The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-08-25
"Vircinia was called q handsome girl,

eyes, and heavy black curls she was
never tired Of jiuglias around her neck.
She had good deal. too, Of what you
call style and AmityvIl,e folks VINO
didn't know as much of the ways OF the
world as they do now were completely
fascinated with her taking ways. The
young fellows in particular lowered
around her like moths around candle.
"Al, except Harmon Page. lie had
engaged himself to Mercy. and at first
gave the newcomer the go by.
The Pages and Fords had q
family feud of good many years
standing, which kept them apart for
one thing. and Virginia had plenty OF
company besides Harmon.
But l suppose HaImon's indifIer-
ercc piqued the girl, and she snubbed
the other boys and exerted all her
charms on Harmon.
"She came in the fall, and along
about Christmas time the neighbors
began to notice that Virginia was
mighty thick at the Pages.
The two houses were pretty nor to-
gether, and sh, u:ed to run over to
Mother Pages on some excuse or
ether, twenty tins a day. Perhaps
'twa' Mt strange that Harmon began to
be fiattered by it. He had as good a
turno:t as any chap in the place, and
he got in the habit of taking Virginia
considerable.
''You see, POSITIONS everything in
more cases than ore, and Virginia was
right there handy, while Mercy lived at
the top of one of our old-fash:oned Con-
necticut hills, with a dreadful hard
road leading to it.
whether she knew how much Har-
mon was taking the other girl wasn't
known; some thought not. She didn't
get out much, except to meetin', that
water, and she had enough of her
fathers spunk about her not to let on
that she saw Ham foolia' with Vir-
gaia Wake at the nooain's.
There was splendid sleighing that
season-the kind We don't have these
days-and some Of the young folks
wanted to have general sleigh ride. 1t
was put off from time to time. till twas
finally set for one Thursday night.
at was the night of the regular
week prayer meeting, and after the
time of the ride was all settled Harmon,
who was the only professor in the party,
tried little to have it changed. But
Virginia Wake declared, with wicked
shake of those juggling curls, that she
could say her prayers just as we'll ia a
sleigh as she could coopcd up in that
stupid barn of a meeting house.
Everybody thought aiterward she
fixed the ride for that night to show
Mercy Avery the power she had over
Harmon Page.
"Well, the party started from Amity-
vile long about o'clock. They were
all in big two-horse load, except Vir
ginia and Harmon.
"She had arranged for them to 90
ahead in his cutter alone, and I'll admit
they were splendid looking couple
he, with his fine eyes and teeth, and
she, in rich crimson hood that set off
her dark beauty to perfection.
"Our route---for l was one of the
party--lay straight up the hill toward
Deacon Avery's. Just as we turned
into it who should we meet but the
deacon and Mercy.
They were late, for the meeting was
alus appointed for early candle light
ing; but Mercy had probably
waited awhile for Harmon, who,
for year back, had taken her to Thurs
day meetin' as regular as the day come
round.
''Shc sat up straight and queenly, be-
side her father. as they passed, and
seemed not to hear the malicious sally
Virginia called out to her.
1--WE, in the back team, were neal
enough to catch the scornful glance she
threw from those deep eyes, gray as
steel that night.
GAS for Harmon, he turned white tc
the lips, and for mile hardly answered
the banter that Virginia kept up. After
that ho seemed to grow perfectly rcck.
II l.