The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-01-08
A POOR REVENGE.

Il am gong 10 nave Two guests at
Elmdale the day after tomorrow" re-
marked Mrs. Radcliffe carelessly one
morning to the old husband who adores
her and who is fully thirty years her
senior.
eyes, my dear Ophelia," is the anna
BILE answer, while Mr.. Radcliffe stirs the
coffee his wife has just made for him.
Il am so glad to hear you say so.
was on the verge, my dear, of proposing
some such social distraction. And pray
whom have you hit upon?"
"You have met the lady, am sure.
She is Miss Eloise Bristow, and the gen.
tleman is Mr.. John Folsom"
Mr.. Radcliffe considers this response
for moment, and then up go his gray
touched eyebrows in unmistakable as
constituent.
my dear, you must be making some
Amistake. l have heard you say some
<tSy hard things about both these peo-
pie. / remember your being very an
cry indeed at Eloise Bristow just be-
fore your marriage for-for"--
Cant You recollect wiy?" interrupts
Mrs. Radcliffe in smiling Interrogation.
This was my reason for being angry:
Eloise chose to spread abroad certain re-
ports about me when was poor little
Ophelia Shelton, which, whether they
were true or false, concealed behind
them the desire of preventing our mar
riage. You were sensible enough not to
believe the gossip, and ~ she was de-
feated."
"But have You forgiven her, Opheba2
thought not"
Mrs. Radclifte's face is very calm and
gentle in its expression.
"pshaw! my dear Radcliffe, what is
the use Of cherishing grudges9"
True, Ophelia. And this Mr. Fol-
som? You used 10 dislike him, I we'll
remember. What was it, by the ~,
that he did to offend?-
"Oh, it was two years before met
you, and during tho year that | lived in
Portsmouth with Aunt Fannie. All, hus-
band mine, what "a memory you ha~e!"
I'm getting old, Ophelis."
Nonsense! You are as young as l."
Thanks for the delicious compliment.
watt kiss to. you across the breakfast
table. Now, tell me what it was that
your Portsmouth friend did,"
HE set IA very dear friend of mine, a
Mrs. Farrcn, against me by telling her
| that was trying to make her husband
| fall in love with me. He never knew
that had found the truth out before
left Portsmouth, but had
"And you are going to have these two
people, both Of whom know you hate
up at Elmia,c" murmurel Mr.. Rad
cliffc. liftin, both hands i'll mock inten
sity of alnazement II never could un
derstand some Of your whims, Ophelia
they are quite beyond me! By the by
do these forthcoming guests know each
other
"No; doubt if they have ever heard
each others names. John Folsom has
always lived in Portsmouth, you know
and Eleise in London. Mr.. Folsom is IL
town now for month or go, have late
ly heard from Mary Waldrom. an ole
Portsmouth friend. He is here for bust
ness reasons-trying, Mary writes, tx
save little from the wreck of his fort
une."
"Ah! he has, then, met with sever,
losses? knew he was rich-or, rather
I remember your telling me So"
"He has lost next to everything, the,
say, by the failure of Rushit g. STAIN
mer."
"And, my dear-ahem! how about th
Miss Eloise Bristow? Is she-ahem!-
well off"
Mot at all A church mouse is il
handsome circumstances compared witt
her"
Five or six days after the above con
versation Mrs. Radoliffe's guests arrive,
in Emdal.
The guests find every hospitality await
ing them at the charming country sea
Of Emdale.
lyon hayea most exquisite place here
Mr.. Folsom tells his hostess, while the,
are lei.alone together for Il few moment
ON the night of his arrival.
"Yes? Do. you really think so2' is th
sweet answer Il am so glad everything
pleases You. And how about your fei
low guest. Miss Bristow? is not sh
lovcl;?'
Il never specially admired brunettes,
is John Folsom's reply, with cover
glance 1T the flaxen tresses of Mrs. Rad
chffe.
The lady laughs.
''Ah, it doesn't much matter. fan
cy, whether one be blondeor brunette, i
one has immense wealth.