The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-22

from CQe Inlll.
The window blinds were fastened
back, the parlor was opened and busted.
Miss Geneyieve was moving through
and fro, in her best India silk gown,
with flower pinned fantastically in her
lustreless hair.
A round, red spot glowed on each
cheek; her bony fingers trembled with
excitement as she laid down her specta-
cles.
"Can you press over my Leghorn fiat,
Miss Seaman2" asked the beauty.
ooh, my dear, I'm afraid not!" said
>the little woman, with a hysterical laugh.
"Haven't you heard9 I'm to be mar
ricd very soon! Captain Edward Glea-
son-you may perhaps have heard of him
he used to be resident of Milltown
he has made his fortune, it seems, in
New York, and he'e coming back almost
directly to-to claim an old promise l
made him twenty years ago. My dear,
he has loved me-twenty years!"
Her eyes shone, her voice tsltered
Will Cut eCSttl>y VI hot oSA'
"And tomorrow he is coming back to
me. Oh, Miss Islay, it seems almost like
a dreaml"
She laughed again, but her eyes we're
full of tears.
Isabel moved uneasily; she WAS almost
frightened at what she had done. The
Joke did not seem half so jocose as it had
at first, since poor Miss GenevleVe &C.
cepted it in such dead earnest.
She took advantage of the entrance OF
a customer to slip out of the little shop.
"Girls," said che to her co.conspira-
tors, "w e must tell her that-that it ID
only an April Fool"
"Tell her!" echoed Lucy FELTON,.
"What for2 She'll find it out soon
enough. She needn't have been such
silly, anyhow"
lit will kill her!" pleaded Isabel.
"No, it won't. People don't die so
easily" laughed Lucy.
"Heard the news about Miss Genny
Seaman9" said Mrs. Webb, at the board
inp.house breakfast table the next morn
lug, as she poured the coffee and helped
the eggs and bacon around.
Isabel looked guiltily up.
"No," said she. "What is is9"
"Fouud dead in her cheer" said Mrs.
Webb. "A-smilin' as happy as a child.
Some heart trouble, the doctor says"
Isabel drew long breath. So she
had died, and never known how cruelty
she had been deceived.
She drew lIary Crane and Miss FELTON,
aside.
"Girls," said she, "you must never
breathe syllable of this to anybody. Let
the secret die with this poor little wo-
man."
"But she died happy at last" said
Mary, with the tears running down her
cheeks. believing that her old sweet
heart was coming back to her,"
eyes, but that don't justify our heart
lessness," whispered Isabel.
And then and there the three girls en-
tered into compact secrecy.
Miss Genevieve was buried in shady
corner of the village cemetery, and on the
very day of the funeral Isabel Islay met
a tall, bearded stranger walking along
the street, scanning the houses with keen,
troubled eyes.
"Csn you tell me-" said he, "where
Miss Seaman lives-Miss Genevieve Sea-
man."
Isabel started.
.sE;ss Seaman was buried this morn.
ing," said she. "Oh, I am so sorry!
Was she friend of yours2"
They had stopped opposite the little
gate where the wheel-tracks of the hearse
were yet visible. The sign "Millinel
aud Dressmaker" yet creaked in the
wind, the red sun was sinking behind
the low caves, and Miss Genny's cat rub.
bed itself against the doorsill as If beg
ging to be let in.
"a friendw repeated the stranger, as
he drew an old-fashioned miniature from
his pocket. "see, here is her picture!
I've waited all these years to make
home for, and now-she is dead!"
Isabel looked at the picture.
Good heavens! had Genevieve Seaman
ever looked as fair and dimpled and
smiling as thata
And the thought flashed across her
mind that it was we'll that this Captain
Gleason had not been undeceived.
Eyes" she repeated, softly, "she Is
dead"
"And you were her friend9"
eyes, I was her friend-at least az
much any one here" falteringly owned
Isabel, feeling like an impostor.
"Theu perhaps you can tell me some.
thing of her. waited to surprise her
and now"
His voice was choked; he turned his
face away.
Isabella told him, in low, soft voice,
all that she could-all that was good and
cheering and hopeful-and Captain Glea'
son went back to the village hotel, walk.
ing slowly, with his hands behind his
back, and his head dropping on hh
breast.
For the time be truly mourncd the
sweetheart of his youth, but no one car
grieve forever.
Moss grows over the fallen tree; VIC
lets bloom above the new-made grave
Poor Miss Genevicvc was dead and buried.
and when the next April blossomed ove
the land, Captain Gleason was married
to Isabel Islay.
eff death was really so near her, I'm
glad I wrote the letter that made hcI
happy" thought Isabel. "And Edward
iii olror, tb,pl of her oa vounp and