The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-12-12
persons,' she said, with considerable

! pItdDic L iflAle WASH, ana lets nef wall
on her and follow her about like dog.
My beautiful Madonnav y Trixie calls
her. Such vulgur absurd nonsense
wish we were well rid OF the whole
underbred lot ~
Beatrice, or Trixie Walsh was half.
tanned gypsy of Italian blood who had
been left baby at the door of farm
house near SOrby. Charity and chance
had brought her up to young woman
hood guiltless of any special misde-
meanor bat people looked at her ask
ance and predicted Il bad ending for
her because she delighted in bright
coiors and was often found dancing to
her shadow in the moonlight.
One day the pretty dark-robed stran-
ger, Mrs. Stapleton's detestation, stood
on the bank of a lake within the Bar
nascone domain, trying in vain to
reach some water-lillies.
'Let me help you ~ said voice
from the laurel walk and Fred Staple
ton hastened down To the waters edge.
ooh, thank you; but I'm afraid you
will wet your feet"'
Terrible risk, is il not ?r replied the
young man, as up to his knickerbOck-
cred knees he plunged in boldly among
the sedge and reeds. He returned with
an armful of splendid lillies, which he
laid reverently at the lady's feet.
Though he had seen her only few
times by chance and had never dared
to speak TO her until now, Mrs. Staple
toms son and heir was deeply in love
with the fair stranger in widows weeds.
Life seemed but to have begun for him
since she came, and would last just 81
long as the light of her presence shone
upon dull Sorby.
1--WE are both tresspasser in these
grounds, suppose ," the lady said in
the course Of the chat as easily as il
their acquaintance had existed for
years.
'.That need not cause us uneasiness,
as the owner is an incorrigible absen-
tee"
"Do you know the owner Of Barnas-
Gomez"
II have not that pleasure, and | find
existence quite bearable without it
as she pretty?"
''They sayso. All women with her
wealth are pretty and charming, you
know. She has never been here, and
| cannot vouch for her appearance or
manner
"Rich and beautifuI-whlt an envia-
bic condition for most women, How |
wish such good fortune were mine -
They said nothing which Piliey
might not have heard and repeated, yet
their looks and tones in which their
common-places were uttered portended
danger.
"Trixie has just been here ma'am, IN
great grief because she has no mourn
ing to wear at Mike Finnagan's funer-
al" said Eliza, Mrs. Douglass attend
ant. when Mrs. Douglass returned
from her stroll.
''Why didn't you give her something
of mine"
"There is the first everyday costume
you bought it has grown rather shah
by for you"
"Yes, let Trixic have that-bonnet,
veil, and all a complete outfit will go
far to assuage any grief she may feel"
4 day or two before Mike Flanagan
was walked and buried TriXie array
ed herself in Mrs. Douglas garments,
and by the aid of mirror saw that the
effect was good. She was of the same
height a. her benefactress and very
similar in figure.
~ look like a lady" she muttered.
"How / wish Larry could see me! l
will go to Clover Bend and show my
self to him.
Larry Whelan was fine-looking
young scapegrace employed about the
grounds at Barnascone. He never
seemed to fatigue himself with hard
work, and me always managed In wear
good clothes. "He and TriXie had Il
half-quarrelsome, half-jealOus liking for
each other, "a well-matched pair of
ne'er-do-weeIs," the better portion of
Sorby called them.
Arrayed in her sable robes, TriXie be-
t ,ok herself 10 Glover Bend, to the
cabin of Granny McClory. The old
crone, who turned many penny at
fortune-telling, was Larry's aunt and
the source of most OF his pocket money.
1t happened that on the afternoon
chosen by Trixie for masquerading in
her mourning clothes, Mrs. Stapleton
sent PiIlcy to Clover Bend with a bun
die of flannels for n certain washer
wonan's baby. As Pilley passed old
Mother McClory's cabin, she could not
resist the temptation to glance in at
the open door. What she saw took
away her breath.
al was that struck of a heap, ma'ar,
that ] almost dropped Molly's flannels
in mudr' Pilley said 10 her mistress
when she returned 10 TrOwn Lodge.
Stocking in az that dirty dishonest old
witch's door, who should | see settin'
at the table with Larry Whelan and
Mother McClory, with filthy pack of
cards spread ont on the table and jug
of porter for the three of them-who do
you think sat there, ma'am, but the
woman who gives herself such airs and
cllls herself Mrs. Douglas from -Bos-
ton ~
"Impossible, Pilley; you mIst be
mistaken -
"NOt a bit OF it, ma'am l. there an
other such papist looking black dress
and veil in all Sorby? Wouldn't she
be known for miles around by the little
peaked bonnet? To be sure didn't
see her face but the shape of her
shoulders and blc.l | know already too
well from seeing them in church,
which Is no fit place for such as herw
"Mother," said Fred, entering AT the
conclusion of one of Pilley's explosive
sentences "aren't you or some of the
ladies of the parish going to call upon
Mrs. Douglas and invite her TO the
lawn-party next week? Ii is church
affair, and her mourning-garb would