The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1906-07-12
Miss
Me ssenger
Copyright, by Joseph b. Bowies.)
By ETA W. PIERCE

the carriages were full OF swell folks.
and the show at the door was as good
as 'tother inside.
She was dressed in a shiny cloak
bordered with feathers, and where 1t
fell back her gown showed shiny, too.
Two other folks were with her-a
stout lady, with her head well up in
the air, a tall. fair dude, who wore
violets in his button-bole. The girl
carried a bunch of v~iolets, too. She
looked like an angel.
When | had sold out my papers and
got a sandwich from the woman in
the alley | sneaked back to the opera
house door to see the show come out.
Presently that girl appeared again,
but with another mana fat, dark
party, who wore Il blazing stone in his
shirt front and mustaches twisted up
at the corners. The girl looked tired,
and something seemed to have gone
amiss with her.
l didn't see her again till the day
she came to our court. She and | got
to be first-rate friends. Many a
hamper her coachman tugged up our
rickety stairs, and mother and l
never lacked for food nor fire from
that time out. She was everywhere
among the poor Ct the district. | be-
gan to think It must be mighty un-
pleasant business, too, for she got
paler and sadder all the time.
The weather turned cold and there
was snow, and the rich folks were
sleighing in the park. So | thought
If | went that way | might catch a
glimpse of Miss Angel, and | did.
For whom are you looking. Boz,
by?" says she.
For you, Miss Angel" says I, and
| came neal letting out , yell of pure
joy. Twas ner own self, in a walking
dress with fur on it, and her hands
thrust into a bit of a muff. She wore
violets again in her Jreast, and !
smelled 'em, and they were sweet.
But we didn't have a talk. She
hadn't fairly settled herself on the
bench with me when along came the
fat dark man, with the big stone in
his shirt front.
II saw you from afar, Edith" says
he; pray, allow me-" And he just
showed mi aside and squeezed him
self down beside Miss Angel. I'm
glad to see you abroad again, Edith"
says he; 81 called repeatedly during
your illness, but FOUR ervants refused
to admit me-"
They obeyed my ORDERS says Miss
Angel, very cold and stiff like.
81 see that you bear me some
grudge,' says he. Maybe it is about
Dacre. All, he is a sad dog that
Dacre!"
And who has helped Dacre in his
downward way?" says Miss Angel;
and her voice was uncommon sharp.
well, really, ] don't pretend to
know" says the fat man. Some say
it is hat French ac -fess, Bebe, and
hat she has a mysterious forest bow
er at Hemlock Hollow, a few miles
out of the city, to which Dacre makes
frequent pilgrimages. have reason
to think the rumor true. Dacre is a
great favorite with your sex. Then
his fast male companions"
stop! 1t is contemplate, sir, to
Islander the absent! Dacre's closest
companion has been yourself, Col.
Hay. To you he owes his financial
ruin. AS for the other charge" and
she grew as white as chalk, IN tell
you frankly | do not believe a word
of il. Dacre is the victim of a crafty
foe, who follows him in the guise of
a friend"
MY dear EDITH" said the fat man,
''are you not a little unreasonable? I
did not suspect you could SO sharply
resent my honest statements. To be
sure, Dacre was once your lover, and
you broke the engagement because
your father insisted upon it."
You poisoned my fathers mind
against Dacre," says she, land, being
II. he believed all that you said"
"You refuse to believe in his little
errors? Well, here is a message which
he gave me to wire o an hour ago."
He thrust a paper under her eyes.
| didn't have on my company a
ners, and | looked. toe. This is what
| read:
Sail lO-hlOllOn " Auotl Il "
begin life over again. l must take
Bebe with me; / cannot bear to leave
her. Will come tonight"
you have said enough" says Miss
Angel. Leave me now, Col. Hay"
His face grew black as thunder, but
he got up from the bench and went
away. She sat awhile, looking down at
the ground; then says she:
Bobby, If you had a friend whom
you had loved and trusted a long
time, and you should see him lying
very low-perhaps in the dust at your
feet. and all the world turned against
him-tell me, what would you do?"
why lend him a hand, of course"
says I.
She bent and kissed me-heaven and
earth! Yes she kissed me!
Bobby" say she, Il don't know
where Mr.. Dacre can be found, and
had | asked Col. Hay he would not
nave told me. Yet l must send Dacre
a token, and 1t must reach him to-
hight." / pricked up my ears. Il
have not a servant that | can trust
with such a matter" says she, ''and
time presses-I csnnot seek far for my
messenger"
III you've anything to send Mr.
Dacre, III take It," says /.
She opened her purse and took out
q gold ring, engraved with some motto