The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-25
CHATTY'S ESCAPE.

UaAll 1 I 'S tSOAFh,
1t was showery summer afternoon a
Cedar Hall.
Cedar Hall was we'll named. 1t was {
square stone building, utterly devoid o
architectural attraction, and completed.
hidden in funereal pine and cedar wood
Icthe ravine below brawled noisy
river, upon whose steep banks stood the
ruinous walls of an old snuff mill, whose
rotting wheel had in its time piled up the
glittering tower of Miss Bagg's fortunes
For Miss Bagg was very rich. Sht
had long ago sold out the business, anG
lived hero in the cedar woods Ike an ole
fairy with golden wand, and her niece
Coraline Culver, lived with her.
Coraline Culver was very quiet per,
son. Miss Bagg herself was not great
talker; and sometimes-as old Dorcas,
the housekeeper, said-it did seem as II
aspell of silence brooded over the whole
place.
"And I shall be awful glad" said
Dorcas, "when that other young lady
comes. Shant you be glad, Miss Cora,
line, dear, for bit of fresh life about
the place2"
~ don't know" said Coralinc. "I'm
used to aunty, you see."
That "other young lady" was quite q
different person from soft-voiced Cora.
line. Her name was Charlotte Bagg-
called "Chatty" for Shorthand she was
the daughter of Miss Bagg's only brother,
and she was sent here to the green gloom
of Cedar Hall to get her out of the way
of penniless lover who had bad the
audacity to make eyes at her.
To soft-voiced Coraline, it seemed as
if the coming of this new element into
the monotony of her daily life would
create new existence.
When Chatty arrived-a brown
haired, hazel-eyed girl with very rosy
checks, and sort of exuberant vitality
in everv look and motion-she eyed the
old hall with surprise and disfavor.
"a perfect old dungeon" said she.
"Why don't Aunt Bagg cut down some
OF the trees2 Why don't she pull down
that ghost-hsunted old ruin by the
rivera"
''Tm sorry you don't like it," said
Miss Bagg, COMPRISING her lips.
"Oh, beg your pardon" said Chatty,
coloring, II didn't know you heard.
Bu5 the rooms do smell musty, you
known'
In vain Coraline motioned the inl-
pudent newcomer to silence. Chatty
either did not or would not understand
the signals.
"And the place could be made to look
80 pretty, you know" said she, "with a
veranda all around it, and a wide strip
of light and sunshine opened to the river,
and"
81 was sixty last week." said Miss
Bagg, stiffening herself up, "and am
perhaps capable of managing my own
affairs without the advice and counsel OF
Others"
"Now I've done it," said Chatty to
herself. "I'm always doing it! Isomc-
how seem to offend everybody"
8 Neck Coraline looked on in gricved
anazement. In all her upeventful life
she had never made so many blunders or
given so much umbrage as Chatty did
within twenty -four hours.
;'Coralinc," said Chatty, in stage
whisper, alter she had been about week
ct Cedar Hall, "the parrot has flown out
OF the window"
"The parrot!"
eyes. Tou see, I thought I'd feed
him this morning and make friends with
him, and the horrid beast nearly bit my
finger off; and when opened the cage
door to cuff his ears soundly he just flew
away"
"Oh, Chatty-and Aunt Bagg is SC
fond of the parrot"
"Iknow it," sighed Chatty. "Bu!
We'll put some corn on the window sill
and perhaps he'll come back. Oh, Cor
aline, how crooked that picture of old
Judge Bagg hangs! Wait half minute
I'll straighten it. I do hate to see things
askew!"
"Don't, Chatty-don't" cried Cor,
aline. "Because-"
But Chatty, in her enthusiasm, paid
no heed to Coraline's restraining words
She pulled up a big Gothic chair under
the picture, and springing lightly upon
it, gave the cumbrous gilded frame {
twitch.
The cord VS. nearly worn through by
age ana promptly gave way. Dow
came old Judge Bagg on the heads Of
his descendants, and over went Chatty
big chair and all.
Aunt Bagg's indignation was too deep
for words. Nevertheless she expressed
herself verbally.
"The mcddling little mink" cried she
"Thc canvas is clear slit through, and
the chair is broken to splinters, and
"I'm SO sorry" said Chatty. "]
didn't mean any harm. Please to for
give me!'
Aunt Bagg glared at her.
"I've great mind" said she, etc
send you back to Albany"
~