The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-01-28
"SOL. "A PROBLEM.
CHAPTER ~I.-ELININATION.

CHAPTER TERMINATION.
It seems to be an essentially masculin
notion, the world over, that the fema]
intellect is incapable of solvinga problem
ave of the simplest order. The questio
in Mr.. Haines Leavenworth's mind, on
certain lovely summer afternoon, was 6
to the possibility of Miss Ida Northrup'
solving the problem of existence withou
himself as a chief factor.
1t was very evident that the young lad
had made up her mind on that point
With a partly sympathetic, partly inea
orable, facial expression, she industr
,ously drew the threads of an open-wor
linen ''tidy," as she rocked lightly bac
and forth, on the porch of IN old-fash
toned farmhouse whose owners did no
object to city boarders as q source 9
revenue.
Mr.. Haines Leavenworth stood by
wooden pillar, in the act of taking leav
"a very long, drawn-out process, in thi
instance), and pulled %nervously at tn
clusters of ho%neysuckle, while his eye
rested with q bewildered, reproachful eX
preston on the smoothly braided brow,
hair, dark gray eyes, and symmetrica
features of the lady before him.
IL trust you will never have occas
ion to regret your decision" he STAN
mered, growing red and pale by turns
aid suddenly becoming conscious that h
had said q hopelessly idiotic thing.
Miss Northrup's handsome eyebrow
showed an infnitesimal degree of eleva
ton as she dextrously tied some>knots il
the fringe of her tidy. Haines Leaven
worth was rich. His father was a judge
his mothers grandmother had been
Knickerbocker; what more could an,
sensible. girl require?
Ii Miss Northrup chose to put that in
terpretation on his confused words, j
was useless to explain. He pressed hi
hat down over his crimsoned forehead
put out his cold, trembling hand, ant
with the faint touch of the lady's ros,
fngertips to bear him impalpable com
partnership on ''the arid pathway of hi
future" as he insisted on calling it, h
passed out of Eden.
Miss Northrup watched his retrcatin!
figure with curious emotions. She fel
sorry for 1.-THE arid pathway of his flu
ture." as far as it went, feeling morally
sure that some new divinity would il
time cause it to rejoice and blossom. Fo,
a possible judicial fath~er-in-law, and
Knickerbocker mamma, she suffered NJ
fleeting pangs of regret. AS to money
she had enough for her w moderate de
sires.
Still, he had been an agreeable, flavor
ing element in her summer; he had re.
lieved loneliness, and brought the --latest
magazines to the Intellectually barren
farmhouse, had given her pleasant moon
light rides on the lovely river; in short,
he had behaved like a perfect gentleman.
But he had touched no deep chord
aroused no passion. Was she to blame
that he had misconstrued her gratitude.
her natural pleasure in his refined, court.
eous ways.
Oh, dear! 1t was all q vexing, per.
picking middle! Miss Ida breathcd 8
little half-guilty sigh, folded her work,
and went into the house, leaving the
light rocking-chair to sway back and
forth of its own sweet will, until the
natural forces (gravitation, retarded
velocity. and whatever others were in
volved) should bring it to a state of rest.
CHAPTER H.-SUBsTITUTIoN.
Miss Northrup tied on her wide shade.
hat, and sauntcred along the country
road, skctch-book in hand, in the dircc.
ton opposite to that which her rejected
sutton had taken. She was not entirely
satisfied with herself, and wanted to dc
q little "sincere' work as On offset. Ar
artist. friend had once told her good
naturally that her sketches showed
"power." He did not tell her that the
"power" was too thick in some place:
and too thin in Others. She seated her
self on the messy roots of an old tree
(~artists usually do seat themselves on thu
roots of old trees when they do sketch il
the country, and cast about her for
subject worthy of her pencil. A ruinou!
old cabin, not ct for q human dwelling
caught her fancy, and she had succeeded
in tracing its outlines with a fair degree
of accuracy, when q childish scream
startled her, and a beautiful little child
about four years old, ran out of thu
doorway, and almost into Miss North
rup's arms. Her pretty blue eyes were
red with weeping, her silken, corn
colored curls tangled. and her face
stained with dirt and tears. A ragged
bingham apron covered a still NOR
ragged gown, and her little feet wer'
shocless and stockingiess.
Daddy lip me! daddy 'ipme!" sobbet
the poor little waif, as she clung trem
bling to Ida's skirts.
A rcd -faccd, blowsy man staggered
from the hut, brandishing a billet o
wood in his unsteady grasp, and. afte
looking vainly for the child, his ear
too dull with drink to hear her sup
pressed sobs, he uttered an oath, ant
staggered back into the cabin.
"Be quiet, my poor baby! No on
shall hurt you again." said Miss North
rup, soothingly; and, putting up he
sketch book Qor the ruined dwell
ing had lost its picturcsqucness, ant
become hateful in her sight, she tool
the little creatures hand and hastcnet
back to the farmhouse.
Mrs. Morgan, her landlady, was volu
bic in explanation.
Glands sake! It's Lol Reese, old So
Reese's youngsterl He's the shif'lcssest
drunkcnest old scamp out Of State
prison. The poor little creetur's mothe
died of a broken heart nigh on to two yea
ago, aud old Soils that tormcnted ugly h'
won't let non O. the neighbors do for thu
child, though, goodness knows, we d.
all we can, on the sly! She's as prett,
a little youngstcr. when she's clean, a
there is anywhere around-if she coult
only be KEEP nice"
us there no law to protect her from
his drunken fury" questioned Ida, in
~dignantly. why don't the selectmer
of the next town do something's"
She had begun to wash the tear-stainet
face, and to smooth the tangled curls
and Mrs. Morgan paused in her task Of
slicing cold potatoes for frying, as sht
answered, with a contemptuous laugh
The s'lectmen are all afraid to med
ulc Will Olu icOi lOT lcaT NC IL seC tuel
fine houses afrem
"And meanwhile this poor baby mus
rim the risk of being beaten to DEATH
said Miss Northrup. with flashing eyes
with q little assistance from you, Mrs
Morgan, 1 shall take the law into m.
own hands, selectmen or no selectmen.
After a plentiful supper of bread aut
milk, Miss Northrup's little charge wa
robed in an improvised nightgown, mad
of a dressing sack with the sleeves turned
back, and laid to rest in such a bed q
her baby fancy had never been boo
enough to picture: while her new-fount
benefactor started across the fields il
company with Mr.. Morgan, to interview
old Sol.
A few resolute threats on Miss North
rup's part, reinforced by MIR. Morgan
with an occasional drawing, "That's so
Sol! You'll get yourself into trouble i
the lady takes them bruises into court
"a string of oaths from old Sol, who
was almost too drunk to understand
what was being done, and the guardian
ship of Laura Henriettc Reese was IN
IT.. IL, North