Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1885-09-29
strongly silhouetted against the wins

dow. sH
Ahl' said she, the tide oflright&
eous evaporation rising up in her
heart, so I've caught you at last in
thevery midstof your evil practices ~
The young man rose hurriedly to
his feet.
II beg your pardon he began;
but the tide of Hattie's indignation
was not thus easily stemmed.
!" Don't beg my pardon, ,, She said.
g Beg the pardoa of society-ot pub
lie opinion-of everything else which
you are outraging by this shameful
behavior of yours. Apparently you
have neither pride nor selfErespect
left. Now, take my aCvice--turn
over new leaf, Give up your OWL
practices and set yourself TO earn
decent living. Look me in the eyes,
young mar" she added, severely.
'' Tell me if you are not ashamed Of
yourself?"
TO all appearances the culprit- was
stricken dumb. InNoluntarily he
raised a pair of clear, honest gray
eyes to Hattie's face according TO
orders, but he did not speak word,
good, bad or Indifferent.
"He's not bad looking" Thought
Hattie, :" but must not neglect the
chance of making an impression. 'tf
am surprised at youl'' she added
aloud. "a great able-bodied fellow
like you setting down as disrepu-
table incubus on your friends and
relatives. Don't you know you are
the talk of the neighborhood2 Get
up-go to work! Never let me see
you idling here againl No; don't
answer Inc. 1 never enter into argue
ment with the people in my district.
Logic is useless in case like this"
She hurried to old Milo, who, being
stone deaf, looked ed.smiltngly on during
this brief but energetic monologue as
if it had been recitation from Shalss-
peare.
Here's some extract of beef for
you, Mr.. Reneau!p she shouted in
his ear, "apd a tumbler of lemon
jelly! l hope your lumbago is better.
I'm sorry 1 can't stay little longer
to-day, but I'li come again very
soon.
And nodding and smiling good-by
to him, she hustled away.
She arrived none too soon on the
domestic tapis.
Betsy had already broken one Of
the moss-rose teacups and spilled all
the saltd dressing, so that Hattie had
to go to work to make more.
Cousin Prodgitt had lost her spec
tacles, and Mrs. Hardy could not
find her best lace frill.
Consequently she was only half
through arranging her hair when Mrs.
Hardy called up the staircase:
Harrietl IIarrietl Mr.. Gray has
come"
She hurricdly coiled up the shin
ing bronze locks and fastened them
with shell pin, tied the Swiss mus
lin bow at her throat and, catching
up herpocket-handkerchief ran down
Cousin prodgitt was still adjusting
her capstrings in her own room.
Mrs. Hardy had gone to see if the
tea was properly sleeping, and so
orr heroine walked directly into tho
presence of the Rev. Cecil Gray.
3 L am Miss Hardy" said she. tI
beg your pardon, but
Here she stopped with the syllables
of further speech fairly frozen on her
tongue.
A cold chill crept through hcrveins
as she recognized the curly brown
hair, the clear, honest eyes, the thick
mustache.
But the Rev. Cecil was equal to the
emergency.
Don't beg my pardon, said he,
gravely, although there was roguisb
sparkle in his eyes. Beg the par
don of society-of public opinion.
No, Miss Hardy" he cried, suddenly
dropping his solemn mnnneris,n,
,lon'tlook so distressed! OF course
it was a mistake. Don't Iknow per-
fectly well that it was"
' Oh, dear! oh, dearl" gasped
Hattie. 81 thought It was Gilbert
Reneau. never had seen bin you
know, and it was so dark, and-and-"
/" And so you scolded the wrong
man" said Mr.. Gray. We'll, Iii
pass the lecture on to the genuine
offender at the very first opportunity,
only / am afraid / cannot emphasize
it half so neatly as you can. I"
OH, don'ti" said Hattie, pite-
ously, lifting her little hands
Please don't"
No, WON'T" said Mr.. Gray (;
"wcIl forget and forgive"
And when Cousin Prodgitt and
Mrs. Hardy came in Hattie and the
young clergyman were earnestly dis
cussing the rival merits of the gera-
NUNS on Mr.. Hardy's fIower-stand.
Mrs. Prodgitt stayed until spring,
and when she went back home she
told her daughter that Hattie Hardy
was engaged to a young minister.
Or at least I suspicion she is,
she added. She won't own not1tn'
for sartin, but things amt now what
they used to be. Folks as was en-
gagged to be married used to be proud
of it. But Hattie is a queer GIRL
She hasn't been brought up as girls
was brugbt up in my day.
st. Paul Globe.
VERY, Very LITTLE THIKcs, but
very important-your blood corpus
cles, They are bright red. They