The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1889-08-09

members two pretty Americans, tw
wealthy young guardsmen to whol
the Americans were laying siege-th
Fowler family and Captain Challouel
whose account Of the family Mr.. Ash
ton soon pronounced to be correct.
Mrs. Fowler was a distinctly prett
woman, but not II pleasing one. He
expression lacked frankness. and he
manner suggested an almost mOrbi,
vanity. She had Il little air of maxim;
Il speech every time sho opened he
thin lips. Miss Fowler was simpl
lovely, and far too charming to b.
married for her money. Captain Fow
Ter was palpably under his wife
thumb-a chinless being whose luiC
character cvidc,.tly took the impress,
Of the strongest hand that grasped it
"A hopeless case" thought Horace
after the first few minutes talk witt
his hostess. This woman is an arran'
snOb, and the bare idea of becoming
mother-in-law TO a viscount has turned
her weak brain; she won't give in"
Presently the conversation, which
WAS somewhat general, turned upon
defective postal arrangements. One OF
the American ladies had lately posted.
with her own fair hands, q letter to Il
friend i'll Regents park hat had never
reached its destination. Think how
&any an important communication
may have been lost" said Captain
Fowler. speaking with all the ussertive
temerity of the weak. If q letter is
rightly addressed and posted it is de-
livered."
Not always" interpolated Horace.
II could tell Il curious story"
"Oh, do interrupted 4 chorus of
female voices,
ashton tells a story awfnlIy Well"
exclaimed Humphrey Challoner.
Please tell us your story, Mr.,
Ashton" murmured Mrs. Fowler in a
patronizing tone.
1t is an incident, an episode, rather
than a story" said Horace. "A story,
r told, demands three things-a
beginning, Il middle and an ending.
My tale has only a beginning. Aud
now to begin, and | must make it
short, for the hour is late.
Zone November day, some five
years ago, | happened to come in
earlier than usual. at about fourp. m.
very tired and desperately
| ordered tea to be brought
~ nj omen. bat before | had finished
my second cup l fell fast asleep. with
! newspaper and some letters that my
,ervant had just handed m lying in
ny lap unopened, and my fox-terricr,
Nell, doing at my feet. | must have
| suppose, for nearly an hour,
when suddenly woke with a violent
tart that sent both newspaper and
etters flying on 10 the hearth rug. the
'orm"r bursting It's cover in the fall.
"Whrn | had sufficiently recovered
rom the shock Of this rude awaken
ny to make any move | stopped down
md picked up the letter that was near
st to Inc, and which happened to be
wing sea! uppermOst, and without
glancIug at the address tore open
he envelope aud proceeded to read its
]"ntents. They We're startling. must
.umit.
w as the letter from 4 lady or 4 gen
Mr.. Ashtou?" asked one Of the
Americans.
"Fr0m the former. and it stated that
eing weary Of life and unable to sub
nit any longer to pntcrnaI tyranny,
he intended to avail herself Of her
arling's oit-repeated request that III"
hould fly with him, and that she.
therefore,, requested him to meet her
at the terminus here (wllcrc here
be, | know not. for there was
date nor address atIiXrd) on
Tuesday next at I H.. ! had scarcely
inc TO finish the letter, or to wonder
,AO could haze written it to me, when
ny servant entered with a telegram
emanding an immediate answer.
While was framing my reply Cuth-
busted himself with making up
he fire, and in 50 doing came
ntO active collision with Nell, whom
e v could ~manage-and who
t once began to bark in a way that
lrove me nearly wild. As soon as my
elegram was dispatched ! looked
Ound for the cover of the mysterious
,pistle, which | had decided by this
ime ought never to have fallen into
ny hands; but it was nowhere to be
cen. | asked Cuthbert il he had no
iced it-a long white envelope,
81 suppose, sir he answered in an
ggrieved tone, for he and | were Oft
at issue where Nell was concerned,
that that was what the dog had got
iold Of just now. did try to take it
rom her, but I know you don't like
. hear her bark. She dropped it at
asst, ana | threw it into the fire, but it
;as just a mere pulp then. You
0uldn't have read what was written
n it,
$50 the envelope va destroyed. and
nth it had gone every chance Of my
.Ynu l,.trFr Yhla 30 az. a,- 20, 80. =, !