The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-04-25

more attention 10 dress than / had
done, and with such success that / con
graduated myself on my general inn
provement l never was rated a mod
est man.
One day I dressed myself carefully.
harnessed up my finest team and pre-
pared for a journey. Helenette stood
&C the door TO see me off.
"Helenette" 1 said, "Pm going to
town. l may be gone a week. may
be gone a month. During my absence,
you and John will keep the farm In
running order, and on my return hope
TO introduce you TO your future mis-
tress"
l clucked to the horse, without wait
Ing for any reply from Helenette To
my dying day shall never forget the
strange look that came into her face.
l gave 1t scarcely a seconds notice,
however. but dashed down the two
mile road leading to the village
Going to town, Neighbor Boiling
broke?"
Looking over my shoulder, l beheld
Mr.. Dayson, a we'll to do farmer who
lived a mile below my own farm, COM
ing with his fine span Of grays, the
beams Of health irradlatlng his counte-
nance.
"Yes-I'm wife hunting" I said face
tiously refining to one side that he
might pass
mo, keep on; I'm not bound for the
village today; 1 turn toward Mr..
Darts at the next corner. But, my
dear Bolingbroke, you have left the
woman you want behind"
what do you mean"
"Helenette's the wife for you She's
economical, capable, and you're more
than half in love with each other"
Cannon! She thinks Of nothing
but her work"
Go back and find out if I'm not
right. Why, you ought to marry her!
She's helped to buy the farm
My neighbOr drove on, leaving me to
ponder over his words I remembered
the look on Helenette's face as drove
away. What if it should be
Hello! Can you tell me how far it
is to Gordon Bolingbroke's"
looked up to see gentlemanly
looking person standing in the road.
"Why do you wish to know"
II want to see his housekeeper, Hell
enette Rathburne. Having decided to
take a wife, intend to make her a pro
posal."
was dumfounded for a minute; then
I said CURLY:
Gordon Bolingbroke's farm is just
one mile from here. Take the first
road that leads to the right Good
day, sir"
touched my horse testify with the
whip, the result being that 1 found
myself in the ditch, my tie out of gear,
my watch chain broken For awhile
l knew nothing. Then somebody
sweetly asked:
Are you feeling better, GordonY'
1t was the voice OF Helenette-
Better? What's the trouble?'
Don't you remember being thrown
from your team a week agoY
"Oh, yes, l remember; but that was
only a few minutes since"
You have lain here nearly seven
days"
And where am I, pray?
In your own house, in bed"
I'm bed? What for? I'm going to
get up"
Gordon, listen. You are not your
self, You received a bad conclusion
of the brain and have at times been
violent. had to have some one to
take care Of you"
raised myself in bed; beside me sat
the man had met on the road.
'What! You here"' 1 exclaimed.
Eyes begging your pardon, Mr.. Boil
ingbroke. If l were not you might
now be dead man."
1t all began gradually to come back
to me.
II see you found my housekeeper, "
| said significantly.
ooh, yes"
"And have you proposed marriage
to herr"
"No-I couldn't do that"
"Why?"
"She is my sister, told you I had
proposal to make. So l had. But il
wasn't what you thought"
I stared first at one and then at the
other Helenette was smiling, but
looked at me earnestly.
What mystery is this?' I exclaimed
"No mystery at all My sister ant
| left our Door home some five vears