The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1900-03-29

Mistake Of a Gossip.
BY MARY EooWoRTH.

eh? And I eau remember the time
when she was barefooted girl, pick
ing raspberries in her fathers field. "
''She has grown up very pretty y
said gentle Widow Markham, in her
mild way.
Engaged to young Hazel, is she?"
repeated Miss Addertongue, with a
vicious look in her coal-black eyes.
sI can put 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?"
ssYes," said the wondering Mrs.
Markham. II didn't know you
knew him"
ooh, know him." said Miss Adj
dertongue, with toss of the head;
t.and know one or two things about
him that Millville society don't seem
to be. up in"
'.You don't say so?" said the
widow, curiously.
s.I do say so, I mean it. You see,
Mrs. Markham, I have ways and
means of getting behind the scenes
that no one else has. Ny sister,
Phebe Ann, that married Slatterly,
and was left widow six years ago
come next March, she's housekeeper
at the Il Hotel And Twas visit
ing her there last month, and that's
how came to see Mr.. Hazel"
'sMy" calculated the widow.
.sWith my own eyes," said Miss
Addertongue, rolling up those organs
: until there was some danger of their
retiring altogether into her head.
.Earold Hazel, tall and dark, and
always full of fun?"
Exactly" cried Mrs. Markham.
CHE was there" remarked Miss
Z Felicia, swith his WIFE,"
..His wife!" echoed Mrs. Markham.
s.It can't be possible"
sBut it is. though" asserted Miss
Felicia, with gloomy relish. II saw
'em myself. 1 heard him introduce
her as 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
4 diamonds as she wore-and such silk
gowns and overskirts of point lace as
YOU might cover up with bank notes,
and still not come up to its value"
s.But," cried out bewildered Mrs.
Markham, '.he's engaged to Juliet
Reed, for I've seen the engaged ring
she wears"
ssAnd he's married to the black
eyed lady," said Miss Addertongue,
with equal emphasis, ''because I saw
the wedding ring"
sThen what does he mean by max
{ ing love to Farmer Reeds daughter?"
Indignantly cried Mrs. Markham.
s'Humph!" said Miss Felicia, purs-
ing mp her lips viciously. ''That's a
question I can't pretend to answer.
What do men mean generally by their
prankss Just to haye a little fun, 1
s suppose, and amuse themselves for
the time being"
s.Its cruel, wicked thing" said
Mrs. Markham, stand juliet is such a
pretty girl
TASTES differ" said Miss Adder
tongue. 'tFor 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 Millville folks
s'Some one ought to tell her," said
Mrs. Markham.
"Of course they ought" said Miss
Addertongue.
'I couldn't do it, said the gentle
hearted widow.
ST could" said Miss Addertongue.
sI 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 green oasis
in the desert of sunshine around the
quaint, one-storied farmhouse. She
grew pale as death as Miss Adder
tongue unfolded her tale.
stHarold msrriedr' she cried.
B ..Harold with another wife? I do not
believe it 1t is false"
ST seen her with my own eyes"
said Miss Felicia, secretly enjoying
s Juliet's agonized terror. "a great
heiress--and of course a man will
strike for money"
ssBut it must be a mistake" per-
sisted Juliet, the color coming and
going on her face like rosy Aurora
Borealis.
.Alasr' groaned Miss:Addertougue,
s SIT 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 lesson to lower
your pride, and teach you that we're
all poor worms, and -"
'sMiss Addertongue, said Juliet,
drawing herself up, and fixing her
blue eyes on the malicious old gossip,
spray be silent. 1t is not your place
to preach discourse to me nor to
dictate in matters which pertain to
me alone. Will you excuse me if 1
ask you to leave me?"
'Oh, certainly, certainly" said
Miss Addertongue, rather discon-
certed, but venomous as ever. ''But
it amt no use trying to conceal the
truth. He's played you mean trick.
and Tilted you,jus for his own amuse-
ment, when he had wife living al
ready, and"
But to Miss Addertongue's amaze
ment she was left standing alone on
the porch. Juliet Reed had quietly
walked into the house and shut the
door in her face.
.'What does it mean?' Juliet
asked herself, in sort of dizzy be-
wiiderment. ''He was going away
he had not written for a week. Oh,
surely, surely it cannot be possible
that there is the faintest shadow of
truth in the monstrous story!" And
with her flushed face buried in her
hands, Juliet Reed tried to fancy
what the world would be with Harold
Hazel's love and constaucy out of it.
81 told you So" croaked Miss Ad-