Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-09-15

proceeded TO change the subject with
Rn abruptness that was startling.
miss Mary" said she, with the
frank impertinence of an old servant,
"is Mr.. Hugh Raney your beau?"
"Of course notl" replied, rapidly;
Ehe's q friend of Mr.. Fred's."
"a fren' of Mr.. Fred's?" she repeat
cd, thoughtfully; "a mighty good fren',
Eence he comes ter see him twice week
nm sometimes oftener."
did not answer.
81 member Mr.. Hugh when he warn't
much biggern my Benjie. He's down
right hanson, Mr.. Hugh is. but he amt
much of tallker, is he? Ter tell you de
trufe, Miss Mary, lows ez you talks
too much ter Mr.. Hugh; you gifts him
kinder fapdazzled, an you don't give
him chance ter git az word in idge-
WISE"
/ 1 stared at Priscilla in speechless in
dignation.
"De oder night wiz in de hall fixin'
D. lamps, an I TUX motifs dat you did
all de tallxin'. Mr.. Hugh LATED an
LATED, but he amt never ascertained no
subject fur hissef."
priscilla" said I with flaming
cheeks, 81 wish you would go on with
your dusting."
"Prisently, Miss Mary, presently, but
! hez had hit in my mind fur long
time ter tell you dis (you amt got no
mother, Miss Mary, chile), and Use
'bleeged ter eend hit. I members hear
in Miss Alice say once (she an your ma
wuz in de garden under de orange
trees); SEE she, Kate SEE she, when
likes man I never talks, kase hit
pleases me ter listen, an when don't
like him I holes my tongue sose he kin
say all he hez in his mind right quick.
den / gifts a chance fur ter git rid OF
him."
got up and sauntered out of the
room, pretending indifference, but in
reality Priscilla's suggestion was by
no means lost upon me. Hugh Raney
was thorn in my path, and from all
appearances he intended to continue
one indefinitely. had known him as
child. and upon my return to the plan
tation. after my mothers death, he had
taken up the old friendship where we
dropped IL, years before. A slim, dark
fellow, with a ready laugh, but abso-
lutely no conversation. he called often
and again at Southmeade, boring me to
extinction and furnishing Fred with
never-ending material for teasing. It
was true, as Priscilla complained, that
did oil the talking. when he came 70
see me. but II had not, felt sure that
we would have sat and gazed at each
other In solemn silence. But Aunt
Alice's maxim. in Priscilla's language,
set me TO thinking. and TO such purpose
that when Fred knocked at my door
that evening with the facetious infor-
nation that my little playmate" was
whiting for me in the study. went out
to meet him. resolved TO try the magic
effects of silence. The result was
startling in the extreme. After one or
two fruitless attempts to lead me out"
and finding me absolutely unrespon-
sive. Hugh pulled his chair closer to
mine and proceeded to entertain" me
for the first time in his life. My dull
ness seemed to stimulate him. for the
quieter | became the merrier he grew.
Whether he attributed my apathy TO
sudden self-consciousness or apprecia-
ton of the situation. I do not know. but
before very long he launched into per-
sonal conversation of type he had
never before attempted. Priscilla
could no longer complain that "he never
oecartof,ad - -.,l,sou< g. \. g. -
tanned" so much in a comparatively
short time that he gave me ample food
for reflection.
Priscilla met me with my lamp Just
after he had gone, and the expression of
satisfaction on her features was diff
cult to ignore. did so. however. and
went yawning off TO bed after first re-
preaching Fred bitterly for not coming
in.
Well, the story is soon told. Nv
caller, finding me so unusually pensive
and thoughtful. became so emboldened
that after several visits he gave me an
opportunity to answer definitely,
whether or not he found favor IN nv
sight. IL was hard to convince him
that he did not. but after the use of
good deal of plain and earnest English |
! finally persuaded him that was real |
lv possessed of such bad taste, and a |
few minutes later he rushed out of nv |
presence, sprang onto his horse and |
rode fnriously away.
1t must have been half an hour after
that Priscilla came into the library and |
found me staring into an empty hearth. |
"Huccome you let de fire go out ?" she
asked, reprovingly.
II did not notice IT," answered; 81 /
was thinking of something else"
She chuclSled: Il reckon you bleeves
now, Miss Mary. dat Miss Alice knowed
what she wuz tallxin' about"
what do you mean?" demanded.
She looked at me quizzically.
priscilla" suddenly recalling a noise
had heard in the book closet adjoin-
ing the study; Priscilla. can it be that
you were in Wonder listening?n