Orange County observer., 1891-05-09

al u1e ouu sweet as sugar Let lay II
On thick
In short. lets make an April Fool of
Miss Genny Seaman, said Mary Crane,
who was retriming an old hat with lilac
ribbons aud bunch cf violets
"Just that, y said Isabel.
''But you don't even know tie fellows
name
II can find that cut Mis- Webb
Knows, and I can easily coax 1t out OF
her. It will be such fun!'
1t was the morning of the fust of April
"a blue-skied, breezy day, with the air
full OF growing scents and blucbird
whistles-and soon after the cumbrous
old four-horse stage had crasheduhrough
the village, the usual crowd began to
assemble in the little postoifice
Isabel 1slay was there. and Lucy FELTON,,
and black eyed Mary Crane and present
ly Miss Gcnevieve Seaman come trip
pug ~ VIII eAC PCCuiidi S~ib WAieh VIC
irreverent village children compared toa
cat walking upon walnut shells.
1.-TWO for Miss Islay,' said the old
man, scrutinizing each letter with pro-
voking slowness Zone for Squire Zurab-
bable Jenkins; one for Widder Hopper,
and one for-Niss-Genevieve
I man.
Isabel flashed merry glance at her
companions as the poor little dress maker
tiptoed up to the counter, her color
| changing from satforn to scarlet, her
faded blue eyes full of intent rapture.
"Is it true?" said she. "a letter for
-me2 And I've waited for 1t all these
years. all-these-years?'
She hid it under her shawl, cast de-
fiant look around at the reighbors' faces
and hurried away, like a startled wild
animal to its cover
She could not open that letter with
other eyes upon her. She felt that she
must treasure it to herself, Like one who
+ has discovered a precious jewel.
Isabel Islay stopped at the little house
where->the tin sign, "Millinery and
Dressmaking, swung creeking in the
! wind that evening, on her way home
from the mill
The window blinds were fastened
back, the parlor was opened and busted.
Miss Geneveve was moving through
and fro, in her best India silk gown,
with flower pinned Enthusiastically in her
lustreless hair.
A round, red spot glowed on each
cheek; her bony fingers trembled with
cles.
"Can you press over my Leghorn flat,
Miss Seaman asked the beauty.
ooh, my dear, I'm afraid notn said
the little woman, with ahysterical laugh
"Maven't YOU heard? I-I'm to be mar
ried very soon, CAPTAIN Edward Glea-
son-you may perhaps have heard Of him
he used to be a resident of sllllltown
he has made his fortune it>seems, il
New York, and he's coming back almost
directly to--to claim an old promise
made him twenty years ago. My dear
he has loved me-twenty Years.
Her eyes shone, he: yoice faitered
with the ecstasy of her soul.
.'And tomorrow he is coming back t
me. Oh. Miss Islay, it seems almost lik
a dream
She laughed again, but her eyes "ef,
full Of tears.
Isabel moved uneasily, she was aimos
frightened at what she had done. III
Joke did not seem half so locose as 1t. la
at first, since poor Miss Genevieve &C
cepted it in such dead earnest.
She took advantage Of the entrance {
customer to slip out of the little shop
Girls, said sh" u her co-conspira
tors, .swe must tell her that-that it
only an April Foo!
TELL her. echoed Lucy Feltor
.What forl She'll lind It out 500
enough.l She need ut have been such
! silly an show
! t.f. L. / ,.toala.i Tcc