The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1906-05-25
HOPKINS PLAQUES.

I1OphluS Is u1du WILL WuOut Iup
truth is passion, but Ae has sister
whose honesty is complicated by an
unusually tender heart. During the
past summer he stayed with this Sis
ter because, with her husband in Eu-
rope, she felt lonely. One evening as
they sat on the veranda there appeared
an old friend of the family who car
ried a package which, upon being
opened, revealed some astounding py-
Biography plaques.
"A dear girl l know does them" ex-
planned Mrs. Dargan, 'and I'm taking
orders for them. She's too shy to do
this sort Of thing for herself. But she
does so want to go to the art institute
this winter, and she simply can't un-
less she can earn the money. Her
fathers got plenty, but he won't give
her q penny for her art education.
Don't you want to order two sets from
me at $40 each? They'd be fine for
your library, Ella, or your den,' ad-
dressing Hopkins.
mo, thank you; you must excuse
me. I'm-Pm thinking of going
abroad was this individuals swift re-
ply.
His sister also declined to order
plaques on the ground that her hus-
band had forbidden any further ex-
penditure of the household money for
decorative use.
Hopkins gallantly bridged over the
uncomfortable silence that followed by
inviting the ladies to partake of ice
cream soda. Mrs. Dargan later depart
ed without having mentioned the
plaques further. Wherefore Hopkins,
correspondence while she STAYED off
nervous prostration on Michigan
farm, was astonished, a couple of
months later, to peruse a letter ad-
dressed to Mrs. Hitchcock or Mr..
Hopkins" which read something like
this:
Dear Sir or Madame: The plaques
you ordered from me, through Mrs.
Dargan, are ready, and shall be
pleased to deliver them to you at any
time, upon receipt of a check for $40.
Mrs. Dargan is away from home at
present, and | address my letter in this
odd way because really do not know
which of you ordered the plaques"
There was more, but Hopkins scarce
ly waited to read it. He began the re-
turn attack by telegraphing his sister:
did you order those plaques from
Mrs. Dargan? Wire reply"
Mrs. Hitchcock did not wire, but she
wrote a long letter explaining that she
had not seen Mrs. Dargan since the
evening he remembered She added,
however, that she supposed she'd have
to take the plaques, anyway, because
the poor girl who painted them would
feel disappointed if they remained un-
claimed.
Hopkins, thus reassured as to his
sisters noncomplicity in the sharp
trick he suspected, Immediately wrote
a note to Mrs. Dargan's protege, clear
ly stating that neither he nor his sis
ter had ordered the plaques. Then he
forgot all about the matter until
sorrowful note from Mrs. Hitchcock
brought it again to mind
"You were too late about the
plaques, DEAR" walled this epistle, 'for
| had already written Miss Jones that
it was l who ordered them. hate
the idea of having the atrocities
around, and I'll have to borrow the
money from you to pay for them, but
I'd rather die than hurt another wom-
an by wounding her pride"
Hopkins, not usually a profane man,
sat back and swore softly.
Mice position I'm in," he grimly
mused. "Of course that girl will tell
Mrs Dargan and Mrs. Dargan will
clear herself by representing that I've
told lie to get out of paying a bill
for Ella. And if l clear myself by
sending Miss Jones Elias two letters
| convict her of lying and myself OF
caddish conduct"
In the end he sent his sister check
for $40, with a scorching letter, re-
her of his many lectures on