Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1896-02-20

A~ a most dets rmined
~ air. why. one
would think We
were "a lot ~ mumrBics. the wsv We
lave veSetatcl here this winte- There
hasn't been "a thing excepting ,hat New
Years party at the Forythes. aud you
know what a dismal affair that was
Miss Payne WINGED slightly She Ger
tainlv did know what a dismal affair
rlc Forsyth- party had he~n-for her.
Eure than fog anyone elsr- She was
quite. quite sure that Tom Didn't care
at all. and hat ne was glad that their
little Misunderstanding had o-cufrcd
and freed him from an engagement
sLat was d~i-azuceabie Ia him. but she
didn't speak Of this to Mrs Tiaskins.
although she knew that it'll. person
was fully aware Of the late uupleaz-
~aEtJe-s, and was taking a feL.ish de-
light iu making delicate reference "a
subjects calculated TO remind her friend
Of A. Miss Payne only %as~-ut"i. with
a little nnl and q haif-articullte MFR
uur. and AIRS Haskins went cn:
Vow. lets not SIT and ta.I about
H.. merely. hut lets 10 something. OF
course. We emit celebrate W~ash5ngton's
Birthday without a costume affair.
Suppose we have a sieighing party. to
wind up at The Hills with a supper
and dance. with everyone in revolution
airy costume And. OH tie malicious
little wretch went on. enthusiastically.
you and Mr. Enright shall be Martin,
and George. and lead the m.Tuet-a
regular 18th century minuct.
~N-uo, I'd rather not interrupted
Mis- PAYNE. in a half-stiied vniec. Il
don't-realIv. I'll rather not take such
u prominent part"
Nonsense. child chirped Mrs. Has
kins. eheerfully. You'll max, p per
feetly lovely Martha. and Tom Enright
can b. 50 stately and digrifcd when
he choOses-and. besides, he's one of
the very few men in town who can al
ford Ia be seen IN shcrt trousers"
And the little woman Went ON To out
line her PLAN for the celebration. ig-
noring Gladys all-too-apparent misery.
and the poor girls efforts 20 decline
the uuwelcome honor she proposed to-
thrust upon her.
Il won't, can't" Gladys declared
to herself, passionatcly. as she hurried
down the Erayeled pathway of the
Haskins' place. IA rather die. indeed
| would. and still | couldn't c.pl- it
to her, even II she does know a.readv-
the spiteful wretch. l hope he'll man
age To decline. though"
Hut NJ. Knight did nothing of the
, tird. Ia fact. he had felt for seine
As though he would give anything
nth Tor an opportunity To speak
adys and tell her how sorry he was
thc way he had acted over her
iug with Neville three times at
Forsythe pstrty-the fact being.
yer, that he really had Just cause
cling jealous and indignant. and
Gladys was the one from whom
ipcsncy was due. -. when Mrs.
ins broached her plans to him.
was rather taken aback at the
Ity With vhich he consented to
the Fatherof HisCountlv.
he had anticipated her usual keen
ment in probing anothcr's
"a.
ne Hills wa a little summer ho-
tuated in a pleasant valley about
lilies from Millston. and. although
J 10 the general public through
inter. was the scene 81 occasional
tiles in1ugUrated by MiIlston
o. il had 2 delightful ballroom.
better yet. the couple who had
q Of the premises from season to
"a were phenomenal c~aterers.
ed OF February came. and
morning ushercd in delight
weather. which. together with
cent snowfall. combined TO
il an ideal day for sleishinr.
OF the merry-makers gathered at
Haskins house in the afternoon.
'nright looked eagerly for GLADYS.
z. yet half afraid. that she would
member Of the sumo party as him
aud when he saw her 90 bv,
4 aud happy-lOoking, in wong
e's cutter. alone with that NEST
ionable youth, he was very bit
nd was almost ready 70 give up
Put he didn't. Instead. he de-
himself most aSsiduously to a
"A Miss Glszer. much 20 her grRtf-
n and the my stifcation OF sew
Z tie Others, who were rot aware
disagreement with Gladys.
re had been a change Of pro-
ne, which involved dinner at The
ul,ls. more slUIghing. then some Wash
.ngton tableaiA. and the ball. and In
right and his ex-fancee met At dinner
thanks 10 Mrs Haskins. who. follow
ing her usual malicious tactics. had so
managed as to- seat them next to each
other.
Y hope quietly said Enright. with
polite gravity. just after the soup Vas
served-"I hOTs. Miss Payne. that you
do not think this meeting cue Of INV
seeking. / wou'd have avoided il had
Il been possible 70 do So"
Pray don't lie distressed. Mr.. En-
sigh" replied the girl. Jelly. ave sre