Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-06


| decidedly strong interest in Janet Floyd"
was =, very s lonely IL town. , and 1t was good
lady, well known in society, had not gone into
the country. called on her that evening, and
she seemed glad 70 see me. She did not ailude
reticence in regard to the quarrel between Mrs.
Grome and Billy Haskell, and 1 told her the
as oe
no idea how cornical the affair was until saw
how she laughed at 1t.
called on you to ask you to forward a letter to
the lady who had employed him in this some
what remarkable case, In which ne mas en-
ployed me. OF course have no possible in
| terest in this young lady"
"Of course not" interrupted Mrs. Morpeth.
"But how do you know she is q young lady?''
"She was FULLY described to me by Mrs.
Grome, and Curper also had a description of
her from the old man. But, as was about to
ask, do you intend to send Curper's letter to
herr"
II have sent It," said Mrs. Morpeth.
said /, "but as have been called upon to act in
this matter, / cannot help thinking that the
person WIG me, has taken such generous interest
unwarrantable inquiries-as consider them
into her identity. / have spoken to Mr.. Cur
p per on the subject, but my remarks made no
What a queer man Mr.. Curper must be, !"
EYES," said earnestly, "he Is a queer man.
i! wouldn't say anything against him, and, in
deed, there isn't anything to say; but that
ahead without regard to the opinion Of his
friends, and all that sort Of thing, makes it
should be- encouraged to force himself upon ne
I disposition. or course, as said before, take
no interest in this lady, at least no more than
any man would in person who is"
young and handsome" suggested Mrs. Nor
'Not at ALL" said quickly, "but young, gen.
erons and Of modest s IT., nature that shrnks
And hov in,y hos r6 hoPd bad,
Morpeth, "you do not think Mr.. Curper Is the
man who should make her acquaintance and
NO" said /, very decidedly. II do not H'S'p'''
Perhaps" said Mrs. Morpeth, eff it is really
necessary to have an interview, or a confer
ence, about this matter. 1t might be better for
you to see the lady than for Mr.. Curper to do
"Well, 1 don't know about that" answered.
'But if 1 can be of any service in the matter,
and If you and the lady think could better
state M the case than MI Curper who has not
terviewed both parties; why OF course am will
very kind, indeed, of you,'; said Mrs. Nor
sis the lady," asked, "likeIy to understand
the legal aspects OF case like this? or is she too
young, and"
Handsome" again suggested Mrs. Morpeth.
handsome has nothing to do with it, an
She is merely fsshonasIe Sou n9" lady Who
might not be supposed to understand these
things, or a studious, thoughtful girl of higher
meets with in ordinary society, who would not
only give herself up to generous impulses, but
question when clearly and plainly presented to
her."
"By your suggested Mrs. Morpeth.
"NO, not necessarily by me-" answered a
little uneasily, "but by any lawyer who under
stood the case and could state it properly"
"Mr. Curper, for instance" said Mrs. Nor
"No." said quickly. "Curper couldn't do 1t.
He doesn't know anything about the case ex-
Upon this Mrs. Morpeth burst into a laugh.
and shortly afterwards I left, feeling a good
deal irritated that she should suppose, as her
manner indicated, that / took any unusual
interest in Janet Floyd, which, of course, was
perfect nonsense. She should have known
better.
In a few days I went to the sea shore. where
remained a month or more, returning to the
city at the time when nearly everybody was
coming home from summer sOOurns. One after
noon, a few days after my return, found had
some spare time on my hands, and instead of
going home from the office concluded to ride
second lane beyond the bridge / thought it
would be good idea to drop in at Mrs. Grome's
her ne wh her aSy
had fallen through, was very anxious to buy
IT. AS rode up the lane saw by the garden
to be a hired one. The driver, who was sitting
on the grass near by, rose and nodded to me,
and that he was man whom had
l. .'if were Curper, I'd stop and ask him who
il is he has brought here" But l passed on
presently admitted by Mrs. Grome. AS 1 en-,
tered the house l glanced around the little
parior, and saw that 1t contained no occupant
We'll" said /, show do you get on with
your dispute with MIR. Haskell?' did
but thought it not wise to Immediately pro,
claim that the demon plaque was the purpose
of my visit.
'.Oh. we've settled all that" said she. "Me
an Billy are goin' to be married. There wasn't
no other way of hxin' things. AS long as Hiram
WouIdnt he bothered with ona mo mo an
the work done, as I've had TO do this year,
would ruin me in no time, an so told Billy,
II he'd buy a real good work-horse that the
nelghbors would agree was young enough, and
could leave his old tumble down sbanty an:
live here an work the farm. So he agreed, an
we're to be married next month, so as he can
be here for the fall plowin.' | guess it'll be a
pretty cd thing for me, fur I II save the money
was goin TO pay him for his last years hire,
an kin keep him to his work a lot better
Twin near q mile away"
admitted that thought Mrs. Grome had
the happy termination Of the dispute with her
neighbor; and then noticing that the demon
plague was not hanging in its place asked her
II the young lady had been there to buy it.
"She's here now" said she. ashes in the
garden picking bunch of what she calls old
r nor s Love an I'm paekn up this dish
the old woman approached table on which
the demon plaque was standing in the midst OF
some old newspapers.
Let me look at it a moment before you wrap
1t up, said j, glancing as spoke toward the
open back door, but .perceiving no one in the
garden. II am really sorry to think that
shall not be able to see 1t again."
The plaque looked much better upon the
table resting on the Chinaman's feet and those
OF the demon, than it did when hanging against
the wall, and gaZed upon it with q pleasure
sibe.
Its pity you can't huve 1t, sence you like
1t SO much said Mrs. GrOme, an if she hadn't
come fur 1t In a reasonable time I'd made up
my mind to let you take it. But she did come
an she give me good price fur ii, an that
settled II. But tell you what you kin d." said
the old woman glancing me with twinkle
in her eye, as she proceeded to envelope the
plaque In newspapers, you kin settle the mat
ter as me an Billy did. You're q very good
iOokin young man, an she's a handsome young
woman. You marry her and then both Of you