The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-08-22
A PRACTICAL JOKE.

whero Misc Darlcy--nIcknaniud by the
glddy glrls tOt Applenork Seminary
Bnrlcycorr, AMPLY because In n Echonl
girl atmosphere 1t wuS absolutely nee.
oaSnry thnt every one sltuld have n
nlcknnmN-sat there all alone.
Isn't she plaIn?" said Leila. with n
shuddcr. And SO old, TOO! Why. she's
eight nnd twenty II Shc'sc a dnyi"
THAT ut %lcNst," declared Alice In n
whisper,
~ wonder, Leila, what she is think
ing about?'
Her lover, ! suppose" said little
Miss Wharton. withAag grlmace.
~ don't believe snepcvCr had such n
thing Inc her ne cried Alice.
"Shc hud. though" said Leila, Il
know, because old Mrs. Blnckmorc
told mo. And he went away somewhere
and never came back. And his name
was John Bates. Think Of that, John
DntCs!" w
The lamps were lighted; the sound
OF the changing tea bell summoned the
hungry dnmscls to n rcpast of freshly
baked brown bread, apple sauce and
mugs of milk.
Miss Barley looked up from her desk
ms Alice and Leila came by, arm In
arm, with clusters OF scarlet leaves In
their hats.
"Nllss F0rtCscuc," said che quietly,
these French exercises Nre disgrace.
full. You will have to do them over
again before bedtime
Before bedtime? Hut | can't. Miss
Barley. I'm to sew bows on my new
silk dress tonight. ! shall wan to
wear 1t Mt IL fortniglitly reception to-
morrow" r
THE FScnch. cxerciscsc muust be at
tended td'nrst." s,a
MUST" impatIent,y cried ont Alice.
"fes, must But remember" Miss
FortCscuc,' the teacher gently added,
the rules are not Of my making, and
have my orders to see that they are
enforced"
Gross old thing" she muttercd to
Leila, TO spoil my evening sol"
IT'S Just what she likes to do" said
Leila, full OF sympathy, but III tcll
YOU how you can manage, Alice. Clara
Field will do the exercises for you II
you give her some OF those cream
chocolates you bought to-day. and
you and will play n lovely trick on
old Barlcycorn."
"INe'll write her q note" whispered
Leila, We'll make her think that her
lover wants to see her again. Fancy
old B~arlcycOrn vending her way to
the Chapel pond by moonlight to meet
somebody who Isn't thcre."
Miss Barley had finished her share
OF the daily treadmill Of lessons a day
or SO aftcrwnrd, and had gone out 70
get n breath OF fresh air. when Il
rough looking little boy. with frost
nIpped fingers and toes slipped n fold
ed bit OF paper into her hand. Ruth's
heart beat. her breath came quick with
surprise and then she opened the note.
In 1t were printed in rude initiation OF
Roman letters the words:
In the old place. beskle the Crapel
pond. al Q tonight John Bates has
returned"
\ sense OF wild exultation filled her
soul. For II never once occurred to her
that all this might be only u hoax.
Chapel pond was a deep, Glitterlng
sheet Of water lying IN the heart Of the
woods about a quarter of a mile away
Steep rocks walled It on three sides.
On the fourth side the woods fringed
the shore n close Fby waS 4 secluded
dell.
"Oh," she murmurel to herself. II am
the happiest woman in the world!'
Ealf the girls at AplenOok seminary
had been let into the secret OF this
excellent joke" and were watching
Miss Barley from one vantage point or
another. as she threw a black shawl
over her head and slipped out of the
house.
Little Louise Belville started to her
feet.
Girls" she cried. ITS too bad. It's
cruel-that's what 1t is! 1t shall not so
on! I'll run after her and tell her the
whole thing is Il deceit"
But Leila Wharton pulled her back
as she was sprinSinE TO pen the door.
IT'S too late" said she. You
couldn't overtakc her now. And It Is
such Il splendid Joke! Just walt until
you see the expression on herface when
she comes back. We shall be avenged
for all OF Barleycorn's v]iciousness
now" o."
Nine o'clock came. 9:3O-l0. Still no
Miss Barley returned.
The g~overness on duty for that par
ticular evening, n Miss PuGsley, with
eyes that looked different ways, rose
up with a yawn ut last.
Time for evening prayer and bed,
girls" said she.
"oh, not yeti" pleaded the girls with
n accord.
Just then the door opened. Miss Bar
ley came In.
But instead of n pale. discounted
face her eyes sparklci, her cheeks were
crimson with an unusual glow. She
went up TO Miss PuSsIey, and Alice
Fortescue could hear her say In low
toncS:
Dear Harriet. congratulate me. My
lover has come back. and we are 70 be
married next week. | have lust seen
hin, F1nptsD he tIn rINa,,n al ,,..1 rIIt
tell you all about 1t by and By. ! am
going TO see madam now"
While In madam's sanctum Ruth
Barley was telling the worthy prccept-
ress how John Bates had Travelled half
around the world: how he had been Il
prisoner in the heart OF Africa for
months: how at last he had established
himself In a good business In South
America and had finally come back to
claim tn. promise Ruth had given him
long age
"iIe had written again and again"
she said. "and he cant understand how
It Is that, he never got an answer, but
how could | reply to letters that never
reached me?"
How did 1t happcn?" said John Bates.
why, In the most natural way In the
world. | came In on the evening stage
and when | got to the little stone stile
and the foOtpath that led down to the
old spot ! told the driver TO leave. my
traps at the hotel, and I'd take tho
short cut through the woods, seeing
that 1t was such Il fine night, and the
moon full. And rs ! stood there think
Ing Of the happy old times. who
right into tn. glade but Ruth herself,
just as II 1t we're only yesterday that
we parted?"
The young ladies' OF the Applcnook
seminary kept their counsel. and Alice
Fortcscnc and Leila Wharton declare
they Will play no more practical jokes.
~Eincinnatl Tribune.