Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1886-02-03

the big arm chair before the FIRE,
Jetts Jesson was reclining with the
fire : light dancing over. her feas
lures, the tears were rolling down her rosy
cheeks, and again she was softly humming
the tune Of that old song with the slight
transportation.
"Charlie Darling, Charlie Darling" A
feeling o fdeepest Joy came over me as I lis
tened, and my heart seemed to spring into
my throat, but l had not tact enoug b to with
draw quietly, but broke in suddenly upon
the young lady's reverie.
"The knowledge, dear Jette, that I am
your darling more than repays me for the
biting sarcasm you have hitherto bestowed
upon me. never imagined that the par
ody on that old song could make me SO
happy"
To what length my egotism might have
extended had not Jette arisen in dignifed
amazement, I can not say, but l have bnt
one excuse. / was In earnest. / knew
now that / loved Jette lesson.
II am sorry TO remove the lattering i'm
preston you have received, Mr.. Darling"
she said, "but know, before your gratified
vanity carries you completely away, that
there are more Chariies han one, and that
this was the one / was thinking of as l sat
here foolishly singing by the fire."
As she spoke she put into my half-pal-
sled hand a photograph, and then with a
curling lip she swept away.
/ examined the picture by
the freight, and came to the conclusion
that it was a most callow youth whose pic
tree she had been weeping over, but women
are always idiots. and | resolved to let both
of these impertinent girls know that | was
not SO filled with balloon juice as to fall in
love with either OF them.
grew really wrathy as / thought it over.
Strangely enough, Nellie came in for her
share of blame also. What the end might
have been will never be known. Had it not
been so fearfully cold hat night there might
have been a fourth ghost at Null Campbell
now, but my fingers and toes grew SO cold
at last that | was forced tofetire.
The next morning there were no greetings
intcrchanged between two of Mrs. Camp
bells guests, but no one ! think noticed it,
for between Miss lesson and myself there
had never been very gracious politeness.
After breakfast Dor announced that he
would probably be busy all day at the old
house, clearing away rubbish and trim
ming up for our dancing party that evening.
/ gladly joined him, for l felt that I &C.
cupied a false position i'll the minds of both
the young ladies, and the idea was not very
agreeable to me.
/ found the inside of the old
house finer even than I had anticipated.
and Don and l worked busily for a half
day cleaning the floors and sweeping down
the walls. Then Don put up the tables in
the dining-room, and | trimmed the house
with evergreens. When all was ready, we
sat down by the roaring old fireplace and
waited for the sleigh to arrive from the
farmhouse for us.
"Charlie," said Don at last, what do you
think OF the old place, anyway"
II think / would like nothing better than
to take ii for my abiding place"
ave agree as usual" he replied, "but I
s'pose Nellie would be afraid of the ghost"
Nellie" said /, in astonishmont. mel
lie who?"
"Why Nellie Gray, the little girl who has
promised to be my wife, Of course"
Talk of city flirts and college fiirts! Why
ever met with. Nellie engaged, WHY l had
never been so astonished in my life!
"Did't you know it2" asked Don, laugh
ing. II suspected as much. l think these
two girls are in a conspiracy against you,
and that Jet is rather jealous because Nell
lie has been more successful than herself.
Don't you let them fool you, Charlie"
"A conspiracy against me, in the name Of
Aristides, what for?"
"Oh they have heard about some Of your
flirtations. and they intend to teach you a
lesson, l suppose"
"And they are both engaged. Never fear
for ME, Don. ! am not seriously winged"
"They are not both engaged. Jette is
not, | am pretty sure. She's my cousin.
you know"
"Who is this fellow them" / cried, draw
ing the photograph of the evening before
from my pocket.
THAT is Jette's younger brother Charlie"
replied Don, looking at me curiously.
"Why, has she been palming him off to you
as her loverp"
For a reply, I jumped up and ran out to
the sleigh which was waiting for US, and
fifteen minutes later We were all seated
around Mrs. Campbell's supper table; Nell
lie as radiant as a fairy. Jette as digniied
as a duchess, and Charlie Darling as smil-
ing rs q basket Of chips.
Don took possession of Nellie that night
when we started for the old house, and l
was obliged to follow with Jette, who bare
ly deigned to touch my hand with her
gloved fingers when / attempted to help her
into the sleigh, and did not hear my low
spoken words of apology.
Don drove Flip Maginnis this evening and
in relating our comical ride from the
station once more ] got Don into convul-
sions and set Nellie's laughter going like q
chime of silver bells.
Still Jette was silent.
"Why don't you laugh, Jette?" asked Mel
1ia NJ lapo4h aTt a,nrra1 x-o,, NJ tha %,p,o
far more than it did me-"
Because its frequent repetition has di-
vested it of its charm. A twice told tale is
apt TO be fiat. How. can we describe its
effect when We hear it for the twentieth
timer"
After that there was no more conversa-
ton, and soon after we alighted on the
wide stone steps Of the brilliantly illumi-
mated house.
Don's friends came in by sleigh loads
that evening and I enjoyed myself hugely,
although Jetts would not once dance with
me, and il we did Got in reality see the
ghosts, we had our sensation after all.
We had Just returned to the dancing
rooms after supper when some Il looked
up and saw an aged man standing in the
doorway.
He was SO aged and uncanny in his APP
pearance that one might easily be excused
for taking him for a ghost, especially in a
house with such a reputation as the n in
which we were making SO free.
The young ladies screamed, and some
tainted, and Jette lesson turned with a pale
frightened look to me, and hid her defiant
black eyes and beautiful face upon my
breast,
The old man came forward.
where is Donald, Donald Campbell? I
must see him. have q confession to make
10 him."
Il am here, replied Don, calmly step
ping forward, "what do you wish with me"
II am Duncan McDoughal' he said, and
/ could not die until I confessed the muir
der which ] did, not twenty rods from this
house. It was all thick forest then, and
for his money ! murdered Sandy Arthur,
just rs he was making ready to leave this
place in his eail-boat. threw him into the
deepest part Of the swamp, and three
nights after at dead Of night | took his boat
out upon the waters of Huron and there /
left it to float where it would. But murder
will out. Bruce, the house dog, discovered