The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-01

companions one BIZ one. and bid them
meet him by the church yard wall on a
certain evening, for that he had something
/ of Importance TO tell them. When IL 50
happened that they ObeyeI him. with Gu
riOsity raised and untrammelled by re-
Spect or mood or mania. their force dld
the rest. They questioned him iovially-
hrutally il secmed-Of his matter Of I'M
portance; they twitted him cheerfully
on his laiy-likc complexion. and inquired
OF his cosmetics. and at last he told them
what he had hidden them there to hear.
by mat church yard wall in the dim light
OF a fading summers evening, with
voice lOW-pitchEd and tremulous with
the import Of his words, he told them his
CHASTITY tale. There was-a minute Of com
plete silence as the words ceased. and the
heart OF Octavius tnumped riOtOusly in
side him with the fresh pangs of suf-
fering which he endured his terror
sounded on his ears in spoken syllables.
Then came the voice of sam Underdown,
the village wag, in tone somewhat muf
NED, but perfectly solemn and sympathetic
IN Infection:
"Ocky Nottage," he declared. slowly.
Il ave card of that there sort of thing
before; tbs commonly called the Jumps "
Then followed a full-voiced chorus of
laughter, and a general scramble from the
hedge, and Octavius stood alone in the
grayness, with his cheeks throbbing hot
at the insult
From that hour the trouble of Octavius
Nottage was bruited about the village
with much gustO and little mercy. In the
sand-strewn bar parlor of the Seven Stars.
at the gossips corner by the three cross
ROADS, at the forge, at the bake house. at
the postOffice. in all of these spots was the
tale or "Ocky'S ghost jeered at, while
great whole-lunged outlaws went forth at
ms expense. Even at the laundry, in
whose service the poor youth fetched and
carried so regularly Sam Underdown
loHnSed over the windowsill as he passed
ana told his humorous tale. There, in
deed. IL was received with interest tenn
pered with awe. for the maidens felt more
reverence for the unknown than did the
mem and they craVed more details from
me hippant sam as they bent over their
tubs and Wrung the snowy linen with their
strong red arms. And Sam gave them a
sutllclcncy, elaborated bV his own lively
imagination, and the maidens shuddered
ana BlGgled turn in. turn out. as they
listened. and exclaimed, Law. nowi Sam
Jnderdown, go along with you, talking
such stun, even as they yearned TO de-
| lay him in their midst.
But down at the end of the row of
maidens in the wash house stood one
at her tub who listened TO Sam Under
downs repeutiOns and inventions with
slfalnlnS ears, and spoke no word in re-
turn. A large, sloW-mOVing girl she was
with wealth of shining red hair and a
serious face; a girl who Joined but seldom
IN the ordinary frivolous gossip Of the
laundry, and who had acquired the char
acter OF being "a bit pious" Admonition
tllery' was her name and deep down in
her heart lay a great smmering love
for this youth, at whom they all scoffed
IN their wicked, careless way.
Up to that day Octavius Nottage and Ad-
| monition Ellery had exchanged little more
than a dozen words: for the girls tub
stood at the far end of the wash house,
and her eyes were wont to be sealed upon
her work when OctaVius or anv other VIII
| lage youth lOunged near to gossip: for her
nature was changed with an oVerW helm
| ing bashfulness and a shamed conscious
| ness OF her fiery hair. But there had been
one day. one showery morning nearly a
| year ago, when she had broken through
| her silence somewhat; she had been stand
Al nn0FWaU a In ..u
hand, hesitating to run through the heavy
drops to the well. and OctaVius chanc-
| ing TO pass by at the moment. and taking
| in the situation, held out his hand for the
bucket.
Here, hand 1t over to me. I'll fetch
| the water" he said in his CHEEKY Off hand
ed way. So he fetched it. brought it and
stood Tor moment telling of a COW be-
| longing TO Farmer Laskey which had fall
| len over a hurdle; then he jerked a smil-
| ing Good morning to her, and went on
| his way to give many a thought to Far
| mer Laskey's COW. but never one to Adj
| monition Ellery; while she went back to
her tub again and thought of him all day
That had been the birthday of her love
and for almost a year had IL grown and
! chafed I'm hGr heart, this mighty young
| power, this turbulent offspring of phleg-
matte nature.
THE brutes" ragged Admonition. in
| wardly, as she listened now to Sam I'm
| derdowns romancing and the comments
| 1t provoked, the lynn. ignorant brutes, y
/ anu ltW utaEl grew merry as her nalr. but
| still she spoke no word, for habits are not
! lightly broken: but she bided her time
| and she bit her lips as she wrung out hel
| tubful of steaming clothes and rinsed
| them in the cold blushing water; and ther
| Sam Underdown went on his way, and she
| grew calmer. and thought and thought
| again of Octavus and his trouble.
So it happened that same afternoon thai
! soon after OctaVius had reached the
| dreadful spot at which his CHASTITY passen
! ger climbed to its usual seat and as he
! stood aY.f
| with a wild hopelessness filling his heart
| he heard a voice calling his name. anC
| turning his head quickly, always eXpec
| tant of some new horror, saw a girl stand
! ing on the pathway waving her hand L
him TO stop. 1t was Admonition Ellery
in her holiday clothes.
! Il thought may be you'd give me a lif
| back she said, smiling up at him will
| bashful, deprecating eyes and the blushe
| flaming in her checks. I'm feelin' dret
| full tired, somehow"
Octavius strove to bend his rigid feat
ures into an answering smile, as h
answered slowly, his horror still stampel
! upon his face, get up here if you don
mind poor seat; wagons amt built alto
gether for comfort be emf"
THE seats plenty good enough" sh
answered. IF you've no objection to tn
company"
'.Ahr he exclaimed sharply, as she be
gan to climb the shaft and brushed tn
very shoulders of the terrible child whic
sat there still gazing intently, with il
suddenly, but her yearning heart SCENE
to divine his pain, for when she reache
the narrow seat beside him she said fal
teringly, but with a great sympathy i
her voice. your in trouble, I've hear
tell terrible trouble-Im-Pm morta
| sorry for ZEE"
He looked into her face suddenly an
| longingly. for his own heart ached to Civ
| confidence and accept comfort and hi
brain grew wilder and less controllabl
as each day passed; and as he looked h
saw great tears yelling up in Admon
tons eyes.
How came you to know of my trou
ble?' he asked breathlessly
; I'm from the laundry" she said IAN
heard tell of it there to-day"
. And what do they say of me there
Say Pm a mazed-headed fool. 1 s'post
; and what story do they tell?"
= They say" faltered Admonition "the
say as hOw-as hOw-you think you see
- Think l see,' he interrupted. " think
do they say, when ! see the thing befor
3 my eyes this very minute horrible. bevi
faced brat. sitting there a your feet.
taking all the blood from my body da
! after day. there / see it" his voice ros
TO a cry as he pointed at the footboar,
and his eyes blazed with wild fear
Then did AdmonitiOn rise from the ma
I row seat, and clutching the side of II
wagon with one hand. raised the otht