Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-04-24
HORSESHOE LUCK.

mirror that extended at the other side OF
the room into an indefinite perspective
of ONYX tables. stands Of ferns, Japan
ese screens and India hangings. six
and-thirty- and why should one be COM
PEELED to give up all the sweetness OF
life at six-and- thirty? I'm sure don't
look day over thirty; and Algy Vane
must be that at least!'
Mrs. Blythe was a very pretty woman
not the bud, but the full blown rose
a plump, dimpled, peachy-cheeked ma
tron, who knew exactly how to make the
most of all her middle-aged advantages.
She had married Maj. Mortlake Blythe
at II, and he had left her a widow at
seven-and-twenty.
81 shall never be such fool as to
marry again. said Mrs. Blythe
For the major had by no means been
perfection. He had left her just enough,
by dint of strict economy, to live upon,
especially as her only child had been
taken to 'bring up" by a quiet Quaker
couple, the majors relatives. And un-
til now Mrs. Blythe had adhered reso-
lutely to her decision.
But Algernon Vane was a royalty
handsome fellow, and the pretty widow
was but human, and she had scribbled
"Rosamond Vane," 'Mrs. Algernon
Vane," over and over again in her blot
ting book, and she had treasured up
flower he had worn in his buttonhole,
and she had corresponded with him
during the winter he had spent in Ber-
muda, writing sprightly and amusing
letters, with a semi-tone OF seriousness
underlying all their sparkling gossip.
"He likes me little now," said the
widow, '1and | am determined he shall
. like me great deal more. ''rm tired
of this solitary life; I'm tired of count
ing every penny half dozen times be-
fore spend it. Algy is independently
rich, and he is my beau ideal of man.
With him do believe l could be quite,
quite happy. He don't know about
Lydia.b but of course that would be no OBJ
lection. Uncle Joshua and Aunt Re
becca will keep her. Dear me, dear me!
she must be growing to be big girl
now," and Mrs. Blythe shuddered at the
idea.
At this moment the door flew open,
and in burst a tall, dusty, disheveled
young girl, some half head taller than
Mrs. Blythe herself, with the white-cap-
ped maid following close behind.
"Please, ma'am," said the maid, 'she
wouldn't wait for me to take her card
up"
Mamma, I'm Lydiar' cried the breath
less apparition. 'Iittle Liddy, mamma
don't you remember? Tell that hate
full girl to go away! A card, indeed!
Am to send up cards to my own moth
err"
Mrs Blythe stood appalled,, in the soft
yellow light streaming through the Chi
ma silk curtains. This fair-haired, sun
burned young giantess, with the peony
cheeks and the big blue eyes, the i'll fit
ting gloves and faded cambria gown
could it be possible that this was the
"little Liddy" of ten years ago? Oh, if
Mr. Vane should see her!
The girl looked around like one who
views the entertainments of a fairy pal
ace.
<'Oh, mamma, how pretty you arer'
said she, ''and what lovely room! Are
you glad to see me, mamma, darling?"
"My dearest child" gasped the wild
ow, "what has brought you here?"
lydia clasped her hands; her counte-
nance fell.
Mamma" said she, "I'm the most
miserable creature in the world-and L
want hundred dollarsr'
Lydia! A hundred dollarSr'
"And you must let me have itr' vehe-
mently went on Lydia. "I've killed
Uncle Joshua's prize colt That is,
didn't exactly do it myself; but Twas
riding Pretty Jane around the meadow,
just for practice, and L forgot and left
the bars down, and the colt got out on
the railroad track, and the train came
along, and-oh never can look Uncle
Joshua in the face again, unless l have
that hundred dollars to pay him!
81 shall be able to earn plenty for my
self before long, mamma" she added,
breathlessly, ''for L can ride better than
the woman in pink tarlatan and spangles
who jumped through the hoops at the
circus. When the old gypsy told my
fortune last year, at the county fair, she
said horseshoe would bring me luck
some day; and knew, of course, what
she meant. So I've been practicing rid
ing ever since, whenever / could get
away from Aunt Beck and Uncle Josh
ua, and"
Mrs. Dappleton Ames is in the draw
ing room, ma'am," said the white cap
ped maid, appearing with an oxidized
silver card receiver in her hand.
And Mrs. Blythe checked her daugh-
ter's confidence at once.
LYDIA" cried she, 81 am surprised at
you! A great girl like you scuffiing and
romping around the country! Go back
to Shady Plains by the very next train,
and try to behave more like lady.
Why, you must be fourteen at leastr'
Seventeen, mamma" confessed the
culprit. "But aren't you going to give
me the hundred dollars?"
81 have not got hundred cents!" i'm
patiently cried Mrs. Blythe. "And if l
had, wouldn't give it to you, you
naughty, ill-behaved, romping- Yes,
Matilda, tell Mrs. Dappleton Ames that
shall be down directly, and bring some
tea and buns for--for Miss Blythe be-
fore the next trains goes"
But when Mrs. Dappleton Ames had
finished her call, and Mrs. Blythe came
back, the bird had flown. Lydia, deep
ly wounded and resentful, had promptly
returned to Shady Plains.
''rhat old gypsy must have been a
humbug, after all" thought the despair
ing girl. ''Oh, what shall say to IN
Gle Joshua? Why was mamma SO cold
and cruel to me? Oh, dear; am very,
very unhappy"
'Shady Plains!' shouted the con-
ductor
And as lydia crept sorrowfullv out of