The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-07-25
A SPRING BLIND.

old bachelor. Early disappointment In
loyep'
"I vowed to marry her or not at all, and
she'-
Just at that moment the spring roller
blind Of house that faced directly on the
sidewalk few up with a sudden "Br-r.r"
and snap. Both the men looked around.
and both were just in time to catch sight
Of remarkably pretty girls face with q
pout Of vexation on 1t. The blind had
evidently slipped out of her fingers and
rolled itself up when 1t was not asked to.
"Who Is that girlp" Guthrie asked.
I'm afraid I don't know her, old fell
low" said Bean. "She's very pretty
girl, I should say. Well ask my wife
when we get home. Now go on with your
secret"
"You haven't any idea who lives in that
house, have your"
"No, I haven't. Oh, by the way, 1
think do knowl Unless I'm mistaken,
that's old Calthorpe's place. He's fel-
low commuter Of mine, and that's about
the full extent Of our acquaintance. But
she isn't the young lady Of your secret, Is
shep"
"That's Just it," said JEFF, with pug
xled expression. "She can't be, and yet
that face for the moment looked
"Iike herf Was her name Calthorpe?"
"No; her name was Sargent"
"How long ago was It"
"Seven years"
well, one Of the few things happen to
know about old Calthorpe," said Bean,
laughing, "is that he comes from Rhode
Island. So''-.
"Oh, no, moi" Guthrie interrupted
Miss Sargent is dead, old fellow"
The two walked on in silence for some
time.
1T isn't long story" Guthrie present
" continued. "She taught school there
In that faraway little village among the
hills and the mines Twas interested IN
her from the first and tried to win my
way into some sort Of acquaintance with
her But she seemed disinclined to any
thing like society"
"You didn't stay there more than yeos
altogether, did your" Bean asked.
"Mueh less than year. I never ex.
changed more than six words with her In
all the time we were both in that village.
Dent laugh at noe, Maurice. You didn' +
uFeot me Of baing 30 romantic, did your
She died"
"Thers9"
"Yes, there. Somehow the sadness OF
It struck deeply into me, and noW-this
girl'-
"Is this girl very much like Mias sar-
CENT?"
$50 much like that it wouldn't be Ne.
markable even If they were twin sisters. !"
(which, of course, is impossible" b" said
Bean.
"A twin sister Of hers would be nearly
80 by this time"
"And the young woman at the blind Is
not more than 19, I should judge. 1t II
curious, though"
Guthries visits to the home Of his mar
ried friend were all much alike In one very
pleasant feature-he always romped with
two out Of three children, while the young
est-the baby-lcoked on and crowed and
terked itself about enviously.
"Now, what is itP" Mrs. Bean asked,
turning to her husband when Allie and
little JEFF had both been finally silenced
under the bedclothes.
"Oh, 1t isn't my affair."" said the hus-
band.
"We-I-wantsd to ask If you knew q
Miss Calthorps here, living In that new
red brick house at the end Of the COM
mon" said Guthrie.
Mrs. Bean shook her head. mo Miss
Calthorpe lives there" she said. "Mr.
Calthorpe lives there"
"Oh," said Bean, "was that old woman
Calthorpe's sister,"
"She isn't really old, dear. She's
younger than Mr.. Calthorpe. There's ono
daughter, believe"
But that night Mrs. Bean said to her
husband: leave me alone for two days,
and will know all about your window
blind young lady. Then make Jeh Guth-
rie come here and stay overnight"
The next visit of jeff Guthrie wes plan
ned for Saturday evening, with express
arrangements for q stay over Sunday.
After church this subtle woman insisted
on lingering about the porch until q gray
haired lady came out, and with her her
daughter, the girl who had pouted at the
window blind
MRS. Perry, let me introduce our par
tioular friend, Mr.. Guthrie, and this Il
Miss Perry"
Nothing could have been more properly
conventional than this Introduction, and
that was why Guthrie was so angry with
himself for turning red and becoming
confused. Mrs. Bean had, unknown to
Guthrie, expressly invited these two ladieA
to dinner beforehand
"Ten me, have you any relative-had
you, I should say-of the name OF Saf
CENT?"
The girls face changed In . moment
She was pale and bit her lip.
"Oh, Mr.. Guthrie" she said, "you
must ask mother thatl don't know
about It, was only little girl OF 10
when poor Margaret left Us and married
that
She checked herself; then, after an en-
barrassing pause, went on, lowering her
voice to a whisper and glancing round at
her mother: Ibid you know her-himT
II once knew q Miss sargent-vry
slightly."
"Where'"
"In Pennsylvania, at .Brinkville.
"Oh, yesl He treated her 80 badly, att
or all She had to go somewhere and be .
teacher. Mother would have forgiven ev-
erything, but Margaret was too proud to
come back to US. She went and called
Herself miss, I suppose. We only heard
that she had died in Pelnsylvania-noth-
Ing more Twas sent to school In Ger
many soon afterward.
II understand" said Guthrie, "your
mother has had q great deal Of trouble"
"That is why she looks 80 old at 80.
Tell me, please, am 80 much like poor
sister Margaret"
$50 much that thought I was looking
at her for the moment when you appeared
at the window"
left Guthrie oeased TO be the old baoh-