The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-07-24
A Happy Mistake.



els It not possible, my dear Lettice,'
a "a Miss Vynor having come to an
end OF her stock of patience, ito find
some occupation that will employ your
time more usefully and perhaps with
less annoyance to other People?'
What would you do auntie?' she
said, her hands clasped behind her
back, her curly brown head, little on
one side, as though it were considering
a weighty subject, what would you
do, do you think, if you were to re-
cetye two offers by the same post, and
yq1 didn't like one any better than
the other-the people who sent them,
| mean?"
Il cannot-if you refer to proposals
of marriage cannot at all imagine
such a contingency" replied Miss Wy
nor stiHy, STOPPING over her knitting
10 pick up a dropped stitch.
Surely, Lettuce, continued Miss Wy
nor, you do not intend to tell me that
you know of any person OF our ac-
quai1tance who has compromised her
self $50 far?"
well no, l cant say I dc" an
swered Miss Lettice-which was very
true, in one way, for she certainly did
not mean to tell her aunt anything OF
the kind.
"Then l think, my dear Lettice, that
you might occupy yourself more pro-
etably than in making these idle sup
\. cold Mice UypOr
'Yes, auntie, you're right, as usual.
see if l can't find something bet
50 do" and Lettice gladly seized the
Srthnity of escape from converse
.lon that had seemed in danger OF be-
coming too personal
She ran lightly upstairs to her own
room and, after carefully closing the
door, drew from her pocket two envel-
opes and settled herself in a chair to
heir contents, not for the first
* ~ odd they should both have
written, and chosen exactly the same
time" she said to herself softly.
For quite a long time Lettuce sat
with the letters before her, considering,
for she was in a serious difficulty.
Il like Humphrey Forde best, l do
believe. but he's so grave and so quiet,
and Aomehow-it' too ridiculOus-but
& .sometA mes he seems almost afraid OF
= me! his voice quite trembled once OF
. twice when he spoke to me the other
day. A man can't be up to much if he's
afraid of a girl No, it must be viii
Hayward; he is a dear boy, so bright
X and full of fun, and ready to enter into
4 everything; we are sure to get on vel
together. And yet-Tm half sorry"
She gave a quick little sigh; ther
rose, d1ew together her writing mater
iais, and began to write. Only brie
message on each dainty sheet; it was
all she could muster courage for Or
one she wrote: Come this evening a
T." and addressed the envelope to W
Haywood, Esq, and on the other, il
= asty. uncertain characters: "ForgiVt
~ oh. do please forgive me, but
M.cIsSat!"
0tsteps mounted the stairs to
room she thrust both note
Felopes and hid them hastily
Eext moment her aunt raped a
"a he door and entered.
81 cannot say that l approve" re
marked Miss Vynor, in her precis
way. "of ithe habit that young peopl
of the prg 9sent day seem to have forme
of spending so much time in their ow
apartments. In my own young days
bedroom was bedroom, and was nc
intended to be used as sitting ROOF
also: and ut appears to me that tn
habit is cod ducive to great waste
time. ,toe here seldom seems to b
any vis.o55 result from it, l came
propose THAI we should walk thi
morning. It is a pity to waste the bei
mart OF the day indoors, and especial
is it wasted if spent in ones sleepin
apartment"
With the help of the walk and oil
ser smf occupations the hours SOM
how I'd, but never before had
.day led so long to Lettice Vyno
AT length, however, the afternoc
drew to a close and she found herse
alone. her aunt having an invitation
sDend the evening with an old frien
Perhaps Lettuce had counted on tn
when she dispatched her notes IN t
morning. but now the time was dra'