Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-03-11

l fore Bob, and then stoou aslce looA-
| ing on with the air of an artist.
'Well, William" said Mr.. Griffin,
as he carved industriously at the Joint,
"any news in this part of the globe
-eh?"
"Nothing much, sir-leastwise, not
with our own people, SIT. They gets
married, and they gets buried, and
they gets born, all proper and respect
able. Now and then they fights each
other, and now and then they calls
| each other names, but, take 'em in the
lump, sir, they behave theirselves very
we'll. It's only the visitors, sir, wot
! makes the life, as you may say"
I "Oh!-visitors-eh? Many of 'em?
inquired Bob, glancing up for mo-
/ ment.
I ssNot many SO far, sir" replied
William, slowly. ''But we've got
| some coming down tomorrow, l be-
lieve."
"ohl" said Bob, testify, rufiing his
| hair, "why the deuce can't they go
| somewhere else? What do they want
to come down to my place for? Who
are they, Willian?"
"I don't rightly know, sir. / think
missis 'ad telegram to say that they
was a.ccming down tomorrow morn
ing. I'm afraid, sir'-shaking his
gray old head solennly-"that it's a
runaway match, sir"
ga what?" said Bob, staring.
ga runaway match, sir-a we'd
ding"
"Baht 1diots:" CALCULATED Bob,
and then Immediately threw back his
head and laughed heartily.
sI wonder why it is" he said to
himself, as he settled down comforta-
bly, before the coffee room fire, "that
these blessed weddings must pursue
me wherever I go. Why couldn'
they go somewhere else? 1 suppose
we shall have them spooning and hug
ging each other all over the house to-
morrow, upsetting natures vale, and
all the rest of it. I think I'll try and
And a desert island in the Pacific ;
even then I suppose it would be my
luck to have o couple OF 'em washed
ashore, with convenient parson
floating in on cask, with o prayer
book in his pocket. All! Oracle,
Oracle, perhaps I should have looked
at the matter in different light, if
you had but smiled on ne, and left
the ideal chap alone. But I don't
suppose you thought me capable Of
any such feeling; nobody does take
me seriously"
He stared at the fire, smoking
thoughtfully, and SO continued to
ruminate until the sounds in the streets
of the quiet old market town died
away and he heard William fastening
the big outer doors and wishing the
last customers "good night" Then
he went slowly and thoughtfully to
bed.
The bright spring sunlight was
shining into his window when he
awoke in the morning and looked
about him.
"Ah? dear old place." he muttered.
''Lattice windows and heavy beams,
and all that kind of thing. shall
stop here q month.
He got up and dressed and came
down to breakfast. William was put
ting the finishing touches to the coffee
room tables-ficking his napkin here
and there, in chase Of wholly imagin-
ary specks of dust.
sIt's near IL, SIR" he said, with
something of on air ofreproach. "And
they've arroye, sir" .aua
| who tHvey asked Bob. '''-
"The 'apppy pair, sir-leastwise, /
takes 'em to be that. And of all the
sweet and pretty little creeturs as
ever you see, sir, that there lady is. %
s.Ah! well, don't bother me about
them. And don't let them como in
here. What's the chap like?"
"Oh! 1 didn't think much of 'em,
sir. Tall gent. seemed bit out OF
temper. Speaks as if he'd got some
thing in his throat, sir.
Bob laughed and went on with his
breakfast. Hs stood at the coffee
room window for some time, putting
at his pipe, and then strolled out
through the town.
But, for the first time, the place
seemed to pail upon him; everything
was dull and miserable, and in every
thing the lonely little man saw sweet,
childish face and mouth that had
kissed him; 6, face that was to be
nothing to him through all the years
that might come to him. He moodily
turned about at last and walked bacii
to the inn.
s1'lI get out of this tonight" he
muttered. II was fool to come here
at ALL"
His hand was on the door OF the
coffee-room, when he heard the sound
of O low voice inside. The sound wa:
SO extraordinary in that staid ole
place that be paused in surprise; thel
he pushed open the door softly ani
looked in. a young girl, with hel
back towards him, was standing look
ing down into the fire, and murmur
ing little song softly to himself.
conc of the spooney ones, 1 sup
pose" he muttered, snappishly, as he
prepared to withdraw. But ut tha-
moment she turned away from the Grc
with @ sigh, and he saw her face
With an ejaculation OF astonishmenr
he went forward into the room, witt
hands outstretched towards her.
"Gracie!"
She turned quickly and came to-
wards him with smile and took hi:
hands in her own.
"Bob-dear old Bobl" she said.
"But what in the world are you do
ing down here, Gracie?" he asked.
still staring at her blankly. "What
are you doing in my inn?"
"Your inn! Oh! I forgot-I-'
she broke of and turned away hel
head.