The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1901-02-16
Ter COUSIN IDA
By Mrs. Moses p. Handy. !
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Copyright. 1900. the Authors syndicate.)

HTELL, Abby, Ida will be here
AZ next week; she ewants me to take
10 board for spell"
Sby Merrill walked across the
b, sat down. and began to knit,
Ire she answered: "Why? 1t isn't
|mer."
10, but her father and Mrs. STAN
. are going to Seattle, and Ida
u want to take the trip. / have
1dea she is not any too fond of her
5mother. Anyhow, she wants to
here until they come back"
4f course we shall have to take
RS. Merrill looked at her daugh-
Ein astonishment. "Of course.
e you anything against it? l
kght you would be delighted.
didn't want TO let her out of
sight when she was here two
5 back. For my part. I'm glad
coming. She is such good COM
and she never gives a mite of
bile, just fits in, and is always
" to help. 1t isn't every girl
has been used to the best of
Ething, like Ida, who would be
bnd of her country kinfolks."
I'M sure, mother, her mother was
own first cousin"
<es, but some girls wouldn't like
my better for that. To be sure,
IRE not to say poor, but we are
rent to the fine folks Ida goes
q in town."
les" assented Abby, >"I suppose
Ire. But l don't know why you
y I mind her coming. l just
kht it queer"
tell the truth. Abby Merrill did
hare her mothers satisfaction
|I expected arrival. She admired
&6usin extravagantly, and it was
ut very reason that, just now,
ould have preferred that she
M stay away. Abby understood
<6dFly that she was oyershadowed
htr brilliant cousin. Ida Stanton
1 unusually pretty, she had had
NJ advantage of education and
"a: moreover, she was clever, and
[@bsed of personal magnetism in
aIkh degree. Abby dreaded her
ling; how much she did not want
mother to know. For the girl
4 IN love, and believed her affec-
j Returned, although no vows had
I'D between her and her lover.
IL was a new minister at Mer-
b Corner, young. unmarried, and
1bby's eyes altogether lovely. He
her better than any other girl
congregation, she was sure of
But Cousin Ida was coming,
LOW could any man fail to fall
low with her? 81 wouldn't mind,''
i Abby said to herself, ''if there
! 4ny chance that she would fall
|1@& with him. But she won't, she
I1st break his heart, and make
miserable. I always feel like a
LOW by the side of an oriole when
a with Cousin Ida, and I don't
Mr.. Kirkland will look at me
She is here"
d&Stanton was really fond of her
<IIIs. She was born fiirt and
& III men as her legitimate prey,
4he would not have hurt Abby
great thing. still less a small
when Mr.. Kirkland called soon
e< her arrival, she welcomed him
1mething superior to the young
<rs whom she expected to meet.
1Ser. her lohg-lashed. hazel-gray
= <were quick to see, and Abby's
- and look of apprehension en-
med her instantly. sHands of" I"
bid to herself, and gave her
I'LL attention to the shawl which
ms knitting for her cousin Jane.
fer<heless. she was conscious that
minister looked, not once, but
Nv times, in her direction, al
ugh, like a good little girl. she
ke only when she was spoken to.
) 1t her fault that Mr.. Kirkland
nght her voice one of the sweet
6e had ever heard, and listened
16tly to the few words which she
e during his visit? When he left,
4I7siOns were not of Abbvfs child