Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-04-16


self, superscribing the letter, Mrs Cora
Tyson. and placing it where her eye
would be certain to light upon it the
first thing.
And then he took his departure.
1t was quite dusk when Mrs: Tyson
came in the hall al hour afterward,
and the servant maid WAS lighting the
hall gas.
please, ma'am, there's gentleman
in the sitting room to see YOU, said the
lass, as Mrs. Tyson entered.
Who is it !? said the widow.
But the lassie Of the blue ribbons
did not know, and when Mrs. Tyson
entered the room, nobody was there
but puss and the plants.
He must have gone away, ma'am,
said the servant-maid.
He'll come again, | dare say, if lie
wants to see me, very much, said the
widow, and, quite unconscious Of the
billet-dou1 awaiting her glance, she
tumbled all the papers together into
the portfolio, and put it on the top shelf
of the library.
Kitty, she said to the servant,
come and hel p me clear away all these
things. Mrs Flanagan is coming early
tomorrow morning to clean house, and
we must be ready for her
Hapless John Merrlon Here was
the shadow of house cleaning once
again darkIy brooding over his life.
Mrs. Tyson came to Mrs Grimshaw 8
to tea, the next evening, looking very
bewitching in her shining BLACK silk
dress and hair to match, with cherry
checks and velvety- brown eyes. Mer
rion's brow frightened as he walked
up to her. Did she blush He tho t
she did, a litllc-but she put ont her
little hand quite unconcerncdly. What
elegant actresses those women are
Don't you think it's q pleasant even
ing said Nerrlon, with fate tremb bling
ON he tip Of his tongue
No. | don't, answered the widow,
lifting her long eyelashes 4 thing we
shall. have ram; and I'm sorry, for We
have Just con nencei Ii use cleaning =
My. Mrlon dropped the little hand
rs suddenly as if his own had been
stricken by pal.,y! Mrs. Ty>ons all
sNer had ki!lcd the two birds Of his
hearts hope with one stou"! He hui
got hs qnletu>, and he might as we'll
90 about his business at once
They're all alike ponler~l our he
TO modify. They would any enc Of
them immediate a mans heart upon The
point of a carpet tack, or submerye bis
sens in pail Of white wash, and think
they had accomplished The whole duty
Of woman. And the worst Of all is,that
Mrs. Tyson never looked as pretty III
her life as she does to night.
Mr.. Merrion went up stairs to pack
his vallse for ii journey to the South =;
he felth that he could not endure the
possibility Of seeing Mrs. Tyson p rhaps
daily. Like the delicious pink checked
apricot that hangs on the sunny wall
Just beyond the schoo'hoy'S reach, the
pretty widow became precious in hls
eyes in proportion us she became mae
ceSsib!e.
Cora Tyson cried little when she
heard that Mr.. Mcrrion WAS gone
House cleaning is not clevating to tn"
spirits, particularly ia damp weather,
and Mrs. Tyson had an i,lea--women
do pick up strange whimsi, s-that Mr..
M1rrlon Was beginning to be foud of
her.
1t serves me right for being 50 r,dic
ulous,' she said, la>hing away bright
drop from her checks. i ain sure he's
nothing to me
Mrs. Tyson tied a pocket handk"r-
chiot round her head, shouldered gi-
gantic feather dus'er, and climbed up a
step ladder to dust the books on the
library shelves before the ubiquitous
Flanagan should r"rvadc the room
with scrubbing brushes and mop.
Here s IN" p1rttoIio, said Mrs. "
son. seating herself Oh the top step and
mechanically opening it; and here is
my goodLe>S H".
For she saw Mr. Mrrron's ill-fatsl
love letter for the first time, and her
heart gave lit le spasmolic tluttcr be
hind the handle of the feather duster.
She was sitting there. in Il position
elevated rather than romantic. her
black hair tied up behind a pocket
handkerchief, while with the other she
held the latter, when Kate the maid
opened the door to a guest.
Sure it is here she is. said Kate
And Mr.. Merrion, walking in beheld
Mrs. Tyson in the act Of reading his
own love letter.
Cora jumped up. and then sat dow
again; dropre.| the feather duster but
held tIgh' 10 the letter, while the rose
boasornei re1Iy cnt on her cheeks.
Mr. Merr:on had been South, but he
had discovered that /, Southern atncs-
phere was no medicine to 4 mind dig
eased And he had come back to try
his fate over again at most suspicious
moment. as it seemed
Well sad Mr. Merrion, glancins at
the letter, do you think you can get
along with a grum Old bachelor like
me.
'Ishall try, at all events, said Cora,
dcmnrcly.
why didn't you say so BEFORE asked
Merrion responsibility
Because you never asked me.
4 wrote that letter IL week ago
But | never saw it until this NO.