The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-12-07

Cupid's bow of coral once more.
"We'll write her note," whispered
Leila, "we'll make her think that her
lover wants to see her again. Fancy old
Barleycorn vending her way to the Chapel
Pond by moonlight, to meet somebody
who isn't there! Fancy her disappoint-
ment! And, oil, Alice, only think what
a capital story it will make for the
girls"
And the two malicious young conspir-
ators giggled together in an ecstasy OF
glee.
1t was a cruel plot, but Alice and Leila
were very young, and had never known
the envenomed pangs of hope deferred
That was their only excuse.
Miss Barley had finished her share of the
daily treadmill of lessons a day Or so after
ward, and had gone out to get breath of
fresh air in the drea-y poplar walk at the
north end of the house, when a rough
looking little boy, with frost-nipped
fingers and toes, and great black eyes,
ike those of gypsy, glided up to her and
slipped bit of folded paper into her
hand.
81 was told to give it to you, miss"
said he, and vanished like a human SPUR
rel into the strawberries.
Ruth Barley looked after him in some
SURPRISE and then she opened the note.
In it were printed, in rude imitation of
Roman letters, the words:
Gin the old place beside the Chapel
Pond at tonight John Bates has re-
turned.n
Miss Barley grew very pale; then the
blood rushed in Il scalding torrent through
every vein in her body.
John Bates! Was she dreaming? Or
was the thread of that sweet old love story
to be taken up again at the old place, just
where it had broken off seven long wears
ago?
Ruth's heart beat, her breath came
quickly, and sense of wild cXultation
filled her soul. For it never once oc-
cured to her that all this might be only
hoax.
Chapel Pond was deep glitterng sheet
of water lying in the heart of the woods
about quarter of a mile away, and deriv-
ing its name from the steep rocks which
walled it in on three sides, which were
supposed to bear some resemblance to the
gothic pillars of a chapel. On the fourth
side the wood fringed the shore, and close
by was secluded dell where the violets
blossomed earliest in the springtime, and
great clusters of maidenhair fern grew in
rich profusion.
How happy Ruth Barley had been then,
in the old days, before her lover went
away-how wretched afterward
She pressed the crumpled bit of paper to
her lips again and again.
ooh" she murmured to herself, 81
am the happiest woman in the world!
What right have l to expect second
blossoming time in my life? And yet it
has COME
Half the girls at Applenook Seminary
had been let into the secret Of this 'eXcel
lent joke" and were watching Miss Barley
from one vantage point or another, as she
threw a black Shetland shawl over her head
and slipped out of the house just when the
hands of the old clock in the hall were near
a quarter to 8.
1t was still mid evening, with the moon
at the full; one could almost hear the i,
gurging of the little brook outside.
Some laughed as the door closed softly
behind the little governess, who fondly
supposed herself to be unnoticed; some
whispered, one or two looked grave.
Only the other teachers gossiping around
there, and Nine. Appleton herself, writing
letters in her sanctum, remained in ignor-
ance of what was going on.
Little Louise Belville started to her feet.
Girls" she cried, ''it's too bad! It's
cruel-that's what it is! 1t shall not 20
on! I'll run after her, and tell her the
whole thing is deceitn'
But Leila Wharton pulled her hack
as she was springing to open the door.
'It's too late" said she "You couldn't
overtake her now And it is such splen
did joke! Just wait until you see the ex-
preston of her face when she comes back.
We shall be avenged for all of Barleycorn's
viciousness now!'
Slowly the time furnished minlte-hand
of the venerable clock travelled around the
dial. Nine O'Clock came, half past nine
ten. Still no Miss Barley returned.
The poverness on duty for that particular
evening, one Miss Pugsley, with eyes that
looked different ways, rose up with yawn
at last.
'"rme for evening prayer and bed,
girls, - said she.
ooh, not yet!' pleaded the girls with
one accord
And each had some special reason to
give for desiring five minutes more de-
lay.
cts past hours already" said Miss
Pugsley, "and"-
h., d.,