The National tribune., 1900-11-15
MRS. CHICK AND THE FALLEN CHIEF.

Late IN the afternoon OF the same day q
coach drawn by four horses was flying
along the sandy road that led through a
Jersey cedar wood to Perth Amboy. Their,
were three persons in the coach. First
there was Mrs. Chick, in her cold, imperi.
GUS beauty and hauteur, her black eyes
sparkling and her cheeks growing alter
nately pale and red. Then there was her
mother, the giddy creature of 60 with
youthful costume and manners, posing for
Queen Elizabeth on the carriage seat, and
Sinking and smiling in such a pleasant
childish way that one could not but sym
pathize with her youthful innocence. The
third was Asa, who with his hands in his
pockets, leaned his head against the side
of the carriage and dOZed.
Sweetest Alice, / trust that you have
not allowed those foul calumnies invented
by enemies at Albany to annoy you?"
No, mother, ! have scarce given them
thought" Mrs. Chick sighed in her de
mure, innocent way.
And Chick, what says he about them z?
He believes them false; but Sam is an
old chronic grumbler, dyspeptic and ]
am really tired Of him." Mrs. Chick an
swered, with look of disgust on her face
Mrs. Chick had never seen anything 81
mean and Commonplace in her husband IN
til the VicePresident had been introduced
TO her by Mr.. hatchery, and the aforesaid
Nice-President had slyly declared her the
most beautiful woman in the city She
went to her mirror aud gaZed into il n
long time 1t then dawned on the uncuI-
tured mind of Mrs. Chick that she was
beautiful. True, her black eyes were rath-
er under size, and she was somewhat en-
bonpoint, and her face was what a con-
noisseur might call plain, and she wore
one false tooth; nevertheless, as the Vice
President had called her beautiful she
knew she was beautiful This opinion was
so firmly fixed in the mind of Mrs. Chick
that there was no power that could re-
move it. 1t increased her dislike for her
plain, commonplace husband. But for him
she might be the wife of the Vice-Pr..si
dent Of the United States, or even grace
the Presidential Mansion. Chick could moi
have accommodated her more at one time
than to have made her q widow Bu
Chick did not die. Although he was
dyspeptic, and often troubled with a gen
eral depression of spirits, and Oftener out
of hunor with his wife. himself. and The
whole world, still, with wonderful per.
verseness, he persisted in living.
The scandals to which the youthful
mother referred had caused the cheeks OF
Mrs. Chick TO turn a little pale, and she
was, Mortified one morning to find som.
wrinkles on her brow. Many Of her lady
acquaintance standing highest in socia
circles had cut her acquaintance. She haC
been expelled from one of their societies
and yet the Burrites, with Mr.. hatchery
upheld this woman with all their power
of wealth and position for the sake OF
Aaron Burr. Batterton, whom she vowed
she would have liked to kill, urged :
church investigation so strongly anC
backed his position by so many sworn aifi
davits, that, in order TO avoid the damag
ing testimony that the trial would brin,
forth, she, in accordance with Burrs in
struc,ions, Withdrew from the church. Sht
had gone to New York TO consult Will
Col. Burr, her legal adviser. arriving tn,
day before he fed, but not in time 60 Sc,
him. Having received the cipher dispatch
by the hands of Harry Granger, she. witt
her mother and brother, in the old fam
lily carriage, was Fastening across New
Jersey TO meet him.
1T gives me unbOundcd JOY. preciou,
Alice, to know you have not allowed thos,
silly rumors TO annoy you. They grieyet
me very much until / learned that yol
did not care for them
The carriage was only few miles from
Perth AmbOy. and going ut rapid rat,
though n wood, when four armed men sud
denly stepped ont into the road and com
manded the coachman TO halt.
Boggs. Boggsi why have You stopped .
shriekcd the shril voice of the juvenil,
creature.
"Boggs, Bogss. why did you stop" de
manded her SON
Roggs, you are a fool"'
Yes, Boggs, you are a fOol,'
BEG pardon, men," the frightened
Boggs whispered, while the lead horse,
struggled in the grasp Of Il strong man
but it Is foot-pads this time, sure"
At this the representative of Queer
Elizabeth began to utter faint shricks
which grew shriller and shriller every mo
nent, until man appeared at the side OF