Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-11-15
MISS BUSY FoNTAIyE.

Her SutctsaIW EAOitS IN t-S AOle OF cacp-
makcr.
or course that was not her real name.
No sponsors in baptism would have per.
petrated such joke upon her baby help
lessEess. She was christened Elizabeth
Fell Fontaine; but being too small at the
time for the weight OF such an aristocrat
il name she became and remained for
twenty-five years, Lizzie Fon.aine. The
changing of her first name, instead of
her last, seemed an unaeountabe freak
of fortune, for Lizzie was reasonably
pretty G2l was clever, and with an airy
brightness so agreeable in women, and at
the farthest possible removed from that
tart clCverness which Is not agreeable in
any body, least Of all in young ladies'.
Ny own private theory about her unwill-
ingness 10 marry is that she was too in
teHsely romantic; and that, like many
another girl who MAKES light Of senti-
ment with her lips wdilo she worships
it in her heart, the image OF some ex-
pected knight on a white horse, some i'm.
possible Sir Galahad, put her out of con.
ceit with everyday young men,
Be that as it may, Lizzie gave up quite
early the thought Of matrimony and be.
gan TO devote herself with fierce ardor to
Beneyolenoe always with capital 81 as
vocation. And somewhere back in the
dawn of that plan of life, she began to be
oaIled--for her fussy little ways, her con
slant scheming, her inevitable bazars.
her perpetual Sunday school picnlcs, her
troublesome Christmas tree-Miss Busy
Fontsine. But it was far from being a
term OF reproach; the little world OF Gran
vile village made good natured Jokes at
Miss Busy Fontaine'a expense, and never
theless furthered her plans and knew it
could not get on without her.
Why in the world can't you come to
see people at decent hours, Miss Busy? /
haven't had any breakfast yet, and have
come down without putting any finishing
touches TO my toilet" Bat in spite of
this bitter reproaeb, pretty Amabel Gray
kissed her visitor on both cheeks with an
Hnmistakable welcome.
II was in hurry, chiid-always am; if
l waited i'll lazy folks were ready TO see
me I'd get nothing done. Bot l didn't
come to give you lecture on early ris-
ing Amy; old Mrs. Frost is very sick"
II painting her fresh young cheeks was
one of the things Miss Amable haj neg
lected that morning it YVES 10 longer
necessary. Her visitors words brought a
sudden flame to her face, and one might
have fancied that the fire this glow came
from, flashed up in her brown eyes too.
Did you get out OF bed SO early to tell
me thatG" she asked with scorn in her
soft voice; "truly, that was WORK of
supererogatisD."
'Amabel, the old lady is i'll, tell YOU"
said the other severely.
And tell you don't care if she has
the small pox.n
"Oo, You wicked girl Do you think
Lewis has no feeling for his grand
motherP
I've no doubt he adores her"
Miss Busy Fontaine was bsffied. She
had come to get Amsbel TO write to her
lover that his old grandmother was des
perately sick, and the girl met her with
UGH fierce sarcasm that 1t seemed use
lees to ask her. Two years before this
time Lewis Frost had told his grand
mother of his great happiness in having
gained sweet Amy Gray's promise TO be
his wife, ard the cantankerOus old lady
mad declared in most unlady like fashion
That II he married that red haired girl he
should pot have a cent OF her fortune.
Not that Amabel was red headed-oh,
dear, no; bat you might perhaps call her
halr tawny, that's the way poets put 1t.
NOW, Lewis ostensible profession was
Z engineering, but being declared heir of
DIS grandma others fortune, he really did
nothing but sit at the foot Of her table,
drive her clipped horses, entertain her
guests, aud, in short, wal on her pleasure.
Ia eba ssshf IL f,f- D.
.ady-love, as he had given up smoking
cigarettes, at her bidding. But she was
vastly mistaken. Lewis a8s, after all, .
manly fellow, though Dame Fortune had
tried hard to take all the bones out of his
character. He bade his grandmother q
respectable farewell, had a tender part
.ag with his sEeethear'. snd went far
West with party of enginoere He had
Teen back once IN two years, TO kiss Amy
and beg her mott 70 forget HIM. he might
men have hsd, for the asking, his old
standmutder's forgiyepes s and her con
SENT 70 his marriage, bur Amy vowed she
Vpuid never marry a man who asked any
"oman's consent 70 his choice and Lewis
was well pleased with her spirit.
NO, know it's nona OF my business, F."
answered Mrs. Busy F0utaine when
Amabel reprosched her for NEEDING,
but you know can never keep my fu
gers oar Of other peoples pies am
afeadtuliy sorry for that lonely harsh old
Soman. lewis absence has broken her
hearf' She was wrong, OF course, bat, oh,
my dear, don't we all do wrong? Y.s, /
SNOW you think she has made you and
7 VS. suffer, but you may be sure she mas
suffered ten times Ms much herself. l.
seems 70 me that II [ had brave, true
lyVeF IKE Lewis, would be so happy and
mana 51i, and 20 sorry for evely bod 5
tz-s fortunate, that | could not harbor
"a nnkind thought-not even toward. bis
grandmother.
me dear old maids eyes were full OF
earnest tears and several bright drop.
ron Amy'- answered them. II belie7.
lave been wicked and ungratefui," she
answered With pretty patience; Il dcn'i
sl'h 1t vas small pox, but aouldn'; min
i u VAS measles.a
hiAs B1sy Fontaine laughed content