Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-07-08
A TRAGEDY
THAT FAILED.


With a thunder storm mptiering
among the hills, and a dozen loads OF
hay in the cock on the big meadow, it
would have been sheer madness, OF
course, to have allowed Amos Doxey,
the hired man. TO so to the railroad
station 10 meet the new summer board
er. Not a man could be spared from
the bayfield, that afternoon. so Cicely
Maynard, the hired girl was instructed
to harness old Sorrel and fetch home
the young artist. who had written that
he would arrive on the 4 o'clock mix
ed"
Cicely was only too glad to go. Like
most farm help, she looked upon any
variation of the everlasting routine OF
daily labor as a blessing TO be thankful
for. The four-mile ride to the station
through the woods and along the river
was in itself infinitely preferable to an
afternoon in the kitchen and milk
room. and then there was the added
pleasure of gratifying ones curiosity
about the new boarder, and having the
company home of a young man who
was also a genius-provided you look
ed at him from the right level. And
although pretty Cicely had been for
two years engaged to Amos Doxey. the
hired man. she had not yet sufficient
ly subdued her girlish sensibility to be
unmindful, in a demure and innocent
way, OF the romance of riding four
miles alone with a young man who
could paint pictures and who lived in
the city.
Perhaps Amos. with loves clairvoy-
ant insight, had arrived at some con-
seriousness of Cicely's feelings, for. as
he denied himself his customary sec
-ond piece of pie, in order that he might
,v,I hr1~ HI hoo, 4a1,
up" he said, with clumsy indirectness.
I'm kindtof sorry we're so driv' to-
day, Cicely. I'd a liked TO haze gone
for that young Teller myself. tn set
back your work considerable, I'm
afraid"
"Oh. don't worry yourself about
that" laughed Cicely. Il can always
work twice as fast after I've had q
good time. 1t chirks me up SOL
This was cold comfort for Amos, but
has =. naturally Of = Jealous disno-
sition. and after making due allowance
ior che variety of inference implied in
the words "a good time" he did not
find it in his heart TO be very sorry af-
ter all. that Cicely should have an af-
ternoon's outing. He was just climb
ing into the hayrack TO drive TO the
meadow when Cicely started off with
old Sorrel. She nodded a smiling
goodbye, and Amos heart was COM
forted within him. He could not help
thinking what a lucky dog he was
he. an old bachelor of 35, TO have won
this sweet blooming girl of %. They
had known each other for a long time
both having been in the service of the
Judsons since Cicely was a child OF IA
Their friendship had been strong sim
cere and without frivolity, and love
with them had been merely the natural
deepening and expansion of devoted
friendship. In due course they had be-
come engaged and now both of them
were laying by every penny in glad
anticipation OF the time when they
could afford to lease a little farm OF
their own and settle down."
The threatened shower did not come
and the sweet sun-cured hay was safe.
~ in the barn long before Cicely re.
turned from her Grand Meanwhile
the girl was impatiently awaiting tn,
arrival of the new summer boarder
He had not come on the mixed" and
Cicely was just on the point of drivin;
away without him. when the station
agent came out with an open telegram
addressed to Mr.. Judson, saying tina
the young man had missed his train
and would come on the next, an ex
press, which stopped only at a sta
ton three miles farther down the road
The telegram requested that he Nigh
be met there.
Cicely considered the matter. Sh
finally came to the conclusion that MI
Judson would prefer to have her driv
on to the next station, returning HON
two or three hours later than expected
rather than leave the summer boarde
in a lurch. So she whipped up oil,
Sorrei, and reached Mayfeld Just il
time to meet the express. The youn
artist was profuse in apologies and ex
cuses, as he piled his luggage in tn
back OF the wagon. Cicely said moth
ing, save to murmur once, with an EN-
barrassed blush, that it was "a,
right" She made room for the youn
man on the seat at her side. and the
were on into the semi-shadow of tn
woods, where the tree-toads were a.
ready chirping and the katydids enter
ing upon their sharR disputes
Perhaps you're surprised that a We
man should come for you" said Cicel,
at length, feeling as If some explans
ton OF the situation might make it
little less embarrassing, at least to hel
self. 1T looked like rain, and Mr.. JuS
son couldn't come himself. or spare
man, because he had so much hay on
so he sent me-"
well, I'm glad he did, replied II
young man, with frank smile. "I'l
sure ! shall enjoy your company muc
better than should that of one of M
-Judson's hired men, or Mr.. Judso
himself. I beg pardon-may / as
whether you are a relative of Mr.. Ju,
son's?"
mo, sir" replied Cicely, blushir
holly under the eject of the your
mans glance and his WORDS. I'm on
Mr.. Judson's hired girl"
All" said the artist, and for son
minutes he relapsed into silence. II
Twilight slowly deepened in the woo
as they logged along, and louder al
more insolent swelled the chorus
insect voices. He doesn't like me
we'll since / told him l WIS a hir
girl" unused Cicely, bitterly. She
Lranf kno1.. viz she ahonld ezra hut 9