The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-08-28

v
vorite seat on the doorstep to read,
while Mrs. Montacute was spending
the afternoon at some neighbours
house.
II shall not have many more reads
on this nice old doorstep" thought
Peggy, with tears in her eyes.
But as she sat there, looking ex-
quisitely lovely in the level afternoon
sunlight, with her pink dress relieving
her tropical beauty in true artist
fashion, and the faintest possible shade
of rose glowing in her cheek, q
shadow fell across her book.
She started up to behold a tall.
linen-suited young man, with travel
ing knapsack strapped on his shoulder,
and a golden beard and moustache
covering the lower part of his coun-
tenance.
81 beg your pardon" he said, lifting
his cap. 81 fear that I have dis
turbed your studies. Is Mrs. Monta-
cute at home?'
Peggy had started up, with dark
eyes glittering beneath their jet black
lashes, and.cheeks burning with en-
barrassment.
''She is not at home She has gone
to Miss Deborah Deals" she said,
dropping "Moore's Melodies" in her
CONSERVATION. 81 will go for her ut
once"
81 cannot allow such thingr' said
the college graduate, courteously. 81
know where the place isl will go
myself
But Peggy had flown like startled
bird across the elm-shaded yard and
had vanished before he could recall
her.
"ByJove" said Clement Montacute,
what beauty"
He sat down on the seat she had
just vacated, and took up the volume
of poems.
"And she has brains, too, and q cul-
tivated sense of the beautiful" he
added, as he observed the penciled
marks along the margins of the
sweetest verses. "Visiting my mother,
I suppose. wonder where she picked
up such little gem?"
Presently, Mrs. Montacute made her
appearance, rosy with the combined
influences of maternal qualification
and her hurried walk.
Clement welcomed her with true
filial warmth, and, at the same
time, he looked over her shoulder, as
if he expected to see some one else.
"Where is she?" he asked.
"Where is who?" demanded Mrs.
Montacute, tanning herself with
turkey-feather fan and painting for
breath.
''The young lady,"
"What young lady?"
"Why, your visitor, suppose"
Mrs. Montacute stared.
''My dear boy" said she, 81 have
no visitor"
'eThe young lady with the dark eyes
and curls," said Clement, impatiently.
''The young lady that was reading
this" holding up the volume OF
"Moore's Melodies"
"Why," cried Mrs. Montacute, "it's
Peggyr'
''It's who?" 4
"Peggy-the asylum girl"
"Nonsensel'' cried Clement, very
red. "Don't I know lady when I
see her?"
"But it's our Peggy, all the same"
stoutly insisted Mrs. Montacute.
The moon, which had been only
slender silver thread when Elder
Doubleday made his first visit to the
Montacute farmhouse, was globe of
silver when his cumbrous one
horse chaise rumbled up second
time to the door-stone.
"Well," said the elder, where's
the young woman? I've come to fetch
her to our place."
Mrs. Montacute hurried to the
door.
Indeed, elder" faltered she, 'I'm
very sorry-that is, I'm very glad-or
rather really don't know whether to
be glad or sorry on your account,
though ON my own I'm perfectly de-
lighted. But my son Clement is en-
gagged"
engaged, is hep" said the elder.
'But don't see as that need alter my
plans"
"But it does, cried Mrs Montacute,
more confused than ever, "because he
is engaged to our Peggy!'
''Eh?" said the elder.
''And they're to be married in six
weeks" said Mrs. Montacute, radi-
antly; "and Clement is to settle down
here on the old farm, and we're all to
be as happy as the day is long"
''Humph!'' grunted the elder. 81
thought he didn't like asylum girls.
''You never saw q man so much in
love in your life," said Mrs. Monta-
cute; land he's teaching Peggy Latin,
and he says she is a genius, and he's
going to have some of her poetry pub
lished."
''Then on the whole" said the ell
der, 81 may as well get home again as
fast as L can, and tell Mrs. Doubleday
to look out for another girl.
"Well, perhaps on the whole you
had better" said Mrs Montacute. j.
So the beautiful girl was slave no
longer, but matters were reversed;
Nr.0~.Suo,,,ov+ lToofocuta had roma into