Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-11-18

| idea as you gave me to suppose, Msrga-
ret!" he said.
"You can't always judge by her man
| ner, Moses" answered the subtle wife,
who would have deluded the serpent's
| own self had she Deen in Mother Eve
| place in Paradise. az am sorry to he
obliged to say SO, but I do think ahe is
Q little inclined to be deceitfulr
"Poor child, poor child" muttercd
Moses Jennifer. 1--WE must remember.
my dear, that she is fatherless and
| motherless,"
Mrs. Jennifer rolled up her eyes santi-
moniously.
"Tve always endeavored to act a ma
ternal part toward her, Noses" she
sighed.
But not until Olive Martin was safely
installed in Mrs. Parkman's work-rooms
did Mrs. Jennifer breathe freely.
"She was actually Turing Clarence
Walbridge away from Elise under my
very eyes and nose!' thought the virtu-
Gus matron. "Clarence Walbridge, who
is the best parti in town. Well, there's
no end to the pretensions of these coun-
try-bred girls. I wonder what he could
possibly have seen in her big eyes, and
melancholy, pursed-up mouth! But now
Elise will have fair chance, poor
dear!"
And Miss Elise Jennifer was duly
upon the occasion of Mr.. Walbridge's
next vista washed out pink and white
beauty, with freckled cheeks, daxen
hair, frizzed into the similitu1e of yell
low cloud, and very red lips, which she
was perpetually biting, to preserve their
coral bloom!
"Ill do my best, ma" said Elise,
"but never know what to talk about
when am with NJ. Walbridge!H
"Pshaw!" quoth Mrs. Jennifer, "I'm
sure Olive Martin could talk fast
enough"
''But Cousin Olive knows more than
I do" confessed innocent Elise.
Mr.. Walbridge came as usual that eve
ming, and was simperingiy welcomed by
Elise Jennifer. In a becoming blue silk
dress, with rose in her yellow fossy
hair and blue knots of ribbon f1uttering
wherever blue knot could possibly be
placed.
sis your cousin at home2" the young
man asked, rather unceremoniously, and
Miss Elise recollected her lesson.
"Oh, didn't you know" quoth she,
artlessly, "Olive has left us?'
"Lett you?" echoed Clarence Wal
bridge, more disappointed than he chose
to own to himself. "What fora"
Elise lifted her brows, looked at the
carpet. and tired to assume an arch ex-
preston Of countenance.
''Of course l can't be expected tc
know certainly, "she said, "but mamma
and both had our suspicious. In short,
[ don't know really how to explain, but
I've reason to suppose she has gone
away to be married"
''To be married?'
"Some faithful cavalier, I believe,
who knew her in the days before her
poor dear father died-it's all very ro-
mantle, and we're so sorry to lose ner!"
"What is his name?' bluntIy asked
Mr.. Walbridge.
Elise hesitated-h lesson had not
embraced this point, but she knew she
ln"5t say something, and hspingly an
: cred:
"Mr John Smith"
At this moment Mrs. Jennifer came in
all smiles.
II am SO busy since my niece left u.s."
she said, blandly. 81 miss her terribly;
but of course it was my duty to oppose no
obstacles since Mr.. Darcy had been so
faithful"
"Mr. Darcy!"
eyes, the young gentleman in quss-
tor"
Elise turned the color of carmine, but
she had not presence of mind to extri-
cate herself from the gulf of misrepre-
sentation into which she had fallen, and
Mr.. Walbrdge quietly laid all these
things up in his mind.
"Oh, mammal" cried Elise, when her |
visitor was gone, show could you say
his name was Darcy, when I had told |
Mr.. Walbridge it was John Smith"
Mrs. Jennifer looked blank-but hope,
that ''springs eternal in the human
breast" came to her relief, most for
tunately.
ooh, don't believe he noticed it."
said she. darcy is better name than |
Smith-we'll stick to Darcy for the fu-
ture, my love"
And Clarence Walbridge, who had !
somehow allowed himself to become
strangely interested in Miss Martins |
blooming face and lovely, pleading eyes,
went straight to Mr.. Jeanifer's law
Office.
'He, at least, can speak the truth"