Oxford eagle., 1894-06-07

Mr~ >impSins made a long call, but
vas aot invited 10 repeat her visit She
tod her husband she could not end out
anything. aad was very sure there was
some mystery connected with that Allen
woman, for there were ever 50 uaanv
envelopes on the table, and she could
see the name smith plain as moth
Z Ing, and she was sure Mrs. Allen had
been reading them very letter. Now.
what business had Mrs Allen with
Mrs Smiths letters, she would nk. Ia
know
BY TINS time Mrs SimDlSins and her
friends were good deal excited over
the mystery concerning ii. people A.
the river house. Mrx Allen and her
/ daughter seemed obliEtras Of an ths
dark hints that were thrown out about
their
Suspicion grew fast Many things
'verc said ot the occupants % the river
house. - Jenkins. whs lived ue,-.
told his wife that lights burned there
All night Ezra Burke s2x n woman
in white come To an upper vindovv and
look out with wild eyes h. ku-vx Il
va --vrnan because ot her Ious- h,s-
else he'd ''a-thouEht it were old sns,h's
ghost Conjecture ran high At Ia.
70 was deril.-d that delegation OF
women headed by Mrs Simpkins should
wait upon Mrs. Allen and demand an
explanation OF the mystery
For such is our Christian duty"
said Mrs. Burke. who stood high in the
church 1t il my opinion that their
name II not Allen 1t al. but smith.
and I'd not be Que bit surprised II they
turned out 10 be some Kin Of that old
John smith whose ghost haunts that
very house, and whose grandfather.
they do say, was hung
- the next afternoon the delegation
started on its errand-
N Just aching 70 tell them what I
think of such doings, Mrs Simpsins
said. A. she raised the heavy bra.s
suocSer and applied IL with - much
energy that the door was opened al
most Immediately By pretty Miss Nora
How are you. laf,ie=9 Walk right
ia. she said. evidently rather sur
Prisest Mamma viii he here in
very few minutes She has gone tor
the mail
Mrs. >impkius no'ided 10 the Others.
~ much a. 10 say. just in time And
they followed Nora into the parior
>ae tried to entertain them until her
mother returned. but felt quite relieved
when she saw her coming and went u
the door - meet her.
tome right in. mamma There are
some laliies waiting for you
Mr.. Allen was ast0uished to find &C
many callers IN her parior at Que time.
but showed no truce Of surprise In her
manner
-trood afternoon ladies, | am VERY
glad 70 see YOU IL was such a lovely
day that | went for the mail myself
hope yOu have NOT been waiting long
Her greeting was 10 cordial that Mrx
Jones afterwards said she was glad she
was not head Of the delegation. After
one or two Intellectual effort. Mr..
>impxins abruptly began
Mrs. Allen, or Mrs smith. or what
ever your name is-the Lord only
knows. we don't,-we have come here
this afternoon to find out who you are.
lou give your name as Allen. and get
letters for Mrs. smith. and we ain'r
used - Ed such goinas on. and we havs
come here 10 have You explain. II YOU
can, for we don't want uo mysteries in
our neighborhood.' p
Surprise rendered Mrs Allen speech
less for a moment; then she coldly said.
ladies, gave my name as Allen
simply because that was nv husbands
name, and, consequently. Is mine.
Mrs. smith IS my widowed sister, VINO
resides with me- For reasons not
necessary to state. { receive and an
suer her letters That Is the meaning
Of the supposed mystery which has
caused you 50 much distress. Like tho
ghost it exists only in imagination
She ceased speaking and glanced To-
ward the door, evidently expecting her
visitors TO 70; bat Mrx Simpkius was
not easily routed
You say your sister lives with you.
its odd no one has ever seen her and
that you never have no company. And
can you tell Us. ma'am. who the poor
critter Is that roaHls about this house
AZ night. all in whites-
Mrs Aliens face was very stern ~
she answered
Il had hoped that il would not be
necessary 10 20 into the details Of this
painful matter, but in order - check
malicious gossip I VIII explain that my
sister Is a conirmed invalhi. and left
the city because she was on the verge
Of nervous prostration- We came here
that she might be perfectly quiet and
have avoided company on her account
She Is not able % READ or answer her
letters. which all refer 20 business. As
she owns considerable real estate in
town Now. ladies'. a. I have nothing
more TO say concerning nv private
affairs. I viii bid you good afternoon.
Mrs. Aliens tone and manner for
babe further words. and the di-cOmfted
women rose in a body and marched out
of the house. Not until tnev reached
the gate did Mr.. >impkins recover
her powers Of speech; then she -x-
claimed.
Well never
Had Mrs >imPSins got glance into
the orchard. where May blossoms made
a Thick, sweet-seentet carpet on the
ground. she would have been even
mare amazed. and utterly snraxed
For Fred Parson. and Nora Allen
were seated there. she was holding a
sprix % the blossoms. which he had
Just broken OF for her and Fred was
saviag-
4 wonder II those old gussips have
gone. Nora What i eiatter they
would raise il they knew that had
Just surrendered my heart 70 th. fair
est stranger that ever came 10 this
queer old .owur
1 The gossiPs heard all about il later.
when the wedding bells pealed Mrs.
Simpxins vented her spite IN her char
acteristie way. To this day she can't
understand Why Fred Parsons ignored
the chance TO gain a wife and
mother-in-Iaw proficient IN the art of
sossip.-N Y. Journal