Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-08-31

SgSSoSs SMS/5 Mrs. MOTIFS o
VSASss8&MD her great friend
<JWSl the doctor:
INV eN~ wife, as the two
ladies were enjoying five o'clock tel
and the general gossip OF the parish
together one afternoon.
"Beatrix Harcourt," Mrs. Maynard
answered promptly.
"Ah, you saw her, too, then. must
soy vas astonished. 1t is we'll known
that young Morton bears the charac-
ter of being the fastest man in the
noighborhood."
81 have long ceased to be surprised
at anything Beatrix Harcourt does, %
the other lady answered significantly.
eff Mr.. Kenrick does not mind, L do
not see why anyone else should trouble
thoir heads about her cccentricities. /"
Certainly not" Mrs. Morris
agreed. "But, really, Rose, she was
laughing and talking in the most Ia
miliar manner, and Gerald was bend
ing toward her until his face nearly
touched hers"
"And that is our future Wears wife! {!
Well, I shall take care my daughters
do not see much of her.: And Mrs.
Maynard drew herself up with kind
of lofty indignation, as some fresh
visitors were shown into the. room.S
--rvvr-lovrst.ts>t-II p. ts>t zr'rrrvr0ur,-Ssvrrit-
ouencies we're the subject of many af-
terr BON tea gossips, and had been
ever since she came to Hillchester,
four years ago. She certainly was un-
like other girls; for, in addition to be-
ing "bluo stocking" and having
taken her degree at Oxford, she had
most unreasonable interest in the
working classes-not mere lady like
interest, which contented i.self with
calling at their cottages with few
words of good advice and tract. All,
no! she had always some plan, OF
sscraze, as the good people of Hill
chester called it, for their benefit on
hand-classes for the young girls, am-
bulance lectures, concerts, teas, what
not?
For the conventionalities Of society
she cared not at all. She never at
tended the afternoon teas, therefore
she heard no gossip. She was not
even particular about being III the
fashion; in fact. the black serge lress
she usually wore looked, from constant
exposure to the weather, as if it had
seen better days.
She had been known even to take
the broom off the lame old crossing
sweeper at the corner Of the road and
york away in earnest until there was
o passage fit for queen to walk over.
And in spite of all. the vicar of Hill
chester had asked Beatrix Harcourt to
be his wife. Well, as the leaders of
society in Hillchester remarked with
ominous sighs, wonders never cease!
Nevertheless, it must be confessed
that the Rev. john Kenrick was in
no very enviable frame of mind, as O
week later lie wended his way some
what slowly toward his lady loves
abode.
The gossip which had begun in Mrs.
Maynard's drawing room had spread
all over the parish, until version OF
it, highly exaggerated and colored,
had reached even the wears cars
Beatrix was leaning over the drive
gate which led to her fathers house,
watching for him as usual, and as he
saw the glad look Of welcome brighten
and sweeten all her face at his mp.
proach, he said to himself that his
darling was as pure and sweet as the
wild roses she fastened in her belt.
But Beatrix soon discovered some
thing was amiss, and after the frs
greetings were over she asked, almost
auxi ,usly, "Whatis is the matter, John:
You do not look we'll" :"
For full minute Mr.. Kenrick did
not answer. Instead he looked down
at her rs she stood with one small
banJ> resting upon his black Goa
sleeve; >the sunlight falling with Low
ing touch upon her hair, which wa:
cut short ilcnntler point which me-
with the disfavor of the Hillchestel
matrons), and curled naturally al
over her head like child's. Hel
lover sometimes laughingly told he1
she had a baby face still, and he was
not far wrong, for her expression
was singu'arly untroubled aud clild
like, and yet there was depth o
feeling in the honest blue eyes which
told both of strength of characte'
and purpose.
'.Trix, tits silly perhaps, but some
thing have heard to day has troubled
s.lbout me?" Trix asked gayly
"Of what fresh enormity am &C
oused, John?" aud sudden gravit.
crept into the sweet voice; II though
you said that you minded none o
these things?"
'I do not" the vicar answere'
quickly; 'in1eed," gently strokin
the soft, yet strengthening. hand, .
love You all the better for them, but
it's better to speak cut. Trix, hay