The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-03-06
A SPRING BLIND.

~ sAS
"I'm afraid I don't know her, old fell
low" said Bean. "She's q very pretty
girl, I should gay. 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, I
think I do knowi Unless I'm mistaken,
that's old Calthorpe's place. Hes a fell
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
shss''
"That's Just IT," said JEFF, with a puz-
sled expression. "She can't be, and yet
that face for the moment looked
"Like herr Was her name Calthorpef".
"No; her name was Sargent"
"How long ago was itf"
"Seven yearA"
well, one of the few things I happen to
know about old Calthorpe," said Bean,
laughing, sis that he comes from Rhode
Island. Co.
"oh, no, mol" Guthrie interrupted,
Miss Sargent il dead, old fellow"
The two walked on in silence for some
time.
1T isn't q long story" Guthrie present
y continued. 'She taught school there
In that faraway little village among the
hills and the mines. I was interested In
her from the first and tried to. win my
way into some sort Of acquaintance with
hsr. But abe seemed disinclined to any
thing Ike society,""
lyon didn't stay there more than . yea
altogethsr, did youi' Bean asked.
"Iuoh LEES than . year. I never OK.
changed more than six words with her In
III tho time w were both In that village.
Don't laugh at me, Maurice. You didn't
suspect mo OF bsangs 20 romantic, did you'
She died."
"Thersi"
"Yea, there. Somehow the sadness Of
II struck deeply into me, and now-this
girl"-
lis this girl Very much like Mis Bar
senti" .
$50 much Ike that II wouldnt DO re-
markable even If they wero twin sisters. !"
(which. Of course, Is impossible" said
Bean.
"A twin sister Of hers would be nearly
10 by tolls Time. ,
"And the young woman at the blind Is
not moro than 10, I should Judge 1t II
curious, though"
Guthrie's visits TO the homo of his mar
yded friend were all much alike In n very
| pleasant feature-he always romped with
two out Of three children, while the young.
sst-the bsby-looked on and crowed and
tsrked itself about s1viously.
Nov, what 10 it2" Mrs. Bean asked,
turning to her husband when Allie and
little Jei had both been finally dlsnoed
"oh, it Isn't my affair."" said tho hus'
band.
"We-I-wanted to ask II you knew .
| Miss Calthorpe here, living In that new
| red brick house at the end OF the Dom
| mon," said Guthrie.
Mrs. Bean shook her head mo Mis-
| Cslthorps lives there" she said. "Mr.
| Calthorpe lives there"
"Oh," said Bean, "wae that old woman
| Calthorps's sister,"
."Shs isn't really old, dear. She's
younger than Mr.. Cslthorps. There's one
daughter, I believe"
But that night Mrs.. Bean said to hen
husband: leave ms alone for " days,
and I will know all about your window
blind young lady. Then make Jen auth'
he come here and stay overnight"
The next visit Of JEFF Guthrie wa plan
ned for q Saturday evening, with express
arrangements for q stay over Sunday.
After church this subtle woman insisted
ON lingering about the porch until . gray
haired lady came out, and with her hs'
daughter, the girl who had poutsd ID shs
window blind
MRS. Perry, let mo introduce q par
tioular friend, MI. Guthrie, md this d
Miss Perry"
Nothing could have been more properly
j conventional than this introduction, anc
that was why Guthrie was 20 angry witt
himself for turning red and becoming
confused. Mrs, Bean had, unknown ID
Guthrie, expressly invited these TWO Iso10'
10 dinner beforehand.
Tell me, have You any ~relatiVe-hae
you, I should say-of the name OF sas
CENT?"
The Urls fs,s changed In . moment
She was pale and bit her lip.
.'Oh, Mr.. Guthrie" she said, "yor
must ask mother thatl I don't know
about IT. / WA only . little girl OF II
whsn poor Margaret left us and marrast
that
She checked herself; then, after an em
harrassing pause, went on, lowering ha'
voice to q whisper and glanoing round o.
her mother: Ibid you know her-himi"
II once knew . Miss sarsent-vee7
dignity"
.HWherei"
"In ~Pennsylvania, at PrinkviIls."
"Oh, yesl Hs treated her 20 badly, an
or all She had to 60 somewhere and DO
teacher. Mother would have forgiven ev
arythin9, but Margaret was too proud x
some back to US. She went and called
herself miss, I suppose. We only heart
chat abe had died in Pennsylvania-noth
Ing more. I was sent to school In Ger
many soon afterward."
II understand" said Guthrie, you
mother has had a great deal OF rouble..
"That In why she looks 80 old at %
Tall mo, please, am I % much " poo
sister Margaretf"
$50 much that I thought I wal LOOKING
at her for the moment when you appearee
ct the window"
Jef Guthrie ceased to be the old baoh
slor friend of the Bean family, and 1t wa,
ALI owing to the escape Of that roller bline
from a girls fingers. The marriage O
her youngest daughter At least was no
against Mrs. E'srry's wishes, neither wa
II IN unhappy one, and Mr.. Bean PRO
ID herself upor. having brought 1t about
-Pittsburg Post
Ons Of LIES Lessons.
r-y. Xn,o . man has learned to 6D00l