The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1904-07-29
Mrs. Peabody's
Conscience ~
~ DOROTHY z. LEONARD
Copyright, 1904, by Daily Story Pub. Coz

THE front gate fell to with clanS
1 and Martha Moore turned her
head and looked out of the window.
"Sakes alive, ma! If there amt Mis-
Peabody coming up the walk. and it's
most five o'clock"
Mrs. Moore peered cut furtively be-
hind the curtain, then walked heavily
into the entry and opened the door.
The rays of the setting sun fell
.obliuuely across the path, lighting up
Mrs Peabody's old black silk mantllla'
and the jet ornaments in her bonnet
and touching her pale, patient face
with rosy tintS.
well, Louise Peabody, if this amt
an unexpected pleasure!" cried Mrs.
Moore, in her deep voice, as her visitor
toiled up the steps. Dear me! YOU
are all of tremble Nothing hasn't
{. happened, has it?" the smile fadlng
from her face, as she took the nara,
thin hand extended to her.
'Oh. no! l guess hurried so" pant
ed the little woman. The airs so
bracing to-day. 1 felt as if l couldn't
go slow. It's the ozone in it, SO Fanny
saws" she added, as she followed her
hostess into the sitting room
Martha turned around and nodded
cordially, but did not rise. L guess
you'll excuse me under the clrcum-
stances" laughed she, my laps pref
ty full"
Mrs Peabody laid aside her wraps
and sank into the nearest chair, her
heart beating like a trip hammer. The
table was covered with a prOfuSlon OF
dainty materials and half-finished gar
ments: and from where she sat, she
could see that the work over which
the girl was bending was of an elabor-
ate description. She was sure now that
the report she had heard that morn
ing was true, and that Martha was go
ing to be married to Harry summers.
AS she thought of it, and OF Harry S
attentions to her own daughter Fanny,
during the past year, her brain seemed
to whirl At last she was conscious
that Mrs. Moore was addressing her.
You didn't hear me, Mis- Peabody.
Don't you want to see all we've got
done?"
Here take this seat by the window,
said Martha, rising, you can't see well
over there"
BY a great effort she mastered her
feelings, and, sitting down by the win
dow, silently examined the articles
shown to her.
"Why this is real lace, Marthy, she
said at last, in genuine surprise.
Eyes, there's to be whole SET
trimmed with that pattern" put in
the mother, proudly, "but yet | do
think crochet is prettier and washes
better. TOO. Marthy does do crochet
wonderful"
$50 does Fanny" said Mrs. Peabody
flushing suddenly
Dear FAM" said Martha, "tell heI
to come over Saturday and see my
things. Wait, ma! don't show her the
veil till | light the lamp. The lights
all gone"
The veil would have seemed pretty
to far more critical eyes than Mrs
Peabodys, but to the poor woman
overwhelmed with the petty cares OF
poverty stricken life, it was a vision o.
beauty. It was impossible to imagine
il on Martha's head; and Fanny's deli
cate beauty rose persistently, befort
her ewes until Mrs. Moore broke tn'
silence.
..Mr. Moore and I amt never goin
to tell what we paid for that veil. Ever
Martha don't know"
..It used to be considered awful BAT
luck to show the wedding clothes, an
swered her guest, struggling in vail
to suppress the jealousy which surget
in her heart.
"Oh. we've got beyond such nonsens
now," laughed Martha, as she begal
gathering up her treasures. Her plain
coarse face was flushed and triumph
ant. Mrs. Peabody could not endur
TO look at her. 81 just know how sh
tried to get him from Fanny!" tn
moor woman thought to herself, "sh
who has everything in the world sh
wants, too"
At last it began 10 dawn on Mrs
Moore that her visitor was very silen
and possibly bored.
"Are Mr.. Peabody and the boy
well?" she asked.
"Yes."
.And Fanny? We hear she's goiy
10 have the school next year, too"
"Oh. that's fine for her." said Marth
carelessly.
Mrs. Peabody's heart beat fast. he
brain was on fire. Il guess Fanny