The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-06-07
A STRANGE RIDE.

On the highway between AppleOy and
Ambleside, just bordering the roadside
green with hawthorn bushes, stood the
pretty cottage which Robert (familiarly
known as "Bob") Butterworth had
earned by faithfully following the tai
low business.
Nicely finished without and neatly
furnished within, with garden of roses
in front and no pigpen in the rear, ii
only needed the smiling face of Its hap
by little mistress to make it very ha-
ven of delight to the tired husband
when he came home at night sick of the
smell of tallow.
Not a cloud had marred his married
life, not a wrinkle had crossed Mrs.
"Bob's" smooth little forehead Her
biscuits always rose and were light; her
hired girls had no followers" her chill
dren never had the mumps or the mea-
Bles, and the small allowance on which
she dressed herself suf1iced to make her
the envy of the farmers wives in the
neighborhood, and provided her with
that self-satisfied feeling which does
more to tone up the nervous system
than a dozen bottles of beef wine and
iron.
II all came about through pink bon.
net, for there are as many serpents con-
nected with fine feathers as with fresh
fruit.
Mrs. "Bob" had school-friend who
having married rich grocer, could live
in the city, owned real sealskin jacket
and used lump sugar all the year round.
One day it occurred TO Mrs. Butter
worth's fertile mind that as her friend
was not feeling very we'll, breath of
country air would do her "world Of
good"
So she persuaded easy-going Bob to
call on the grocer, and invite his wife to
come out and spend a week or two.
The consequence was that soon after.
ward, on lovely July afternoon, the
stage stopped at the tallow maDufactur-
er's cottage and a very fashionably.
dressed woman got out and, embracing
Mrs. Butterworth, declared she was
"delighted to see her dear Kitty again. ~
Everything went beautifully for a
while. The grocer's wife stuffed her.
self with country dalnties, and in return
played and sang so sweetly for them
every evening that Mr.. Butterworth
wished to send for a music teacher at
once for his daughter aged four years.
If there was any cloud ON the hori.
xon, it was only that pretty little Mrs.
bob" felt twinge of jealousy every
Sunday when she saw her friends face
surrounded by the nodding pink feath'
ers that trimmed terry velvet bonnet,
as she said to her husband: "I'm per
fectly happy, Bob, and l wouldn't
change places with Celia for the world,
but"
"But whatP" echoed Mr.. Butter.
worth, putting down his paper and
looking at her.
"Oh-nothing," said Kitty, wonder
ing the while how much such bonnet
would cost without the feathers. With.
out the feathers! Yes, but that would
be "Hamlet" without the ghost.
Pretty little Mrs. Bob sighed. That
sigh was an era in her life, and she and
the "serpent" made each others ac,
quaintance for the first time.
About a mne and half from the
Butterworths lived in great seclusion a
young widow, who had just settled
there, and between whom and Mrs.
Bob there was slight, formal, calling
acquaintance. The widow was rich,
dressed in elegant mourning, owned a
pony carriage, and drove up to Kitty's
cottage in style, when she came at all;
but Mrs. Butterworth had returned the
visits ON foot, tripping along the coun-
try lanes in stout walking shoes, in the
plainest and quietest gowns, and had
felt no pang of jealousy. But now, as
she remembered that she owed a call at
Sunset Villa (the widows residence),
It occurred to her, with regret, that
her best bonnet was but shadow of
last summer at best, and that the Leg
horn she had bought for her daughter
made 1t impossible for her to dream of
a pink bonnet herself.
About this time the grocer's wife
having satisfied herself with four weeks
fare of cream and fruit began to grow
weary of the monotOny of life at the
Butterworth's and to yearn for a
change.
81 believe;" she said, languidly, one
morning, picking daintily the wing of
one of Kitty's pet fowls, cooked es-
pecially for her, 81 believe ] will go and
stay over Sunday with Evelyn Thomas.
She lives only a few miles from here,
and 1 can go just as l am, without
dressing, and l will be back on Mon.
day, to stay one more week with you
before l go home"
Kitty uttered feeble protest, but in
her heart she cried "Hallelujahl"
She looked forward with a spasm of
delight to a respite from the society of
the friend of her youth, and she saw
her drive off on Friday with An expires.
sion of polite regret on her face, but a
palpitation of joy IN her heart.
On Saturday morning she went, with