The Republican., 1892-05-06


with fortitude that only people like
them can understand. They talked of
their lost boys and together found a
grim pleasure in reviewing the child
hood, the youthful experiences and the
manly qualities of the dead sons. Time
and time have / seen them at the end of
the front veranda, overgrown with hon.
eysuckles, sitting hand in hand talking
of Henry ard Charles.
One day came a letter from Annie,
announcing that the would visit the Wa
tersons. There was great preparation,
for she would have been Charles wife
had he lived, and she was dear to them
in her own right, for she had never
ceased to send those welcome letters,
always bright and CHEEKY save when
Charles fate forced its way into her
thoughts.
She came to royal welcome. Inn
agine now that was over-officious in
plotting her around, pointing out every
thing that Charles was ever associated
with and gabbling away as a boy, whose
voice is at the hen-cackling stage of ad-
vancement, will.
Thee is a great comfort to u.s."
Grandpa Waterson used to say TO Annie,
and when grandma got her arms around
the pretty southernsr, there was al
ways gentle kiss and sweet voiced
assurance that Annie was Just as dear as
though she were daughter. ii
Then came a surprise in the sha9el Il
n handsome. snowy, bold-faced woman,
who announced herself as having been
the affianced of Col. Waterson, killed at
Pleasant Hill. She had long meant to
visit the family and make herself
known, but had not been able to do SO.
Col. Waterson had left everything to
her, and she produced a will at that late
day purporting to have been made by
him.
She was welcomed with old school
courtesy, but there was a sober look on
every face that she encountered. l
called Annie out at once and held an
indignation meeting That woman was
fraud and knew it. Henry was not
the man to fall in love with any such
specimen of her sex. l dedicated my
time wholly, then and there, to watch
ing her movements and proving my
opinion. The result will suffice with
out the details of my detective work.
Grandpa Waterson's watch was missed.
All of Annie's most valuable jewelry
disappeared and the adventures COM
planned loud and often about robberies,
charging that she never could trust
'niggers." Then grandma would gently
chide her, and say: '"Thee should not
judge. All these people are old friends
of mine and faithful"
The fraud would turn up her nose and
put on look of contempt that always
set me boiling
One day at the spring she leaned over
to use the clear water as a mirror, and
from somewhere about her person
dropped the big gold watch that Grand
pa Waterson priced most as an heir
loom. had it in a twinkling and the
angry shouts of the woman only added
to my speed. I told grandpa, told
everybody. l wanted her arrested, but
Thee must leave this matter entirely
to me-" checked my ardor. There
must be no talk" he continued 81
will see that this woman leaves us.
Don't plead for her. mother. win only
dismiss her, that is ALL"
And he did, after everything had been
recovered and the forged will de-
stroyed. We never heard of her again.
The very next afternoon there was a
great clatter of horses feet up the
hard road. The rider came like a
rocket and we all rushed to see who it
was. think that everyone tainted but