The Opelousas courier., 1900-05-19

Mistake Of a Gossip.
e
BY MARY EoowoRTH.

when she was a %barefooted girl, pick
ing raspberries in her fathers field"
"She has grown up very pretty"
said gentle Widow Markham, in her
mild way.
Engaged to young Hazel, is she?"
repeated Miss Addertongue, with o
vicious look in her coal black eyes.
IT can put q spoke in her wheel, /
think. Tall, young chap, amt he.
with black hair curling close to his
head, and mustache as black as ink?"
eyes," said the wondering Mrs.
Markham. 81 didn't know you
knew HIM"
ooh, / know him." said Miss Adj
dertongue, with a toss of the head;
sand 1 know II or two things about
him that Millville society don't seem
to be mp in"
''You don't say so?" said the
widow, curiously.
ST do say so, I mean il. You see,
Mrs. Markham, I have ways 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 ago
come next March, she's housekeeper
at the H Hotel. And was visit
ing her there last month, and that's
how / came to see MIR. Hazel"
"Myi" calculated the widow.
ssWith my own eyes," said Miss
Addertongne, rolling up those organs
until there was some danger of their
retiring altogether into her head.
Harold Hazel, tall and dark, and
always full OF fun?"
Exactly" cried Mrs. Markham.
"He was there" remarked Miss
Felicia, with his wife"
"His wife!" echoed Mrs. Markham.
''It can't be possible!"
'eBut it is, though" asserted Miss
Felicia. with gloomy relish. 81 saw
'em myself. ] heard him introduce
her az Mrs. Hazel and tell some
body as how she was . 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
yon might mp with bank notes,
and still not come up to its value"
But" cried out bewildered Mrs.
Markham, hes engaged to Juliet
Reed, for I've seen the engaged ring
she wears"
"And he's married to the black
eyed lady," said Miss Addertongue,
with equal emphasis, "because ] saw
the wedding ring"
ssThen what does he mean by max
ing love to Farmer Reeds daughter?"
Indignantly cried Mrs. Markham.
"Humph!' said Miss Felicia, purs-
ing mp her lips viciously. That's .
question / can't pretend to answe-.
What do men mean generally by their
gyanks? Just to have o little fun, I
suppose, and amuse themselves for
tho time being"
'sIt's q cruel, wicked thing" said
Mrs. Markham, ssand Juliet is such q
pretty girl"
TASTES differ" said Miss Adder
tongue. For my part, I never
fancied them big blue eyes, and hair
as looks as if it had been bleached.
Juliet Reed always did feel above the
rest OF the MillyiHe folks
aSome one ought to tell her" said
Mrs. Markham.
'tOf course they ought" said Miss
Addertongue.
Il couldn't do it" said the gentle
hearted 1idow.
sI could, !" said Miss Addertongae.
81 can mostly do anything when I feel
1t TO be my Christian duty.
Pretty Juliet Reed was sewing in
The cool porch, where the shadow Of
the great elm trees made green oasis
in the. desert Of sunshine around the
qunirs D, one-storied farmhouse. She
grew pale as death as Miss Adder
tongnf nnfolded her tale.
"Hapld emarfied!" she cried.
Harold with another wife? I do not
beliave ii. 1T is false"
81 seen her with my own eyes,
said Miss Felicia. secretly enjoying
Juliet's agonized terror. "a great
heiress-and Of course d man will
strike for money.
nBut it must be d mistake, per-
sisted Juliet, the color coming and
going on her face like q rosy Aurora
Borealis.
aAlasm groaned Miss Aadertougue.