The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-11-02
A GOSSIP'S MISTAKE
(By Mary Edgworth.l

~ uVDOlI y MlDlAAE
By Mary Edgworth.)
Engaged to young Hazel, is she?"
said Miss Felicia Addertongue. sharply.
Going to be q fine lady. Ell? And I
a remember the time when she was
a barefooted girl. picking raspberies in
her fathers field"
"She has grown up very pretty" said
gentle Widow Markham in her mild
way.
Engaged to young Hazel, il she?"
repeated Miss Addertongue, with a vi
cious look in her coal-black eyes. II
a put a spoke In her wheel, I think,
Tall, young chap. amt he. with black
hair curling close to his head, and
mustache as black as ink?"
YES" said wondering Mrs. Markham.
II didn't know you knew him."
"oh, I know him." said Miss Adder
tongue, with a toss of the head; land
I know one or two things about him
that Millville society don't seem to be
up in"
"You don't say SOL" said the widow,
c%uriously.
II do say so. I mean It. You see.
Mrs. Markham. I have way and means
Of getting behind the scenes that no
one else has. My sister. Phebe Ann.
that married Slatterly. and was left
a widow six years & come next
March. she's housekeeper at the H
hotel. And I was visiting her there
last March, and that's how I came to
see Mr.. Hazel" -.
"Myr' calculated the widow.
with my own eyes," said Miss Ad-
dertongue. rolling up those organs I'M
til there was some danger Of their
retiring altogether into her head. liar
old Hazel. tall and dark. and always full
Of fun7"
EXACTLY" cried Mrs Markham.
HI was there" remarked Miss Fe-
licia, with his wife,"
Ills wife!" echoed Mrs. Markham. 1T
can't be possibler
But it is, though asserted Miss Fee
SA0 VAIN SAOOAAy ASAAohs / DOW SAA
myself. I heard him introduce her as
Mrs. Hazel and tell somebody rs
how she was a great heiress. Older than
him, but still not what you'd call an old
maid, though of course he married her
for her money. No kind of doubt about
that. Such diamonds as she wore
and such silk gowns and overskirts Of
point lace as you might over
with bank notes, and still not come up
to its value"
But" cried the bewildered Mrs.
Markham, "he's engaged to Juliet Reed,
for I've seen the engaged ring she
years."
And he's married to the black-eyed
lady" said Miss Addertongue, with
equal emphasis, because I saw the
wedding ring"
Then what does he NEAR by maxi
ing love to Farmer Reeds daughter"
Indignantly cried Mrs. Markham.
"Humph" said Miss Felicia. pursuing
up her lips viciously. That's a question
I can't pretend to answer. What do
men mean generally by their pranks?
Just to have a little fun, I suppose, and
anus themselves for the time being"
tits a cruel, wicked thing" said
Mrs. Markham, land Juliet is such a
pretty girl"
Tastes differ" said Miss Adder
tongue. For my part, I fancied
them big blue eyes and hair as look as
If 1t had been bleached. Juliet Reed
always did feel above the rest Of the
Millville folks"
Some one ought to tell her." said
Mrs. Markham.
"Of course they ought" said Miss Ad-
dertongue.
II couldn't dc it," said the gentle
hearted widow.
st could" said Miss Addertongue.
II can mostly do anything when I feel
it to be my Christian duty"
Pretty Juliet Reed was sewing in the
cool porch, where the shadow Of the
great elm trees made a green oasis in
the desert Of sunshine around the
pale as death as Miss Addertongue un-
folded her tale.
Harold married." she cried. Harold
with another wife? I do not believe it.
It is false"
IT seen her with my own eyes" said
Miss Felicia, secretly enjoying Juliet's
agonized terror. "A great heiress-and
Of course a man will strike for money"
but it must be a mistake" persist
ed Juliet, the color coming and going
on her face like q rosy aurora bore
ais.
'Alas!" groaned Miss Addertongue,
ut is but too true. OF course it is a
great disappointment to you, juliet
Reed, but maybe it's meant by an all
wise Providence as a lesson to lower
your pride, n teach you that we're
all poor worms. and"
Miss Addertongue." said Juliet,
drawing herself up, and fixing her blue
eyes on the malicious old gossip, pray
be silent. 1t is not you place to preach
a discourse to me nor to dictate in mat
<aro u,byoh portaip IN mo alOpo Will