The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-07-15

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atop of it! She had Oh black silk
dress that she'd had ior the academy cX-
hibnion the year before, and never
thought of wearin' anywhere else, and
she'd been and got some beautiful lace.
that was her grandmothcr's, out of an
old chest, and put it into the neck and
sleeves.
"I don't know what possessed me,
mother says Prudence, half laughin'
and half cryin'. But l felt young. |
think the pink feather must have turned
my head. You know how fond of pink
| was when was little girl
Mis- Hathaway told me aftcrward
that it seemed to strike her all at once
that Prudence was young, and twas hard
to have the youth crushed right out Of
her, as it had been: and she never said
word, only jest took off her spectacles
and wiped 'cm, and Prudence hurried off
as if she was afraid somebody would try
to stop her
Coin through the yard she picked a
bunch of apple blossoms and fastened
'em in her belt. don't suppose she'd
picked an apple. blossom before sence she
was little girl, she'd got so thrifty.
81 saw her goin' by, and she actually
had little pinky color in her checks;
whether she'd caught it from the apple
blossoms, or the pink feather. or from
feeling young, l can't say. l couldn't
scarcely believe my eyes that twas Pru-
dcnce Hathaway.
Chow folks did stare at herln church! !!
And most of 'em agreed that prettier
girl hadn't been seen there for good
while. I'm glad to know there wasn't
many that SAID, How ridiculous for that
old -maidish Prudence Hathaway to deck
herself out like thatn There's some such
people as that everywhere, you know.
"There was a stranger in church that
day, q very fine looking young man that
had stopped all night at the hotel; no.
body appeared to know who he was. AS
they came out of church, he went up to
Prudence and says, takin' off his hat:
"I suppose you don't remember mel
And I'm sure l shouldn't have known
you except for the pink feather! But |
hope, as Johns friend
"I am glad to see any friend Of
johns. said Prudence in her quiet way.
She couldn't remember that she had ever
set eyes on him, but she thought he
might be one of the village boys that
had been away for years, and remem-
bercd her childish fancy for pink. When
he said he was friend of Johns, she
remembered that John had written that
the young man who was to be his
partner was going inse the country for
his health. But how CO he know
that she liked pink9 Prudence puzzled
a little, but she thought she should find
out, in a minute or two who he was, and
'twan't best to let on that she didn't
know.
"She was generally grave and reserved.
but to-day she seemed to have blossomed
cut every way. I don't believe in scttin'
too much by vauities, but don't sup
pose there ever was girl that didn't ap-
pear easier in her manners for feelin'
that she looked we'll.
prudence chatted as easy and gay as
could be, and the stranger walked along
nome with her, as matter of course.
"Wheu Prudence introduced him to
her mother, she jest said he was friend
of Johns, and kind of give him a chance
to up aud tell who he was, buthe didn't:
he seemed to think they knew and
Prudence felt kind of mortified because
he didn't; and Mis- Hathaway was so
glad to see stranger, bein' real sociablc
and talkativc, and seein' but few folks,
that she didn't care who he was, especi-
ally as he knew John-that was her idol.
lie told 'em john was well, only workin'
too hard, which might have made 'cm
suspect somethin' was wrong, for it want
mite like John Hathaway to work too
hard.
THE stranger staid to dinner. don't
suppose they had anythin' more'n cold
pickup Sunday noon; but Prudence put
n great bowl full Of lilacs and apple
blossoms in the middle of the table, and
the windows were open, and the birds
sngin', and kind OF a blossomy smell
BLOWN in; and scttin' opposite Pru-
dcnce, and bloSsomcd out in her pretty
looks. guess the stranger was satisfied.
"But, right in the midst of it, what
should come pokin' in at the window
but Tommy Streadley's stupid head.
- 'Mandany Wheelock wants her bon
nct-'n' her beau, too says he.
at come over Prudence like q flash
Jest what it all meant She turned as
pale as ghost.
"'I think you have mistaken me for
Miss Wheelock,' says she, with little,
sickly attempt to smile.
"'And you Nin't Miss Whcelock? says
lie. well, I haven't seen her since she
was little girl of twelve; but Tvc been
thiEkin' never saw anybody that had
changed so much You sec, it was the
pink feather that misled me-"
".And he laughed q little, and went on
cxplainin' that Mandany Wheclock' S
cousin, John Doane, was gecat friend
of his, and that he was comm through
here on business, and likely to stop over
Sunday, he wanted him to 60 and see
Maudany. The cousin wrote to Mandany
about it. and Mardany said she didn't
dare to have come if her stepfather was
at home, because he got so down on
Young men (Which was true enough, for
Mandany was always having i dozen
strings to her bow, and the old man was
set on her marryin' Amasa Bemis, who
mad land joinin' theirs. She was engaged
10 Amasa, but she was terri
BILE tlighty, and the latest
conner was always the best liked with
herr. But she was to be at church, and
if her stepfather was away, he could go
home with her, and he was to know her
BY pink feather on her bonnet.
THE stranger-his name was Hen
drick Dinsmorc, he told 'em-eXplaincd
it all, laughin' away as if twas good
joke; but Prudence couldn't make light
oft. She had sensitive feelin's, and she
was awful mortified.
'She sent the bonnet to Mandany by
Tommy Streadley, with a message, say.
in she had worn it by mistake, and she'd d
have been glad to send the beau along,
too, as Mandany ordered, but Mr.. Dins-
more didn't seem to be in mite of any
hurry to 90. Prudence couldn't get up
her spirits again to talk much, and he
was kind of absent. minded; but Mis-
Halfway would talk to craven image
if she once got to goin'.
''Ie went away long about the middle
of the afternoon, and Prudence went
right upstairs and slckcd her hair all
out of the crimps and drawed it back in
tight little knot, and put on her rusty
old black alpaca again.
" 'lTcre's your old grub, mother! say:
she, when she went down. She'll never
try to turn into butterfly again.
"Shc tried to speak light, but there
was tears in he" eyes.
MIR. Dinsmore left town the next morn
ing, but 'twan't long before Prudence
cot letter from him; it seemed hi:
views about the workin's Of Proverdunct
was Jest like mine. BY the time the let
tcrs had begun to come thick and fast
Prudence crimped her hair again-there
it's no use to make mystery about 1t
li,cy were married that very next Scptcm
Der. and Prudence wore q pink fcatheI
IN her wedding bonnet. He was rich
:,.rc was no more toilin' and scrlmpin
i.r Prudence; it was good to see how
her cares jest dropped off her; he wa