Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-02-26
An Awkward Mistake
BY Helen Forrest Graves.
\ !

by her side. Now, / know you arr
angry with me, but is it my fault
You should pity me rather. for being
| tied for life to cankered old maid
| with nothing to sweeten the bitter dost
but the money bags she represents
What else can do? You do not know
you never can know-how wretchedly
1 am fettered by those COMPOUNDED
debts which must be paid. / am 6
drowning man. and Abigail Pendassei
is the straw that / cling to. / know
as well as you do that she is old, ugly
Eand unattractive, but she is my fate
l cannot avoid her. Dear Dotty, you
| have refused to allow me one single
| chance to speak to you since we have
met, but l have not forgotten the de
| lightful days at Long Branch, and
never shall. / love you now as dearly
as | did then. l shall always love
you, and you only, Dotty. There is nc
reason why you shouldn't spend half
your time at Pendasset-House Manor.
Dotty, if you play your cards well
We may be very happy yet, ambush
who the deuce is that?"
The sound Of approaching footsteps
broke in upon the tetea-tese-an the
next moment Captain Summerson
found himself alone.
His visit that evening was unusually
pleasant Miss Abigail was in the
highest spirits, and even Dorothy Wal
lace was trifie more sprightly thar
her ordinary mood. Captain Summer
son stayed late-and, after he was
gone, Abigail went into her cousins
room.
''Dotty." says she, 'Ive found out a
thing or twor'
Dorothy looked up
what. are they, Abigail?"
Zones that you used to know Cap.
tain Summerson at Long Branch"
1T is quite true" said Dorothy,
calmly.
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
what was the use? He chose tc
meet me as a stranger-why should
rake up the past?"
"Yet you cared for him once:"
Once-DGt not now.
"Are you quite sure:"
"Yes quite"
Il am glad of that, Dotty Wallace"
said Miss Abigail, in a voice that
trembled slightly, as she reached out to
clasp the others hand in hers. "Yes,
I'm heartily glad-hecause, if you have
trampled the thing called love under
your feet, 1 can do the same, and
will"
Abigail, what do you mean?'
The bride-elect laughed hoarsely.
"Only that the captain made a little
mistake tonight. l was sitting by my.
self in the south room, and he mistook
our identity-he thought he was talking
to you. A 'cankered old maid'-that
was the polite epithet he applied to the
woman he has pledged himself TO
marry within the week; and he went
on to vow that he always had loved
you, and always should, although he
couldn't make you his wifer'
And Miss Abigail proceeded to un.
bosom herself of the whole story. Dor.
othy listening. pale, quiet and silent.
And what shall you do, Cousin Abb.
gail?" she asked, when finally the
spinster came to full stop.
DO? What did you do when you
discovered that the man was villain:
Cast him off, to be sure
and break your heart:"
My heart isn't made Of such brittle
materials, fortunately" said Miss Abb
gail. with a grim smile. I'VE will
both see him tomorrow. Dotty, and
Wen send him about his business with
as little delay as possible"
When Captain Alfred Summerson
called the next day, he was ushered
into the presence of Miss Pendasset
and her cousin, sitting. together in the
south room.
well. captain" said his promised
bride. composedly. (which is it?'
(Which is what?" demanded the
somewhat puzzled son of Mars
1.-THE one you made love to in here
last night? All. you don't quite com.
prehend. You thought it was Dorothy
Wallace, but it was l. Beware of love
jim the twilight. captain: it makes an
awkward tangle, sometimes In this
case it has opened my eyes to the fact
that you are villain. Dorothy. | be.
lieve, knew it long before. and neither
of us cares to have the pleasure of your
acquaintance any longer. Good morn.
ing, captain"
Good morning, captain sweetIy
echoed Dorothy. with malicious
sparkle in her eyes.
''But, ladies' began the bewildered
young man.
Miss Pendasset rang the bell vio-
lently.
Hester, show the captain to the
door. If he should ever call again,
you needn't admit him.
And thus sneaked the valiant Cap
tain Alfred Summerson out of the
substantial old manor house, which he
had hoped so soon to call his own.
Nor was honest Testers chuckle. as
she bolted the door behind him. tie
least of all his notifications.
Il guess, my dear" shrewdiy OBJ
served Miss Pendasset. ut Will he
some time before he makes love again
to two at time. New York Weekly.