The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-12-10
MISS SCAMPER.

None at the RSppaquah Sulphur Springs
knew who Miss Scamper was, and few cared
to know. She came with an old gentleman,
who registered the pair as IS scamper and
granddaughter, New York City" They
were doubtless poor folks on g holiday.
They had 10 servants with them. The old
man wore q suit Of rather rusty black, and
his trunk, an antique leathern conveyance,
bore the letters S. s. IN brass-headed nails.
The young woman's irunk-she had
but one-wAs large enough, and
Of modern make, but it was apparently
not we'll filed, sincs she had shown
but three dresses all the three weeks she had
remained. Ore Of these, OF rich material,
she wore OF evenings; the other two, OF some
valuable material, we're worn alternately in
daytime. She had no jewelry beyond 8
plain gold brooch, One of the eligible young
men there said that "the Scamper has one
Sunday-gO-to-meetln' and two work-day
SUITS" for which his neighbor should have
kicked him. but he didn't. The eligible
Young man Was looking for an eligible mate
In the person OF Miss Bolsover. tne great
heiTesS, whom tie society paper had said
was coming to the RappaQuah, though, as
she hadn't come, the Browns young man of
the society paper labOfed under the dslU
sion. The matchmaking dOwagers did not
lear this modest pretty and well-cultured
young woman, for the gilded youth, who
were also lying in wait for Miss Bols0Yer.
much more gilded, did not dsngle in her
train. Indeed. she had 40 train Her bust
ness was TO look after her poor old grand
iatner, who was not in good health, and
with whom the waters seemed to agree.
Didymus DOdd. who had scraped an &C
Quaint8nce with old Scamper, rs the fellows
irrtverently called him, seemed TO be her
admirer; bat DIdymus was nobody. BE was
well'made, tall Handsome, shd OF good al
dress: but be was only an upper clerk in
Philadelphia insurance company. To be
sure, be would be superintendent after Jan
uary. vice Higgins retired and s0perannu-
ated, and would then draw a salary OF five
Thousand year. Bat no one knew that.
and the possible good fortune to poor Miss
ScRmper; aud had they known, five thou
sand year was no great matter. SO the
field was left TO Miss Scampe: and welcome.
Ndymus only began paying attentions TO
Miss Scamper out OF courtesy, and because
no one else did: but the more he saw of her
the more he liked her, and it ended ia his
being badly hit As be and she were the
only jmpecunious people ct the old and old
fashioned resort--the other visitors counting
their dollars well up in ths hundred thou
s8nds--the matter attracted attention, and
by way of getting both out % tins way OF
marIiageble sons aud daughters. seheming
mothers lent the affair all the quiet encOnr.
seement possible. And this DasSed into g
more active nature from two little Incl
dents that occurred about ten days before
tie end OF the two months vacation oil Did
ymus.
There was simrs. De Eyse az the springs who
was well Known rs On amateur vocalist OF
merit and whose voice, though o little reedy
in the upper notes, hsd been trained So veil
s. TO make her worth hearing. One even
ing, when few were 10 the psrl0rs. her friends
besought her u favor them. and Sc 90. and
size expressed her readiness, but there hap
pened 10 be no accompanies; Miss Saampet,
who vas chstting near by wisb DidYmDs
looked up and quietly said
''Perhsps ! can serve yoa thai nay, Mrs.
| De Nyss"
Can yon play at sight Miss scamper?'
! inquired Mrs. De Nyse
Miss Scamper nodded assent snd seated
| herself at the pisuolorts, and accompanied
| the voice with such good judgment that
| the singer was delighted.
! II wish l conld carry You sbout With rae,
| my dear" she said, "But do you not siugP
I You surely must-'
| "a littlA"
Urged by all around, Miss Scsmper, 20 her
accompaniment sang an aria from III rro-
| yatore.' Her voice proved 60 bs o rich So
| primo. OF fuu register, clear as O silver bell
| and admirably cultivsted. There was mo-
| ment's pause when she had done. ss though
| not 10 lose note, and then storm Of 80
| plauss.
| Here was sensation. Everybody talked
OF her method, and the gilded youth were Ia
! rapture. The msmmRs conferred, aud con-
clu6ed that Miss ScsmpeY was member OF
some church choir. or attached to SONS En-
| glish opera troupe-Who knew? But they
were civil There was a party going over 70
| Almont-ColcDel Parsifalps placement
| day. Would she go7 She assented. Didy-
| mus said to her, in low voice:
1T Is riding party, Mics S,ampsr.
| know the best horse in the livery stable
here and if you'll permit me, I'll secure it
! for you"
To which she replied in the same tone:
Thank you, Mr.. Dodd. you are very kind,
| bur have one nj commend already. Get
that for yourelL"
Somewhat rebuffed. Didymus colored, but
| she added milne shall not disgrace you, }"
which was distinct intimation that she ex-
| pected him as escort. The spirits OF Did
| ymus rose from zero TO blood heat
| The next morning. rs the riders were
ready to start. groom. known to be one oil
| Colonel Parsifall's rode up leading mag.
| nifcent blooded bay horse, equipped with q
eide-saddie. as they were sdmiring the an