The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-08-07
TIT FOR TAT.

In The days whom all The world
was romantic, and no one was
ashamed Of il, two gentlemen of
England conceived the preposler-
Gus. but al The same time very
fashionable idea that, because they
weie friends, their son and daugh-
Ter, then infants in their cradles,
must love each other when they
grew to be man and woman and,
having compared notes and quite
agreed on this point, set 10 work
with zeal worthy of a better
cause 10 arrange matters so they
must turn out exactly as they de-
sired.
Consequently each made will
and matters were so arranged that
if either of The young people de-
clned the hand of the other, the
young person would be penniless,
and his or her estate would go TO
The other young person who was
willing,
After some years the gentleman
whose child was a daughter left his
native England for America, while
The oiher, who was widower, his
wife having given her life for that
son. remained in England, so that
the ocean rolled between the ro-
mantle friends.
The England resident was nam
ed Edmund Harrington; the Amer
can. Charles Seabright.
Both were wealthy and brought
their children up carefully.
AS they grew older they per-
miIied them TO correspond with
each other, bat each detested the
task so that The letters were writ
ten by The elders themselves.
Once, at The age of IA when
news came that little Harold Har-
ringlun had fallen from a Tree and
broken his leg, Elsie SeaGright was
desired to reply that she felt great
regret and sent her best love and
wishes for his speedy recovery,
but the girl, who could never lis
ten 10 the boys name with any
thing like patience refused to write
one word Of this amiable epistle. |
Il wish he had broken his neck,
so that | might never hear any
hing more about him." she said,
with a stamp Of her slipuered iooi,
'and | won't write fibs."
So again mamma wrote The lei
er,having first locked Ellie up in a
lark pantry by way o. punish
ment.
"And | am sorry TO find child
IF mine 30 unfeeling," she said.
"A broken leg causes great PAIN
md may make one lame for life"
"a nice Thing that would be for
ne If / am TO marry him." said
Elsie.
Indeed, if she had been as SYM
pathetic as her mother desired,
Elsie would have had opportunity
10 exercise these feelings,
or her young betrothed was al
yays in some pickle, ,and had near
v drowned and nearly shot him.
ell dozen times, TO say nothing
# ordinary troubles.
Ii was tit for tat, at all eyents, for
when Elsie had The measles Mas
er Harold had received the infor-
nation with contemptuous indif-
erence amounting 10 heartIess-
less, and had indeed said that he
IId not care.
He hated girls, and this one the
worst OF them all.
So, with the oceln between
hem, The young people grew to
and the year approach
d in which they were TO meet.
But meanwhile all sorts OF sad
hings happened. Elsie lost both
Ter father and mother, and, away
n England, Mr.. Harrington died
uddenly of spopIexy. So the two
nen. who had looked forward for
o many wears when their children
we're married, never met again.
Mr.. Harrington would not bring
lis son TO America IN see his Elsie
IS he had proposed, and but for
hese obstinate wills the matter
sould have been dropped, for The
asst Thing the young people deslr-
ID was 10 meet each other. !