The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-01-02
A SPRING BLIND.

TO tell you Cne TRUTH, old feIl0w, j
never understood why with your capacity
for domestic enjoyment you remained an
old bachelor. Early disappointment In
lover"
81 vowed to marry her or not at all, and
she''- "
Just at that moment the spring roller
blind of O house that faced directly on the
sidewalk few up with a sudden "Br-r-r"
and a 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 hsr fingers and
rolled itself up whom 1t Tss not asked to.
~1'Who is that grip Guthrie asked.
"I'm afraid I don't know her, old fell
low" said Bean. "She's a very pretty
girl, I should say. Well ask my wife
when We get home. Now 60 on with your
secret" ,
"You haven't any idea who lives ia that
house, have your"
"No, I haven't. Oh, by the way, I
think 7 do know! Unless I'm mistaken,
that's old Calthorpe's place. He's a fell
low oommuter 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 IL" said JEFF, with a pus-
Fled expression. ""She can't be, and yet
that face for the moment looked
"Like herr Was her namo CAlthorpsf"
"No; her name was Sargent"
"How long ago was It'll"
"Ssven years"
well, one of the few things I happen to
know about old Cslthorpe," said Bean,
laughing, ais that he comes from Rhode
Island. Co. H. a
"oh, no, mol" Guthrie interrupted.
"Miss Sargent is dead, old fellow"
The two walked on In silence for some
Hms.
st isn't . long stery," Guthrie present
II continued. .'She taught school there
IN that faraway little village among the
hills and the mines. I was interested In
her from tho frat and tried to win my
way into some sort Of acquaintance With
thing Ike society"
"You didn't Stay there more than aysas
altogether, did your" Bean asked.
"Muoh less than a year. I revar az
changed more than SIX words with her In
all the time we were both In that village.
Don't laugh at me, Maurice. You didn't
suspect me Of being 10 romantic, did you!
She died"
"Thersf"
"Yes, there. Somehow the sadness Of
1t struck deeply into me, and now-tnts
girl"-
lis this sirl vsry much like Miss sar-
CENT?"
$50 much Ike that it wouldn't be re-
markable even Il they were twin sisters"
(which, of course, n impossible" aid
Bean.
"a twin sister Of hers would be nearly
90 by this time" =.
"And the young woman at the blind 10
not more than 10, I should Judge. lis
curious, though"
Guthrie's visits TO the home OF his mar
| ried friend were all much alike In ono very
pleasant feature-he always romped with
two out Of three children, while the young.
est-the bsby-looked on and orowed n
jefked itsslf about s~nviously.
Nov, what IL itf" Mr.. Bean aaked,
turning to her husband when Allie and
little JEFF had both been finally Eilenoed
under the bedclothes.
"Oh. IL isn't my affair" said the hus.
band. q
"Ws-I-wanted to ask II you knew a
Miss Calthorpe here, living In that now
red brick house at the end Of the com
mon, " said Guthrie.
Mrs. Bean shook her head. mo Miss
Calthorps lives there" she said. "Mr.
Calthorps Lives there"
"Oh," said Bean, "was that old woman
Calthorps's sister,"
"She isn't really old, dear. She's
younger than Mr.. Calthorps. There's one
daughter, I believe" e.
But that night Mr.. Bean said 70 her
husband: "Leave me alone for two days,
and I will know all about your window
blind young lady. Tlen make JEFF Guth-
RE come here and stay overnight"
The next visit of JEFF Guthrie WAS plan
ned fora 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 har her
daughter, the girl who had pouted Al tho
window blind.
MRS. Perry, let me introduce q par.
ticular friend, Mr.. Guthrie, and this -
Miss Perry"
Nothing could have been more properly
conventional than this introduction, and
that Was why Guthrie was 30 angry with
himself for turning red and becoming
confused. Mrs. Bean had, unknown to
Guthrie, expressly invited these two ladieA
to dinner beforehand.
"Tell me, have you any relative-had
you, I should say-of the name OF Sar
genti"
The girls face changed In . moment
She was pale and bit her lip.
~HOh, Mr.. Guthrie" abe said, 'you
must ask mother thatl I don't know
about it. I was only a little girl Of 10
when poor Margaret left rs and married
that
She checked herself; then, after an en-
barrassins pause, went on, lowering her
voice to q whisper and glanoing round at
her mother: Ibid you know her-hime'A
II once knew q Miss Sargent-very
dignity"
"Wherei"
I'm Pennsylvania, at PrinkviIle."
"Oh, yesi He treated her 30 badly, att
or all. She had to go somewhere and b .
teacher. Mother would have forgiven ev-
~erything, but Mars ret was too proud to
some back to use She went and called
herself miss, I su' pose. We only heard
that she had died1ln Pennsylvania-noth-
Ing more. I wsd sent to school In Ger
many soon afte. ward"
II understand" said Guthrie, "your
mother has had o great deal Of trousle."
"That Il why she looks 30 old at 30.
Tell me, please, am I 20 much like poor
sister Margaretp"