Feliciana sentinel., 1892-09-10
lA M{.%1HiR

with engaging sweetness. III you
wouldn't mind going down to the wld-
o.y Peeler's just for night or two, Mr..
wimpIe, and let the young ladies have
your room-only as temporary mat
ter, of course-it would be such an ae-
commodation."
Mr.. Origen Wimple was probably the |
most bashful young man at spruce
mountain. He was just nineteen, with |
= pasty complexion. very light-blue |
ewes and scanty growth OF lemon
colored down beginning to ornament
his chin ard upper lip. He liked seclu-
sion and courted the solitude OF wood
and glen, believing himself to be
poet, although he never yet had oeen
able to string two consecutive rhymes
together, and he had come to board at
Mr.. Banks farmhouse, on Spruce
mountain, because there was no ono
else there and no possibility OF anyone
else being admitted, as he hlmseH ac-
cepted the only spare cham Der, unocr
the caves of the roof, whose WINDOWS
looked out on the balsamic CROWN OF
the mountain side, and beneath which
a little river roared and urgled and
beat itself into a spray OF white 1oam
against the edges of the rocks
So that, toward the mid-prime OF the
golden July, when three Of Miss Ara
,ninta's schoolmates wrote her a musk
scented pink note that they would ar
rive by mountain stage that very even
ing. to spend a week, there was a
natural commotion at the farmhouse
For the Banks family, be it remem-
bcred, did not live on a city avenue,
where one can send out and buy fold
ing-bedstead or a convenient cot at
moments notice.
what shall we do?" said Mrs.
Banks. s.Why couldn't they have let
us know in time, so that we could have
asked them to postpone their visit
few weeks?"
MA. that would be very inhos
pitable," said Miss Araminta, with the
air of superiority natural to one who
has been educated in boarding-school
.sI'll tell You what we'll do. Wen ask
Mr.. Wimple to sleep few nights dowr
Mt tho widow Pecler's. She has got ;
spare bedroom, and I'm sure he'll maS'
no objection. He's so good-natured!'
s.It seems like an imposition" sal
Mrs. Banks.
'sOh, he won't mind" said Araminta
The young lady was right MI
Wimple was only too glad to escape, q
oil and any hazards, from the awtr
invasion of three girls from the city
He did not mind Miss Araminta, for h
was used to her ways, and knew tha
she was safely engaged to the youn
man who kept the general store {
Spruce Mountain Corners, five mile
below And Mrs. Banks was ia
motherly woman. who made catnip te
for his colds and got up special litt
dishes for his delectation, whenever
showed any signs OF failing appetit
But three young women from the outs
worid-three young women who woul
perhaps make eyes at him, ask hi
gushing questions, quote poetry, ar
demand his opinion concerning Ke
sington stitch and art needle-work
this vague possibility made MI Orig<
Wimple's blood run cold.
ISIS the widow Pceler a young VOL
amp Mr.. Wimple falteringly asked.
.'Oh, bless your heart, no." said MI
Araminta, fathoming his motive
''She's fve-and- sixty, and little ha
of hearing into the bargain. But L
sure she'll make you very comfortab
and it will be such favor to us"
And so, with the fall of dewy e'
Mr.. Wimple packed a very small har
bag, and, armed with many instr
tions as to the finding of his way frc
Mr.. and Mrs. Banks, set forth to
residence Of the widow Peeler, VIII
residence was said to be on a cross-ro
half mile from every possible po
of the compass. It rained little, a
the soft wreaths of fragrant mist w