Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-11-13

J U0luRS ulunJ 80 well thcI WIN
exceedingly badly instead. When
Amelia (Amelia is the Druitt's
housemald) opened the door aud
| INQUIRED for Witch she said.
GMlss Druitt is not we'll, sir, bat
I'll tell her you're here
Then she showed me into the
dining room. This was omlnous!
In the Druitts' mensge it is custo'
mary to see people who come OH
business-dress. makers, laundress-
es. servants seeking places-in the
dining room before lunch, Amelia
left NE and went upstairs. l rap
idly diagnosed thu situation. |
took out my pOcketbOok and wrote
'My darling, l shall wait in the
old buat at the enl of the lawn
till you can see me- aud theu l
signed 1t 'John.|
Amelia came back. II you please
sir; Miss Druitt does not feel
equal to seeing you to DAY bnt will
write to you TO night
lex city, SAID I, queti,. 'CAn
youglve me an envelopeI Thanks.
G. We that to Miss DruIt, please
The maid left the room aud |
went into the garden Al Ii bot
tom OF The gaIdtu ian the river;
chained 10 pos was Al old boat.
Ii VAS seldom used as Ibe spot
was not picturesque, but it was
secluded, hidden both from the
house and flOm passing boats by
lhick. dropping wIilOSS | VAS
here tai WI II ,Ii | hdl cDur
10 tue cumclnSluu TIA ~ could
not live wltnOu each other. i sal
down IN The boat feeling very
wroth with WITCH and bitter again.
st Aunt Betsy Jane. l would
have given mach to know II shr
we're In the house at that moment.
| thought ont all nad heard of
tue days Of her YOUTH. | felt me ~
aud spilfll. berhOught me o. al
old incident IN her life wherein
Aunt Betsy Jane had sailed very
near the wind and had a narrow
escape of social wreck.
1 ought to have forgotten it, but
am not heroic. Both morally and
ply sicAlly | AIN commonplace.
Tnat is ~ say. ii Tn struck | h,t
back or try to. Would you be-
lieve il? sat in that boat except
when | got no land stretched my
self until s O'Clock! 1t was nearly
dark, aud when | nearl the clock
strike l swore to m yseif that II
Witch did not appear before the
Ginning of the quarter L would
row the old OOat down to the
bridge, give boy sixpence to
bring it back and-weIl, when
Witch wanted me she might SEND
for me That was all!
1t must have been verv near the
quarter when | saw stealing down
the garden, her head and shoulders
wrapped up in white cloud my
Witch. AT least | thought so at
first. Bat | soon saw 1t wasn't. 1t
was someone more kin and less
kind. Nevertheless as the form
drew near peerliug about in the
dusk. | sprang forward, c'ught
her in my arms and kissed her.
She had no breath With which TO
utter a sOund. She could Ouly
listen to NV ardent far more ar
dent tban l eyer bestowed on
neutrality-suspicious. of affection
My darlinsv | went on. L KlaS
YOU would never have made such
Il litle tool of yourself it 10 hadnt
been for bat malicious catamaran,
Au0t B-tsy Jane Tue form
wIlhin M arms s'cHsglrd. | vas
hOlding her l'ghti, or M face
might have 81 f. ed Bat III ell
you tale, dear. abOvt her Pn
tue only living soul thai kn"" =;
now old nurse is dead You
Q luldn't hear Jhe torn breathe. ~
still il was. want ~: 'AiiC
Brtsy Jane il 40 uo~'-th~ iorn
wrigglrd-'About twenty dv yea
ago. could hear prr heart heal,
[ relentrd-'No, Witch, Will mol
tell you hat story! You have come
to me and eau afford to ply
Aunt b .tsy jane. She was badly
used wnen she.was Young and sb'
can't bear to see peuple happy
now she is old
The form muttered my in arms
want to fetch something dear
You shall. Only como back st once
OF shall feel like telling that OLD
tale abouC Aunt Betsy Jsne.'
She scuttled of to the house
ami in a minute or two Witch
came dewn the garden in a verl
dlgni6ed manner. | let her com,