Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-12-31
NUMBER SO.

She made another quick move to pass
him, for Mrs. Morningstar's shrill tones
were shrieking angry commands to the
girl to stop dawdling there with her
Abe and come in with them "wittles."
For any least attention paid to her by
the son Of her foster parents Eunice
was always made to suffer, it being as.
sumed gratuitously that the penniless
girl and not the prospectively rich
youth did the love making.
But Abe was so spellbound with
amazement at such startling speech
from the usually meek and submissive
girl that he did not hear or at least did
not heed his mothers voice AS Eunice
forced her way past him the close con-
tact of her body sent the fire through
his veins, and he seized her about the
waist and pressed his lips to her cheek
Just as his mother, in a rage, strobe
to the spring house door and as DR..
Kinross. with his books concealed In
an old basket, was surreptitiously re-
turning by q back way from his morn
ing's outing.
"You little hussyw cried Mrs. Morn
ingstar. go in and tend to the dinner
and leave our Abe be!'
"You leave me be, mom," retorted
Abe, looking shamefaced, but his
mother, not stopping to discuss the
matter with him, walked after Eunice
into the house, her angry upbraidings
following the girl into the kitchen.
"Now, what spiritless creature the
damsel Is not to turn on that woman
and resent her abusew DR.. Kinross
thought, with mingled compassion and
impatience. as he slowly followed
them up the path to the house.
Meantime Abe, still tingling from
the Joy of his stolen embrace, was
hastily examining something that he
had found in the spring house which
had excited his Jealous suspicion.
While he had been waiting for Eunics
to come to the spring he had acciden'
tally discovered, sticking under the
door sill. an envelope addressed to
Miss Eunice Morningstar. Now, judg-
Ing from his own feelings toward the
girl, he did not see how any mans
eyes could rest upon her and not de-
sire her and he had therefore leaped
to the instant conclusion that this was
love letter to Eunice from that
dude towner," as he privately charac'
terized Kinross.
A rage of hot jealousy had swept
over him and he had been about to
tear the envelope into bits when the
sudden appearance Of Eunice in the
doorway had caused him quickly to
conceal It in his pochet, to be exam
ined or destroyed later
So, while his mother was driving the
girl into the house with her re-
proaches. he. lingering in the spring
house, was tearing open, with hands
that shook, the letter addressed to an.
other.
His jaw dropped in amazement as
he saw the name subscribed at the end
of the sheet. Henny Mucklehenny.
His sister Ollie's beau! What could
he be writing to Eunice for? Did he
want to be n bigamist? With curl.
osity equal to his jealousy Abe read
the brief epis-e.
Dear Eunice.-Theres misunderstand-
Ing | don't mean Ollie: mean you. But
Cttp IasH la
took It for herself But It amt her. It's
you. II don't come easy to explain her
don't mean her She'd take II some hard.
can see Il n her how she favers me good
bit. me bc'n' Sd wellnXcl and could be
good puryiGcr. I wantcd to keep COM
pany with you ever since ] seen you on
church childrcn's day. six weeks back
already. Well, that Sunday you was on
church once, amt? When you come In
church. some one says to me, that's Eu-
nice Morningstar. says to myself. OF
course not out loud. know II Is and shs
looks so pretty. ! believe | love her.
Anyhow you can write 10 me and tell me
about It. | praid one night 10 find out II
you was the right one. | gave a quarter
in the collection when you was In church:
God loves n chearful givver. Well. mar
to stop now. You will write 10 Inc now,
simplitlcd. Cordially your lover.
HENNY MUCKLEHENNY.
A look of cunning settled about
Abe's mouth rs he finished bis surrep-
titious reading 1t was no slight shock
TO discover that he had so strong
rival as Her Hucklehenny. Neverthe'
less he felt quite equal TO coping with
him.
Without an instants hesitation he
tore the sheet and the envelope into
tiny bits. she won't never see that.
And when he comes Sunday and she
mint round he'll think she's dis
couragin' him and he'll lose heart.
And then mebbe he'll take to Ollie fur
all II he keeps on comm and settin
I'D with her, because he amt got
cheek enough to tell her 1t amt her
he means"
A few moments later Kinross. ut the
ringing of the dinner bell. ostenta-
tiously Joined the other men at the
pump to wash his face and hands ana
comb his hair before coming to the
table. This performance was part or
his disguise as farmland, but today
II defeated its own ends. for the two
young ladies. coming into the kitchen
from the front porch, where they had
spent the morning in hammocks and
rockers. made note Of the fact that
when Pete took his turn ut the Kitchen
pump he did not use the family towel
on the roller. but carried his own
towel on his arm and combed his hair
with his own pocket comb instead OF
using the family comb which always
lay on the window ledge. convenient
for the use of every one.
cnNrINIrEn