The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-16

Tc~ best years to his Queen
nd his country, but can offer you an
mailing and respectful DEVOTION
Miss Priscilla Bentley dropped a
tter into her lap and covered two
Aooth, pretty pink cheeks with her
shin hands. The man with whom she
had played when her soft gray hair
\ stuck straight out from her head in
4 q stiff little brown plait and been back
in the old home just month now, and
hey had met after lapse of forty
Eears, and he bad-remembered.
Thank you," she whispered-but
Fry shyly, and as if even this tacit
Omission of satisfied want was a
hing unmaidenly and blameworthy.
eh, God, thank your
And then she crossed the room to an
Bld.fashioned bureau and took up a
benholder with shaking hand.
You've been overtirin' yourself, I
3can see," said one Betsy Briggs, as
her mistress walked into her little
hall an hour or so later.
Not at all, Betsy" said Miss Pris-
ella, brightly. Il may be trife
flushed with the heat, perhaps, IL
had an important letter to post, and
always feel more satisfied if letter
|is posted at the general Office than in
"a pillar. box"
"Humphw said the privileged old
servant. There has been q boy both
erin here for letter he said he'd left
for you this afternoon. instead of at
= No.~32. I said could give no answer
Pill you come in. I'm sure there's been
&more muddles since that there young
[iss Bentley settled ten doors lower
wn than yon could count in month
Sundays. She ate your bit of sole
LIST Thursday week. and never a
you'll go and sit down. mum, and III
take your boots off,"
"a note-delivered by hand. Betsy?
But it wasn't a mistake. lit can't
be-"
Betsy shifted.
"Well, the boy said he'd got orders
t. take it on to No. 80, immediate, and
a scoldin' from his master into the bar
gain. I told i'm, bless me, III make
you cup Of tea in two minutes. Miss
Prissie"
Miss Priscilla's cropping hand had
gripped a hard, horny one, as though
to save herself from falling.
I'm all right. Betsy"-there was a
strange, piteous expression in her
blue eyes-"Quite right. Yes. III go
=. and sit down. But don't want any
tea, or-or to be disturbed for half an
hour. please, Betsy"
She passed on to her small sun
bathed sitting room and closed its
door behind her.
Miss Bentley, Why, Of course! She
had seen Major Duff walking with her
after church on Sunday. Such 4
young, pretty woman, too-Miss Pris-
Hcilla put out her hands with an odd
involuntary gesture, as though she
were avoiding a blow. And then she
remembered the letter she had posted
an hour before, and they few to her
ace,aand she covered in her chair
With the shame and the hurt Of it all
little, shrunken old woman who had
! told man. wanting none Of her. that
she loved him.
That evening the somewhat unwill-
ing Betsy set out to deliver letter
which had been penned three times
over before its characters were firm
enough to satisfy the writer.
Dear Major Duff" it ran
Il have sent on Your letter. which
was left here by mistake. 10 Miss Pen
'elope Bentley. Twas always the mis-
chievious one in the old days. dear
friend, but by this time you will just
be having q good laugh over the joke
which a naughty old woman could not
resist playing upon you in pretend
ing that she had applied it's contents
to herself! 1t really was too bad of
her. Please forgive her, and accept
= very warm wishes for your happiness,
| from your sincere old friend.
Priscilla Bentley"
! Miss Priscilla peered between the
laths of her blind with dim. scared
eyes until Betsy's thick-set figure
passed out by the garden gate. And
then she got down on her knees. She
had told her first lie, but somehow
there was very much in connection
with it to explain 10 God.
.
~"But. bless my soul. Priscilia.-I may
say Priscilla now. suppose?" An
excitable white-haired man was
tramping Miss Bentley's sitting room.
blowing his nose violently the while.
ss3'n ashamed Of you. And that girls
1 q jewel! I've a good mind'-he shot
out g lER IDs|s6 gave the