The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-26
did not match, and whose front teeth

there's something about the gal that is to
be depended onH
The ncighbors looked at each other in
amazcment. Mrs. Osmund sewed on IN
the odd, jerky ways that she had; and,
as she sewed. the little garnets and en-
eralds set around the rim of her old-fash-
ioned gold thimble-morc than q cen
tury old, the gossips said-Aashed like
tiny eyes of red and green fire.
''Well, never" said Mrs. Iohnes.
s'Guess her mind must be goin'," !"
whispered the druggists wife.
''Old fools is SO queer" commented
Miss Farrar, who was staring her eighti-
eth birthday in the face.
The supper served presently was
complete success. The old ladies were
compelled reluctantly to admit that Mrs.
Osmund's quilting bee had been to the
other quilting bees of the neighborhood
what the sun was to mere stars. This
was as they went home at night.
The next afternoon sensation thrilled
through the place. Patience Meade had
been sent away from her situation at an
hours notice, and following close upon
this circumstance, old Mrs. Osmund had
''stroke"
"Queer!" said Miss Farrar; "and she
only two-and-scventy."
81 knew there must be something
wrong with that pretty, simpering-faced
girl" "said Bethiah Willis, who seemel
to be we'll posted in all the particulars.
Its the gold thimbla. sot with precious
stones, that's been il the Osmuad family
for century. She's stole it. l could
a-told how it wouid b
It was true that the gold thimble bad
ben missing when old Mrs. Osmund
looked through her treasures next morn
ing. It was also true that she had &C
cused Patience of tn, theft, and that in
default of her confes sion and restoration
of the trinket, the girl had been un-
tremendously turned out of doors. -Four
hours afterward the old woman fell in a
fit!
Patience Meade did not know where
else to 90. so she went to Lucy Lynde,
Harry's sister. Harry himself came to
the door.
ooh, Harry!" she gasped, ''haveyou
heard9 Did they tell you2'
81 have heard, said Harry. with stern,
grave eyes. "And I never WAS so much
astomshed in my life. If you are really
guilty, Patience, you should confess it at
once. There can be no use in equivo-
eating"
sIf" She lifted her large, bluo-gray
ewes to his. eff" Then l have as
sure lily come to the wrong place. Good
by!m And she was gone.
From house to house she went, but
no one took her in except Fanny Darton,
who worked in the factory, and whose
brother, Milo, had charge of the tele-
graph Office. :,
: ssGet outw honest Milo had said.
"You may as we'll try to make me believe
that I took old Neither Osmund's gold
thimbIe. Patience, indeed! What air
folks thinking of:'
s'The most ridiculous nonsense l ever
heard!" said Fanny.
And it was to these true-hearted par
tisans that Patience carried her broken
heart; and nothing had ever sounded
half so sweet in her ears rs Ailo,s CORDIAL
welcome, Fanny's words of cheering
conf, rt.
Mrs. Osmund died and was buried.
The heirs focked to he funeral, like
crows to the death-place of some ancient
eagle.
There was an auction sale at the old
Osmund house, and Milo a ked his sister
Fanny to attend.
sT amt altogether certain" said he,
sheepishly, "but if could coax Patience
Meade to say yes, there'd be the parlor
to furnish and few things to get for
the up stairs front ROOM
"Oh, Milo!" cried Fanny. rapturously,
edo you think it's possible that-that
she could like you?"
'It does seem sort O presumptuous.
don't itl" said Milo. "But amt going
to let her 60 for Jack of trying my luck,
that know"
All the sacredness of home detail was
turned inside out. The old cabinet
piano was sold for song; the tall cherry
wood clock brought about four times its
worth; people laughed at the old-fash-
ioned furniture, and handled over Mrs.
Osmund's cast-off wigs and curls with
many jeer and taunt.
Fanny Darton purchased neat antique
set of horse hair chairs and claw-legged
table for the parlor at home, and some
pretty chintz curtains, hung over brass
poles, and a lot of odds and ends. which
comprised the very half-fn;shed quilt
over which the old ladies of Darlington
had worked that last afternoon Of Mrs.
Osmund's life.
cit amt worth much" said Fanny,
"but it came with the towels and the
screen, and I guess we can finish it at
home some leisure time"
The sight of the quilt brought up a
thousand "reminiscences. People whis-
pered the name of Patience Meade to one
another.
81 s'pose the heirs could hev her tried
for stealin'!" said Miss Farrar.
"That there gold thimble was worth a
deal of money! remarked Mrs. Johnes.
81 dessay if her trunks was opened"
croaked Miss Pellet, ''folks would find
lots O. things she hadn't no business
with"
II really think" said Mrs Cubebs, the
druggists wife, 'the town trustees ought
to look to it,"
Fanny Darton heard none of these
good-natured comments.
She was busy, with the help Of eli ia
Eames, in taking the quilt from its fran :,
so as to make compacter bundle lor the
purposes of transportation.
"Dretful pretty pattern! What is it,
asked Mrs. Peck. the Methodist minis