peach.
Isis Basil going to- marry her,
then ?" asked Miss Zerelda Mug
vert, who had been making an az
ternOOn call upon Miss Rebecca.
81 dunno as he is, an dOnnO as he
amt" was the sententious answer
"but as said before, il he wants
her, an she'll hev him, l shan't
hev nOthin' to say agin it,"
"But L shall havel" thought Miss
Zerelda, Indignantly, though she
kept her thoughts 20 herself. "a
poor hired girl like her TO get the
best lOOkin' an the best-tO-dO young
man in the neighbOrhOOd ! It's out
rageOusl But-we'll seem
In truth Miss Zeldo evidently
considered herself a better match
for Mr.. Basil BellflOwer, though
bly, he may not have viewed
the subject in exactly the same
light himself.
"a a-nemI 1 thought 'twan't
nOthin' mOre'n right, Miss ReDecca
to lei you know something I've
found out about tibet girl of yOurn."
A triumphant look sparkled in Ter
elda MugwOrth's sharp gray eyes as
she carefully drew letter from the
pocket of her dress.
Something about Lury! What
on airth is it? What do you
mean ?" asked Miss Rebecca, with
an expression OF mild wonder DC
picted on her cOuntenance.
"It's this here letter. Read that;
It'll tell you what / mean," return
ed Zerelda, holding out the missiVe,
which Miss Rebecca reluctantly re-
ceived.
"But what Is il ?" and where did
you get il ?' she asked, turning the
letter over and over, without offer |
ing to read it.
ATS letter she wrote-Lury. ! |
found ii where she dropped it, in
the path by the pasture bars" ex-
planned Zerelda, impatiently. |
"Read lido Miss Bebecca, and see
what Am imposture you've been
a harberin' under your ruff"
And thus adjured, Miss Rebecca
opened the note and read, in the
handwriting she knew to be Lura's
the mysterious words:
DEAR JERRY-you said you
would come to me whenever
wrote for you. Come now, as soon
as possible, for everything is arrang-
ed and will be ready for you. Be
sure and bring the Indian ladder.
Come on the 9 o'clock train without
fail, and will go back with you.
Your"
There it stopped without any sig
nature, but on the other side OF the
paper was Lura's name, plainly
written.
"Dear-deary meP
Miss Rebecca sank, pale and
and limp, into the friendly arms Of
4 cretOnne-cOvered rOcking-chair
which stood ready to receive her.
"What-what will Basil say =?
And what kin she want of the In
dian ladder, do you s'pOSe?"
There's no tell'in! Mebbe she's /
/ goin' to 'lope o. the winder; or
slSe she's a gOin' to let some one in
% rob the house, an like as not,
Kill you an Basil I" declared Ter
Ida, impressively.
"An' / trusted her an liked her :
o much % grOaned Miss Rebecca, :
ID
appearances is mighty deceit
al, sighed Zerelda hypOcritically.
For my part, allus thought there I
vas something suspicious lOOkin' =
bout her. an G
"And what Miss Zerelda-what {
ave you got to say against Lura !
laines? demanded Basil Bellflower I
tTiding angirly into the room. q
Zerelda gave little scream, but a
he quickly recovered, and put the
,tter into his hads. n
/" Read that, 'she retorted triumph y
ntly. Ii,
And with an incredulOus smile on +
Is handsome face Basil read the Il
amaging words. o
"Oh, Basil do you think she q
leans to rob us ?" asked Miss Re- 81
ecca family.
"ROb us PshaW-what nonsense
led her brother his handsome face
,verei with scornGul incredulity.
"But what does she want of the
ldian ladder 2" asked Zerelda.
An what" rs
"That's her business!" said Basil, 81
lilly. re
''Then, turning to his sister, he W
lded: 70
iIYOu stay here, Rebecca, / will b
"a out what this means. But, re- 81
amber, have perfect faith and er
ufidence i'm Laura" pa
And he strobe away. III
The waning yellow rays Of the or
le November sun were peering DC
- the wide, Ioomy kitchen where fu
mra Gaines stood contemplating 81
! GrnIfs OF her afternoon baking. De
Fanr loves OF light brown bread, 4
n a dozen pies, their fiaky tops tn
wered with white sugar Q frosted ab
mi cake, looking like o drlit OF -,
WV fallen snow, q jar OF cookies VA
4 q platler OF "crulls." 10