St. Landry democrat., 1890-10-18
prit. But arentyou going to give mo the

tientlv cried Mrs. Blythe. And if l had,
7 wonldn't give it to you, you naughty,
i'll. behayed, romping-Yes, Matilda, teli
Mrs. Appleton Ames that l snail De uox w.
directly. and bring some tea and ouns ior
for Miss. Blythe before the next Train
goes, A,.e bod fin
isbad her call, and Mrs. Blythe came
back the bird had flown. Lydia, deeply
wounded and resentful, had promptly re-
turned to Shady Plains.
THAT old gypsy must have been hum
bug, after all, thought the despariug glrl:
or what shall say to Uncle Joshua!
Whv was mamma so cold and cruel to met
Oh, dear, am very unhappy
SHADY Plains I shouted the conductor.
And as Lydia crept sorrowfully out OF
the train, something bright, like fallen
drop of dew scintilated on the floor at
her feet. She stopped to pick it up. ~
was a diamond scarf-pin in the shape OF
horseshoe.
SQUIRE Carharts company must nave
dropped it, said Lydia to herself. .oh,
how it sparLles! If it were only mine
For I'm sure it must be worth more than
hundred dollars -, .a
She glanced furtively at q tall, broad
shouldered young fellow who had neen
seated in the train few seats beyond her.
he never looked around thought Lydia.
Pm glad of it, for he must have known
that had been crying. But must give
this back to him
With a light, swift, step, she FASTENED
to oyertake Squire Carhart's city guest:
please is this yours2' said she, holding
nm the plittering half circle. 4 found II
on the car floor close to where you were
sitting.
He started and raised his hat. -,
1T ia Mr.. Wooten's niece, isn't / t! SAID
he-'Miss Lydia3 Yes, it is mine, and I'm
a thousand times obliged to you, must
have fastened it in very carelessly. AND
value it very highly, too; it was a GIT
from my father7
Is it worth great deal of money ? asked
Lydia, timidly lifting her sea-blue eyes to
his face.
About hundred dollars suppose.
Il wish il was mine said Lydia, with a
long sigh, as if soc were thinking aloud.
Yours? Why it isn't lsdy's orns-
ment.
ON, not the pin = Lydia fastened to ex,
plain. but the money-the hundred DOL
lars. Good bye Here is the carriage wait
ing from Carhart Court.
twill you let me drive you as far as
Wooten farm5 asked the stranger, court
eously.
And tired Lydia willingly acceded.
| The upshot waa that when she entered
her uncle's presence, she gave him bank
bill representing the prize of the 'prlz'
colt ,,,,
Where did thee get this money, child
solemnly asked Uncle Joshua.
| II borrowed it, confessed Lydia
Don't ask me any questions. uncle
| I'll pay it back if have to pick black Der
RES at four cents quart all summer:
Il hope thee will give up this hoydenisl
business of scampering about on horse
back, Lydia, after this severely spoK
Aunt Rebecca.
But. aunt, the old fortune teller tolt
me that my fortune would one day be mad
by a
Lydia stopped abruptly as she remem
bered how the diamond horseshoe ha'
glittered on the floor at her feet that day
Her color rose, her heart beat.
Thee must remember, LYDIA admon
ished Aunt Rebecca, that all OWNERS ant
fortune -tellers are snares of Satan.
Yes, Aunt Rebecca,' murmured tn
But from that day an inscrutable chang
came over the character of her life.
The pleasant summer sunshine ha
faded out of the land. The Saratoga no
tells were closed; gay Newport was de
serted.
And Mrs. Blythe, sitting in the yello'
light of her jonqpil silk curtains. wa
smiling over card that Matilda had jus
brought in.
Dear Algy T she murmured. 4 kne'
he would GOMEZ
She glided into the white and gold draw
ing room; all gracious cordially.
You recreant cavalier 7 she smiled. Nv
half mind to scold you, and yet,
DO deserve that title? Mr.. Van
asked. For you are the first person
whom have told the great happiness Q
nv life. Oh, sec you don't understan
me! Come from behind the drsperies
Lydia, and help me to explain
And Lydia, bluesseyed and fair tressed
came.
we are married, mamma said Lydia
sAlgy and I. And we sail for Europe i
the 'Comandra,' at noon. Wont you kis
me- mamma, and wish me joy?
Mrs. Blythe kissed Lydia-and Algy
too-and wished them joy.
But this was the severest ordeal to whic
she had ever been put. A mother-in- ls'
instead of bride! This was hardly wha
she had looked forward to.
} But even in that trying moment sh
noticed the glittering pin which fastene
Lydia's lace bonnet-strings- quaint de
vice of tiny diamonds-and remembers
what the girl had once said about fortune
teller and horseshoe.
Mamma didn't look quite pleased, Algy
said the bride, when they were back Il
the carriage, driving to the steamer
wharf. DO you suppose she was vexe
because we didn't take her into our conf
dencef'
Idare say remarked Mr.. Vane, this
no mother likes to lose her child so SUD
denly.
t And neither of the two suspected wins
poisoned dagger was that day rankin
in the breast of Mrs. Rosamond Blythe
PhsladelDhSG SaturddvNaght.