The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-06-15

es$~ rive at the de.
ill., sired informa.
ZION was simply to open it.
No doubt; but here arose n si;oh,
ulincuity 40 "~."'t bis Tbo -
had delivered it at the. PostmasE
take. 1t was addressed to Miss Nancy
Vale.
All day the sight of it lying on the
top OF n ham on the counter had
literally tantalized him. When the
shutters were going to be put on for
the night, he took it up for final
scrutiny.
"The postmark's London" he
ruminated. II never heard tell of
anyv-my goodness! I've done it
nowl"
And so he had. The imperfect
adhesion of the envelope had yielded
altogether to his too insinuating
finger.
or course, now that it was open, it
would have been depth Of folly
passing Mr.. Sprunt's comprehension
not to ufaster the contents, and his
face actually quivered with suppressed
excitement during the perusal.
III that doesn't beat the Dutch -
he calculated on reaching the end.
"a legacy of five hundred pounds
from her grand aunt If | had known
this Was going to happen, | would
have made her Mrs. Sprunt long ago.
I've always been fond of Nancy, and
I'm fonder now than ever. What q
mercy this letter came my way -
This
moral reflections. The situation called
for immediate action. In order tc
secure this golden windiall for his owr
Golfers, he must not let the grass
grow under his feet
A moments cogitation showed tha
the first thing to be dono was to pet
the fair legatee, by hook or by crook
to promise to marry him before sh,
knew of her good luck.
Suppose he proposed that night anf
was accepted? In the course of da,
or two could produce the letter, al
sealed up again, as if it had newly mr.
rived. Once Nancy had pledged hei
word, he could depend on her no
throwing him over.
With Mr.. Sprunt to think was to net
especially when five hundred pound
were at stake.
1t was a clustering March evening
both raining and blowing ut n rat
enough to quell the ardor of any ord
nary suitor. But deluge of old wive
and pike slaves wouldn't have deterre
the redoubtable Sprunt from settin
out Tor Cherry tree Cottage to put hi
fortune Tor rather Nancy 's) to th
test.
A few minutes battling with tn
elements brought him to his destinn
ton.
In answer TO his resounding rat. tai
tai on the knocker, Nancy appeare
Mt the door, accompanied by Spook,
handsome black cat.
"Ahl" says the clever reader ga
old maid -
Well, she was siugle, undoubtedly
but it wnsn't from want of -
"An olfer," interposes the readers
with cynical smile. at never is"
To tell the little dressmaker's stor
to one capable Of making so vile n
insinuation would be casting pear
before swine. Enough to say that te
years before, Nancy, then winson
dark.eyed maiden of eighteen, ha
played out her one romance.
To bring about reconciliation b,
tween her lover and his tyrannici
father who had threatened 60 disir
herit him If he persisted in his after
tIons to her, she had given poor To-
his congo, coldly, firmly, finally.
Instead of this having the effect nj
ticipated, it made life Mt homo see
so intolerablo to young Ford that /
ran away.
From that Inflated day Nancy hr
never seen her lover again, though h
bngg0rd face and that last look in h
eyes as OF some dumb animal in pa
had haunted her ever since.
But this is a depression. Let MS r
turn TO The present md Mr.. Sprunt.
IT'S n very wet night, my dear
he observed. Without waiting TO
invited, no entered and seated himse
in tho armchair, and after ~ fe
desultcry remarks and prelimiuar
clearings Of tho throat, no made u
plunge.
'Wbat time it seems since you',
been over r1s,the shop, Nancy i
been missing you badly"
"Eave you, really?" returned sh
a faint tinge Of color stealing into h
pale check.
"Yce, I've been missing you, and
set me thinking continued VI
Sprunt, Ia u reflective tone. 81 sa
to myself, says J, 'et you misses
person when you don't SEQ her. III
shows you've hankering after h,
And II you've hankering after a p,
son, That shows you're in love wi
her. Aud II you're in love with pa
son }, the next things TO get mi
ried . ~, says I-subioct TO !
approval, of course" added the m
Of swap and treacle, and as an aft