The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-01-30
A POOR REVENGE.

81 am going to have two guests
At Elmdale the day after to-mor
| row." remarked Mrs. Radcliffe
| carelessly one morning TO her hus
band who adores her and who il
fully thirty years her senior.
"Yes, my dear Opheiia,' is the
smiable answer, while Mr.. Rad.
cliffe stirs the coffee his wife has
just made for him. Il am glad to
hear you say so. l was on the
verge, my dear, of proposing some
such social distraction. And pray
whom have you hit upon z"
"You have met the lady, | am
sure. She,s Miss Eloise Bristow,
and the gentleman is Mr. John
Folsom"
Mr.. Radcliffe considers this re-
sponse for a moment. and then up
60 his gray touched eyebrows IN
unmistakable astonishment.
"My dear, you must be making
some mistake. | have heard you
say some very hard things about
these people. | remember your
being very angry indeed al Eloise
Bristow just before your marriage
for-for'--
Cant you recollect why p in
terrupts Mrs. Radcliffe in smiling
Interrogation. This was my rea-
son for being angry: Eloise chose
to spread abroad certain reports
about me when | was poor little
Ophelia Shelton, which, whether
they were true or false, concealed
behind them the desire to prevent
our marriage. You were sensible
enough not TO believe the gossip,
and so she was defeated"
"But have you forgiven her,
Ophelia | thought not"
Mrs. Radcliffe's face is very calm
and gentle in its expression.
"Pshaw! my dear Radcliffe,
what is the nse of cherishing
grudges?'
"True, Ophelia. And this Mr..
Folsoma You used to dislike him,
/ well remember. What was II,
by the by, that he did to offend %
ooh, 1t was two years before |
met you, and during the year that
lived in Portsmouth with Aunt
Fannie. All, husband mine, what
a memory you have ~
"I'm geeting old, Opbelia."
"Nonsensel You are as young
as IN
Thanks for The delicious COM
pliment. l wait a kiss to you
across the breakfast table. Now,
ell me what it was that your
Portsmouth friend did n
"He sci a very dear friend of
nine, a Mrs. Farren, against me by |
,elling her that | was trying TO
make her husband fall IN love
With me. He never knew that
iad found the truth out before
eft Portsmouth, but bad"
"And you are going 10 have
hese two people, both of whom /
know you hate, up at ElmsdaleP
Mr.. Radcliffe, lifting
,oth hands in mock intensity of
~ never could un-
lerstand some of your whims,
)phelia; they are quite beyond
ne! By the by, do these forth
coming guests know each other ~
"No; / doubt if they have ever
,eard each others names. John
folsom has always lived in Ports
you know, and Eloise in
Mr.. Folsom is in town
low for a month or so, L haye late
v heard from Mary Waldrom, an
Id Portsmouth friend. He is here
or business reasons-trying, Mary
writes, 10 save a little from The
yreck of his fortune"
"Ahl he has, then, met with Sc
-ere lossesl knew he was rich
or, rather, | remember your
elling me So"
"He has lost next to every
hey say, by the failure of Rushit
Stammer.
"And, my dear-aheml how
bout this Miss Eloise Bristow Z
s she-ahem l-well OFF,
"Not at all. A church mouse is
n handsome circumstances COM
ared with herr
Five or six days after the above
Mrs. .Radcliffe's guests
rived in Elmdale.
The guests find every hospilali-
Y awaiting them at The charming
seat of Elmdale. |,
"You have a most exquisine
lace here" Mr.. Folsom tells his
o.foaa nhila fhau are iaff alona