Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-08-07
CHAPTER XVI.

After one or two unsuccessful attempts
Carruthers found Mrs. John Rawlings in
stalled behind the family counter at No. 142
Gray street. She was very hard at work
no doubt ~endeavoring to make up for her
husbands repeated absences. In her hands
she held what appeared like q long salmon
colored two-inch rope, which, by a dexterous
twist OF the wrist, or some manipulation only
known to the initiated, she was rapidly trans
forming into ornamental and symmetrical
feStoonS Of those luscious article of diet,
sausages. Upon learning that C.. rruthers
wished to speak to her in private she wiped
her hands or a cloth, and, lifting up a flap.
or species of drawbridga in the counter
begged he would step through and follow
her upstairs.
lie did SO, and was shown into what Mrs
Rawlings called the parlor; a room papered
with a startling paper, carpeted with a
dazzling carpet; furnished with imitation
walnut chairs and couch upholstered in the
brightest blue tapestry; the mantelpiece
bearing a mirror in a FURNISHED gilt frame,
and, among other gay ornaments, a huge
pair OF those glass vases with suspended
pr1sms known as l~ustres; the fire glowed
very brightly, and was kept in order by a
fender and freirons Of flashing steel. It was,
in fact a room which appeared to open its
eyes and glare at you as you entered A
man even more anxious and p~reoccupied
than Frank was could not fail to be struck
with the general effect. 1t would have been
positively %ungraclous not to have noticed it.
"What a bright roomi" be said.
ut is a bright room" said Mrs. Rawlings
in a gratiied way. you see, SIP, we often
kill as many as thirty pigs before break
fastn
This seemed a depression without bearing
upon the main subject. "Poor thingsl" said
Frank, without making it clear whether he
referred to the pigs or their slayera.
"At first, when l married Rawlings, ]
found tia melancholy business; so l made
up my mind to have everything away from
the factory bright and cheerful"
"You have succeeded here" said Frank,
as he took the azure-covered chair offered
him.
II hope so. You see, sir" continued Mrs.
Rawlings, every business has its drawback,
as well as its advantages. Many don't like
the pork business, but it's a nice clean bud.
ness-theres no dust about it like there Is
about baking. / hate dust Of any sorkn
At another time Carruthers might have
been amused and have tried to draw this
woman out, but he was now only anxious to
hear about Beatrice, SO he commenced his
inquisition-
Yes; Mrs. Rawlings had been at Black
town. She had stayed at the "Cat and
~Compasses." She, or rather her husband,
had believed little boy to be their missing
son. A young lady had called upon her
one morning. She gave no name, but she
was a tall young lady; very handsome; and
with gray eyes; beautifully dressed; in fact,
quite a young lady. Yes, poor thingI quite
a lady.
Would Mrs. Rawlings tell her visitor what
had been said or done at that interview
Oh, no-never. The good woman shut hsl
eyes, compressed her lips, and shook her
head slowly and solemnly; the combined
| effects of these actions being meant to show
that Reatrice'A communication was forever
locked up in the sacred repository Of her
heart.
Mrs Rawlings really meant to keep Bea-
trice's secret, and doubtless had no pressure
Leen applied she would have eept it Loyalty.
But unlucldly she was one of those who have
10 struggle to retain a secret not only its
main body, but little corners which would
slip out unawares In trying to guard Bea-
trice's secret from her visitors renewed
questions she was like one trying to pack a
feather bed into a travelling trunk; as one
part was pushed down another part rose up.
The words ''poor thingl" applied to Beatrice
had already raised Franks curiosity to the
highest pitch, and made him believe that the
present inquiry was not collateral
Wa be justified in striving to learn what
Beatrice wished hidl He thought so. He loved
her with a pure, unselfsh love; 50 unsel1sh
that he was not en~deavoring to find the
cause OF her fight for his own ends, but IN
order to be able to give her aid if she re-
quired it. Yes, the man who loved her had
fright to try and learn all about the woman
whom he believed loved him. Besides, had
Beatrice in any way bound this woman to