Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1895-11-09


IN their bats
Miss Fortescue,' said she quietly,
these French exercises are disgrace
ful. You Will have to do them over
again before bedtime
Alice Fortescues pretty brown
brows knit themselves together petu-
lantly
Before bedtime? But can't, Miss
Barley. I'm to sew bows On my new
silk dress tonight | shall want 10
wear it at the fortni2htly reception
tomorrow.
''The French exercises must be At.
tended to first.
Must impatiently cried out
Alice.
''Yes, must. But remember, Miss
Fortescue, the teacher gently added,
"the rules are not of my making. and
have my orders to see that they are
enforced"
Alice brushed by without a word Of
reply. her fair brow ciouded over, her
rosebud lips twisted into pout
Gross old thing, she muttered to
Leila, "to spoil my evening SOL
Is Just what she likes to do, said
Leila, full of sympathy, "but I'll tell
you how you can manage, Alice. Gle
ora Field will do the exercises for you
if you give her some o. those cream
chocolates you bought to-day, and
you and | will play lovely trick on
old Barleycorn
The cloud vanishes from Alice For
tescue's forehead the lips became
perfect Cupid's bow of coral once
more.
"Well write ner a note, whispered
Leila; "we'll make her think that her
lover warts to sec her again. Fancy
Old Barleycorn vending her way to
the Chapel Pond by moonlight, tc
meet somebody who isn't there
Fancy her disappointment And. on
Alice. only think what capital story
it will make for the girls!'
Aud the two malicious young con
spirators giggled together in an costa
sv OF glee. --7- s'~--7-7-- -
1t was a cruel plot, but Alice and
Leila were very young, and had never
known tho envenomed pangs of hop,
deferred. That was their only ex
cuse.
Miss Barley had finished Re- shar
Of the daily treadmill of lessons, day
or SO afterward, and had gone ont tc
; get breath Of fresh air in the drear,
: poplar walk at the north end of th
house, when a ugh-lookinc little
boy, with frostnipped fingers an
toes, and great black eyes. like thos
Of n gipsy. sidlei up TO her an
slipped folded bit Of paper into he
; hand
II was told to give it to you, miss,
said he, and vanished like huma
squirrel into the strawberries
Ruth Barley looked after him
some surprise. and then she open 9
the note. In II were printed, In r1ld
, imitation of Roman letters. th
words
In the old place beside the Chap
Pond at Q tonight John Bates b,
returned >
: Miss Barley grew very pale; the
, the blood rushed IN scalding torrer
through every vein In her body.
r John Bates Was she dreaming?
3 was the thread of that sweet old loy
story 10 be taken up again at the o
: place, just where IT had broken ,
seven long years ago?
g Ruth's heart beat. her breath car
quickly. ana a sense Of wild exultati.
filled her soul For it never once c
!. Cured 10 her that all this might
E. only hoax
4 Chapel. Pond WAS deep. glitter
sheet OF water lying IL the heart
i the woods about quarter OF N
e away, and deriving It's name from t
e step rocks which vailed it IL on ,hr
&C sides. which were supposed to be
y some resemblance to the gethic =
'e ars OF chapel. On the fourth 81
OF tie woods fringei the shore, and clc
is by was a secluded deli where the '
o' let's blossonei earlics, IL the spriu
time, and great clusters OF ma,deuhi
~ fern grew IN rich protuslon.
30 How happy Ruth Barley had be
Up then IN the old iayS h.foya ha~ -,