The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1900-10-06
AFTER THE STORM.


IF we can't agree, ma'am, its high
time we parted company" said Mr..
NKabas Burlington.
"My sentiments exactly" said Miss
Patty Chickson, "and the sooner the
better, according to my way of think
ing"
Mr.. Burlington was portly indivld-
ual. with a Roman nose, iron-gray
hair, and a stout, short figure.
Miss Chickson was tall and spare.
with little spiral curls and the remains
of a complexion, and with blue eyes,
that had been passing bright 20 years
ago.
There is an end to all human endur-
ance," observed the gentleman stern
Il.
Sir said Miss Chickson. Il have
put up with your eccentricities until
forbearance has ceased tobe a virtue"
"A months notice. said Mr. Buff
fngton, savagely fiourishing his yell
low silk pocket-handkerchief.
You are quite at liberty to go at
the end of "a hours, for all l care
retorted Miss Chickson, with dignity.
Madam, l take you at your word,
said the gentleman.
Mr.. BarnabaS Burlington had lodged
with Miss Patty Chickson for %
years. He was rich and eccentric;
she was poor and proud. AS young
people, there had been certain love
passages between them-or rather the
: t16ds of loves passages, which had
never blossomed into full perfection =
and when Mr.. Burlington came home
from China and found his old pastors
orphan daughter trying to gain
scanty livelihood by letting apart
ments, he engaged her entire second
floor at once. aud paid his way like
rajah.
Poor girl. poor grl.' said Mr.. Bar
nabas Burlington. But how thin and
old-maidish she has grown! l really
can imagine hos |7Is
fancise VIZ 'Sensse foo1s
young men are, to be sure"
Poor, dear.< Mr.. Burlington! how
stout andSulgar he has become" said
Miss -Chickson. "And only to think
how slender he was once. How the
dreams of ones youthful days do 81
teri
Mr.. Barnabas Burlington was not
perfect enough to be canonized, and
Miss Chickson had her petty peculiari-
ties. The consequence was that little
collisions were inevitable.
And one day there came a longer
measuring of wordy words than usual,
and Mr.. Burlington and Miss Chick
son formally parted.
"Ten years is quite long enough to
tolerate this state of things" said the
old bachelor.
I'm only surprised that l haven't
turned him away long ago." said the
old maid.
So when Mr.. Burlington had gone
away, in cab piled high with bag
gage, Miss Chickson rang the bell for
her maid
Barbara" said she.
Yes, ma'am?' said Barbara.
Mr.. Burlington is gone at last"
$50 l perceive. ma'am," said Bar
bara. And won't he come back again,
ma'am:'
Never said Miss Chickson, with
spirit.
oh" said Barbara, rather sur
prised.
1T will be necessary for us to re-
duce expenses" remarked the mis-,
tress. "Of course l cannot any long
er afford to keep so Large house as
this. Mr.. Burlington. whatever were
his faults. cannot at least be accused
of parsimony."
Certainly not, ma'am,' said Bar
bara.
'Of all liberal, free-handed, kind
spoken gents
Barbara. you will oblige me by
hiding your tongue said Miss Chick
son.
Certainly, ma'am." said Barbara.
Get me cup of tea said Miss
Chickson. land when / have drunk it
l will go out to look for cheaper
house. in less aristocratic neighbor-
hood"
Barbara brought up the tea. in a
quaint little Wedgewood teapot, on a
japanese tray.
Miss ChickSon drank it in silence,
looking sadly at the fire.
Tea was, so to speak, Miss Chick
sons inspiration. When she was low
spirited or in doubt or puzzled, or in
any way thrown off her mental Dal-
ance. she drank tea, and straightway
became herself again.
Meanwhile. Mr. Barnabas Bufing
ton. in the solitary Splendors Of a
west end hotel, was scarcely less i'll
at ease.
81 don't like this sort Of thing at
ALL" said Mr. Burlington to himself.
one morning Il month later. 1T isn't
homelike. There's no cat here. Patty
Chickson always kept cat. There's
something very domestic and cOzy
looking about a cat, I'll go out ana
look down the advertising columns Of
the daily paper and see what induce
ments they have to offer in the way
of quiet. respectable homes for elder
" gentlemen"