The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-01
MISS FAULKNER.
BY EMMA 4. OPPER.

BY EMMA 4. OPPER.
Dick was prepared for dull morning.
Driving your sister is not the most excit-
ing occupation imaginable, and when
that sister and her betrothcd occupy the
back seat and are totally absorbed in
each other, the situation is almost dreary.
Dick was feeling gloomy.
{. If Jim Gardner and Carrie were pref
ty picture of devoted happiness, Dick
was no less pleasing as sample of
sturdy young manhood-sturdy and yet
shy.
Dick was bashful fellow; but he wes
so handsome and bluc-cyed, and fair
haired and sunburned, that his modesty
was only an added charm.
"Drive into Mrs. Ransom's, Dick, "
said Carrie. "Mother wants me to get
her spiced- pickle receipt"
Something blue and white was visible
in hammock in Mrs. Ransom's rear
yard.
"Oh," Carrie murmured, s'it's Mrs.
Ransom's niece, Miss Faulkner from
the city-some city. Sally Decker was
telling about her. She says she's awful
ly rich and stylish; says she's been here
before, but she never dared call on her.
She says she's been to Europe twice, and
well, that she's too stylish for any
thing!" Carrie ended, hurriedly.
!. Jim gave a derisive laugh, but Dick
sat painfully blushing. To be forced to
encounter such creature! He preferred
bsiag swallowed by an earthquake.
= Cordial Mrs. Ransom came out at sight
$pt the, buggy.
7 ..Ssense here, Maggy," she called. "My
Niece, Miss Faulkner-SIiss Corwin, Mr..
Corwin and Jim Gardner. I've heard
you were engaged to Jim Gardner from
Mecklinville, Carrie, and suppose that's
the young man."
7. ended in a good general laugh. But
Dick was too bewildered to laugh. For
there was added to his awe the clement
best calculated to reduce a shy young
man to the depths Of misery-admira-
ton!
Miss Faulkner wore some airy summer
garb in which blue predominated-bluc
stripes, blue felt hat, blue lacings in
her blouse. She was black haired. dark
eyed, pink-cheeked, and the possessor of
q deep diriple.
"You must come with us fora drive,
Miss Faulkner" said Carrie, promptly.
! $50 on, Maggy," said Mrs. Ransom.
!: Dick stepped down, and Miss Faulk-
ner, with laughing word of dcpreca-
ton, stepped up; then Dick drove on.
d "Fcrgot the pickle receipt" Carrie
cried.
If Dick could have laughed with them!
But ne could not. His mood was almost
solemn. He was not only stiff with en-
barrassment, but he was startled.
+ Had he ever seen her before2 Where2
It might have been in some angelic
vision.
p Miss Faulkner was charming as she
turned to him, with faint blush, for the
oddity of the situation.
y "Pm rather unconventional to come
like this" she declared, to Dick. Jim
and Carrie had settled back to q duet.
!t'But I do love to drive"
a."You do2" said Dick.
: He meant it to sound genial, but he
knew it sounded stiff.
= II think the roads about here arc beau
tiful,' said Miss Faulkner. 'But the
names you call them! I've heard of the
Crabb Road and the Cld Cider-mill
Road."
;: "ADd the JOSIAH Hircklcy Road" Dick
managed to add.
81 should think you'd call this the
Rick-rack Road" she said, scanning its
winding length.
Dick laughed. If only the blood had
not gone tingling into his face the next
minutel 1t was the sudden recollection
that Miss Faulkner had been twice to
Europe which made it.
"Aunt Mary thinks there's no place
like Norwood" said Miss Faulkner,
brightly. "It is pretty"
"Not so very" said Dick.
Her blue sash blew into his lap, and
he did not know what to do about it.
"But it is" said. Miss Faulkner. care
there many young peoples"
''Not very many" said Dick.
He wished Carrie and Jim would help
him out, but they were fathoms deep in
Q low.toned dialogue.
81 think I should know" said Miss
Faulkner, whispering and smiling, "that
your sister was engaged, even If I didn't
know it."