Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-03-02


evening Isabel Islay stopped Mt the
little house where the tin sign: mil
lincry and Dressmalsing swung
creaxing in tho wind The window
blinds were fastened back, the parlor
was opened and busted. Miss Gene
We've was moving to and fro in her
best India silk gown, with flower
pinned Enthusiastically in her hair
A round rcd spot glowed on each
check; her bony fingers tremblcd with
excitement as she laid down her spec
tacles
"Can you press over my leghorn hat,
Miss Scaman?' asked the beauty.
"Oh, my dear, I'm afraid not!" said
the little woman, with n hysterical
laugh. Haven't you heard? lin
to be married very soonl Capt. Ed
ward Gleason you may perhaps have
heard of him-hc used to be resident
of Milltown-he has made fortune, it
seems, in New York, and he is coming
back almost directly toto claim an
old promise made him twenty years
ago My dear, he has loved me
twenty years" Her eyes shonc, her
voice fatercd with the ecstasy of her
soul. "And tomorrow he is coming
back to me. Oh, Miss Islay, it seems
almoet like drcam"
She laughed again, but her eyes were
full of tears. Isabel moved unoasily;
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 Gcnevieve accepted it in such dead
earnest.
She took advantage Of the entrance
of n customer to slip out of the little
shop.
Girls" said she to her conspirators,
tive must tell her that it is only
joke"
TELL her!" echoed Lucy Felton,
"What for? She'll find it out soon
enough. She needn't have been such
| silly, anyhoww
at will kill her" pleaded Isabel
No it won't. People don't die SC
easily" laughed Lucy.
Heard the news about Miss Genny
Seaman?' said Mrs. Webb at the
boarding house breakfast table the
next morning rs she poured the coffee
and helped the eggs and bacon around.
Isabel looked guilty up.
NO." said she. "What is it?''
'Fouud dead in her cheer" said Mrs
Webb. "a smilin' as happy as child.
Some heart trouble, the doctor says"
Isabel drew a long breath. So she
had died and never knew how cruelty
she had been deceived She drew
Mary 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
woman"
But she died happy at last" said
Mary, with the tears running down her
checks, "believing that her old sweet
heart was coming back TO her."
'Yes, but that doesn't justify our
cruelty whispered Isabel. And then
and there the three girls entered into a
compact of sc crccy.
Miss Genevievc was buried in shady
corner of the village cemetery, and on
the very day of the funeral Isabel Islay
met tall, bearded stranger walking
along the street, scanning the houses
with keen, troubled eyes.
Can you tellme," said he, ''where
Miss Seaman lives-Miss Genevieve
\ Seaman?"
Isabel started.
Miss Seaman was buried this morn.
ing" said she. lob, Pm so sorry! Was
she friend of yours?"
They had stopped opposite the little
gate where the wheel tracks of the
hearsc were yet visible. The sign
"Milliner and DressmalSer" yet creakcd
in the wind, the red sun was sinking
behind the low caves. and Miss Genny's
cat rubbed itself against the door sill as
if begging to be let in.
"A friend y 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 her and now-she is
dead!'
Isabel looked at the picture. Good
heavens! had Gcncvieve Seaman looked
as fair and dimpled and smiling as that?
And the thought flashed across her
mind that it was well that Capt. Glea-
son had not been undeceived Yes"
she repeated softly, "shc is dead"
"And were you her friend2''
Yes, l was her friend lat least as
much as anyone here" fnlteringly
owned Isabel, feeling like animpostor.
Then perhaps you can tcllmc some
thing Of her. l wanted to surprise her
and now"
His voice was choked, he turned his
face away.
Isabel told him, in low, sweet voice.
all that she could-all that was good
and cheering and hopeful--and Capt
Gleason went back to the village hotel,
walking with his hands behind his
back. and his head dropping en- his
breast.
For the time he truly mourned the
sweetheart of his youth, but no one
can grieve forever. Moss grows over
the fallen treei violets bloom over the
new made grave. Poor Miss Genevieve
was dead and buried, and when the
next summer blossomed over the land
Capt. Gleason was married to Isabel
Islay.
'lf death was really so near her, Pm
glad | wrote the letter that made her
happy" thought Isabel. "And Edward
will always think of her as young and
beautiful! But | never, never will play
another practical joke. Helen Hurst,
in Kansas City Times.
Large Naii-Makinr Machine.
| L. ,x-,,.a