Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-08-07
A RING OF FATE.

curious antique homestead, whose jut-
ting gables aud peeping oriels peer out
from amid the luxuriant creepers, and
where IA certain solemnity reigns from
years end TO years end-a solemnity
as TO the old fashioned gardens with
the octagon grass plots and the messy
dial as TO sleepy birds that twitter and
whisper about the caves; as TO the
lichen matched steps, alasl so seldom
trodden nowadays; and as TO the old,
big. brass Nnocker with its inhuman
dolphin munching his own tail; and
as To the great shadows OF the trees,
that make Of the whole place a gloom
with but little chance for sunshine to
penetrate.
Such is the ancient Weymouth
mansion" forbidding, stern, with cur
tanned windows and smokeless chin
neys. But behind all this seriousness
there is the smile Of youth and the
cheeriness Of life; in the back kitch-
en-, a low little building connected
with the main house by a short COW
cred gallery, a great wood fire burns
brightly on the hearth. and the two
long deal tables are covered with row
81 small stone pots o. an equal size; a
huge porcelain lined caldron steams
upon the crane above the blaze, and il
is presided over by an ebon goddess Of
ample proportions and jolly 'spect,
whilst a fairer Hebe, with a long ladle
in her small white hand, dances at
tendance betwixt the caldron and the
pots.
'Dere now, Miss PIeen, dem
shrimps is just on de bile. Now,
honey, chilel just you begin wiv yer
ladler'
Miss ''P'leen," thus adjured, does be-
gin, and presently another great cal.
dron on the other table is full Of the
pretty pink shrimp. and. ere they a
cool, Miss P'leen's pretty pink hands
are lifting them by handfuls, draining
them through her slender fingers, and
filing all the dozens Of small linen
bags with them, giving the corners a
dexterous twist and popping each tiny
bag into its jar.
"Miss Carlina and Miss Virginia
ought 10 see 'em, they ought Bless
my soul, honeyl ef | was white as dey
are, and he'd all de blood OBJ de Wey-
mouths and do Myddletons and de
Brantleighs, too. a-racin' thro' my
veins. I'd like to take a look at dem
shrimpsl"
"Ah. Aunt Chloe" responded the
fair young girl, with a laugh, Aunt
Carolina and Aunt Virginia are very
good, ! am sure, to let me do up the
shrimps and sell them TO the grocers
up country. | never could expect
them 10 look at such plebeian proceed.
ingsf" Pauline Brantleigh laughed
merrily as she drained off handful
after handful of the shrimps.
TO be shot," cried the old negress.
.'Yet, Miss P'leen, you knows hat
Miss Car'lina and Miss Virginia won't
tnk de money much 'plebee' proceed
ms which you get from dem same
shrimpl"
perhaps not" assented the young
mistress, gayly filling her pots. But
you must remember, Aunt Chloe. that
Aunt Carolina and Virginia can live
only in the past-before the war-the
splendid old days when Weymouth
house was the most hospitable roof in
Sfrrleston, and where only grand
ladies in satins and v~elvets, aud shin.
ing with jewels sang and danced and
firted in the great beautiful room"
That's so, Miss P'leen. Befo' de
war;" calculated Aunt Chloe. musing-
ly. 'Laws-a-mercy. honeyl dats fore
you was done borned-and 10 think
that Miss Floridas baby's a-pottin'
shrimp for a Twin, in dis yere ole
smoky holer"
shes very happy at it. Aunty.
Harkr'
"Laws-a-mercyr" Chloe drops the
paste brush which she has been WELD
ing on the freshly filled pots, and Miss
Brantleigh lets fall. with a tremor. the
handful Of shrimp.
Its de knocker, sho' as yo' live, Miss
Pleeni and IL amt knocked in bout
two years-not sense Miss Virginia
was brunged home in dat barrow by
de man what foun' her onsensible up
de streetf'
"who can il BET" cries the girl, ner-
vously.
1t may be a visitor" whispers
Chloe, in an awe stricken tone. I'VE
amt done had mono in bout four sea-
IONS now. De last was de old lady
what coined and wanted 10 buy some
o. yer auntie's brick bats. and you
know. Miss P'leen, what happened
den." Chloe's ample sides shook as
she spoke. "LAws-a-mercy, how Miss
Virginia did queen dat imposin' pus.
son out Of this mansion"
Pauline laughed at the recollection,
too, but, as the knocking continued,
abe looked appealingly at the old ser.
want and then at her W stained,
moist hands.
"For sbo', Miss P'leen,' exclaimed
Chloe, II amt no how representa- de
Weymouths in dis yere frock; could
You, Miss Pleenf Just screw up a lit
}}ls courage. Don't look 30 frighted,
honey; faint nothin', nohow. Jes'
you 90 on an I'll be a-spyin' to see ct
any ones rude 10 yer"
F, Miss Brantleigh wasted no moro
time, but, leaving the worthy Chloe
still brandishing the paste brush above
he pots that the peter was 10 call for
- 9 O'clock precis>ly, TO send by ex-