Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-04-13

AOC AM n OON AND. CRIED.
are grounded on fact; it is but common
retribution that l should be reminded
of my sim
But the man, upright and honest in
his acknowledgement of error, would
not allow his culpability to be thus
condoned. His manllness had been
stirred to bitter self-revolt even bad6ra
| had made my attack upon him, shad
his self-respect would not permit it.
self to be satisfied without apology.
You are too lenient to me, my mot6-
er," he returned, and his voice viz
very deep and grave. With AN hex ig-
norance, Miss Lothrop is the better
judge of my conduct. Before hes 1
wish to assure you of my deep regret
and sincere sorrow for my miserable
gratuitous reflections upon the past.
and to ask you to pardon my lack of
consideration and respect"
The words were well enough, and
they We're uttered with certain emo
ton; but l felt that one kiss laid upon
the faded cheek, one loving touch plac-
cd upon the bowed form, would have
been worth all the correct apologies Ia
the world to Madam. She sighed ami
extended her beautiful hand to him,
to his lips. | was much abashed, now
that the moment of excitement was
over ,at the thought of my outbreak.
Yet | was too proud, and, still too re-
sentful of his treatment of Madam,
to acknowledge my want of proper
deeorum. But after he had left the
room, which he did almost immediate
ly, made my excuses to my mistress.
l spent Il charming evening at tlfe
Spencer's. Both mother and son were
in good spirits, and the hours sped
rapidly away. | told DR.. Spencer that
/ had arranged TO have Holmes cob4e
for me, and, probably understanding
my motive, he considerably made no
comment on the arrangement. l must
not forget by the way, to mention Il
little incident which occurred before
l set out for my visit.
Franklin had come to my room dur
ing the afternoon with very dis
tressed face
Miss Lothrop," he began, II ass
afraid we are going to have trouble
with the new servants. They and Mrs.
Mayberry are at Odds and there's row
ing below-stairs about all the time"
what seems to be the trouble? i
asked. What do they complain of?f
"They don't complain exactly" lie re-
piled. But they've taken 1t into their
heads-the stupid fools.-that the Stone
House is haunted ,and the idea sends
Mayberry into fits. She gets regular
ly violent when they talk about it, anC
they talk more than they otherwise
would do simply to tease her.
''H'mr' | mWmured. II wonder
what they say about the house; do
you know, Franklin?"
"Well, miss, they do say that when
they come home from the village at
night-a couple of them have families
living in Eldon, and they 20 back and
forth often--they sometimes see
ghostly figure standing at one of the
windows and hear n woman's voice
singing or screecfhng in the house.
It's nonsense, miss, of course, but II
may in time make 1t impossible for
my mistress to secure servants willing
to live here"
"And what does Mayberry have to
say to all this?"
"She gets quite violent and excited,
miss. and calls them hard names.
She's changed a good bit of late, Mrs.
Mayberry has. l wouldn't like to say
II to anyone but you. Miss Lothrop,
but she really does not properly attend
to her duties in the house here, ana
am obliged to look after things good
deal more closely than my position re
uuires, for fear my mistress and SIr>
Chester will not be properly cared forP
| chewed the cud of this reflection as
strolled down to the village. /, of
course, had detected long since the
change in the housekeeper, bet it was
not my place to comment upon 1t.
Since the night when l had Received
her appeal for advice / had very sell
dom come in contact with her, and new
interests at The Ivies had rendered me
somewhat inattentive to the claims OF
nv village friends and pensioners, so
that | had had but little occasion TO
dwell upon the thought of the Stone
House or its singular manifestations.
| would have loved dearly to take my
kind hosts into my confidence this
evening, and ask their advice as to the
whole affair, but I had never broken
through my rule not to gossip with
anyone of events connected with my
life at The Iyies.
About ten o'clock / heard the sound
of wheels stopping before the doctors
gate, and prepared TO depart.
"Will you be so good as to caH out
TO Holmes that l am coming?' l sug
gested to my host; lit will save the
old mans getting out"
He complied, and, n few moments
later, accompanied me out to the car
riage | was surprised to discover that
the dog-cart had been senr for me. but
my surprise was greatly Increased
when I saw that Darracott Chester |
himself had come to drive me home. !
| felt a momentary awkwardness at |
the prospect of a meeting between two |
men who, | was convinced. no longer |
feelings of friendship for |
each other. but l might have spared !
myself needless worry, for they salut |
I'd each other with polite, If distant, |
| mounted the cart and we 7
drove rapidly away.
| had felt constrained in the society /
Of Darracott ever since the scene OF |,
the preceding day, and l had sought
E1ysT