The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-03-11

When Peggy Game Back.
BY JANE MEREDITH.


care you sure he kissed her? P'raps
he was just picking leaf or some.
thing out Of her hair"
"Well, Mrs. Demming, you needn't
think that Just because I amt been
married no man ever kissed me. I've
had us many beaus in my day as ever
you had"
"Denr me, Miss Laviny, I didn't
mean anything personal! Only It's
quite step from your porch to Mrs,
Burkett's and thought
"I wasn't on my porch!" answered
Miss Lavlnia shortly. "I was right
close to the hedge, picking currants."
The last phrase was spoken apollo
getically. MS II prompted by latent
shame at thus spying on a nelghbor.
ooh, don't know but It's your duty,
Lavlny, to keep your eye open when
there's such dOings In the heart Of a
respectable community like ourn," was
the unctuous reply OF Mrs. smlthers.
well, that amt all I've seen, ei-
Their" announced Miss Lavinia, rising
to this skllfully baited hook. "You
know Cousin Sallie left her theater
glasses behind, and they're a heap Of
help. ] can stand in my second story
front with them and see straight into
her parlor."
A girlish figure bending over STRIP
OF renaissance lnce in the rear Of The
shop Strengthened up suddenly, and an
exclamation escaped her lips. But the
women clustered around the front door
gossiped on excitedly.
Didn't he take the train for town
yesterday mornlng?" queried iirs.
Smithers.
"Yes. But he came back at early
dusk. with his arms full Of white pa-
per bundles, and when he got on the
porch he tossed them helter skelter on
the settee and-and-hugged herr
"Oh~
"Ain't that dreadfulr'
"If anybody but you, Laviny Hart,
had told that wouldn't believed lt!'
murmured Mrs Smithers.
at may look out OF place for a sim
gle woman to say. but 1t does seem to
me like a Judgment on Doc Burkett
for going off to marry frivolous, do
nothing Boston widow instead Of some
decent. thrifty girl In his own town
He amt been dead three months, and
here Is another man hanging around
his widow. Perhaps he's an old sweet
heart. Everybody knows Doc was
well fixed"
"Yes. and they do say" lnterposed
Mrs. Demmlng. "them as was around
when he was brought home that day,
that she stood around like statue,
never shedding a tear and just doing
what old Or. Green ordered, like some
machine"
"Perhaps she knew It wasn't no use
to do anything anyhow" suggested
Mrs. Mnrsden. who had retreating
chin and weak, fshy eyes.
whats that, Becky MarsdenT'
snorted Miss Lavinia, turning severely
on her Insignificant neighbor. what
do you know about itT"
Nothing" hurriedly replied Mrs
Marsden. "Only was reading a novel
yesterday whore woman got tired
Of her husband and put something IN
his coffee that didn't smell nor taste
nor anything, and he"-
"Tawzee, Becky, always knew YOU
was light headed" snapped Miss Ia
vinia. Nevertheless the group Of gos
sips turned suddenly silent and gazet
at each other wide eyed.
my, wouldn't 1t be awful II we had
a poison case here2"
The girlish figure In the rear rose
now. and a clear voice rang across th'
stuffy little shop:
you've no right to say such things
You don't know Mrs. Burkett and new
er wanted to treat her right, and
you're wicked, wicked women to tall
about her that wayw
Astonlshed silence fell upon the wo
men. Then Mrs. Smlthers voice M
longer oily and complacent rose cut
| tingly.
"That's a nice way for you to speal
to your elders, Peggy Smithers. and
I'm ashamed Of you. D'you mean /,
call LavInia Hart a liar?"
The girl fingered her bolt OF brait
neryously.
"No, aunt, but | can't sit here anC
listen TO such dreadful things abou
Mrs. Burkett. I've worked for her
and I know she's a lady through an'
through and she's not doing anything
wrong. There's a reason
"Well, Miss Peggy, seeing as your,
the only one In this party that has |
visiting acquaintance with Mrs. Bur
kett, you might Just walk up there ant
see who that man H."
"Oh, aunt, can't! couldn't asl
such a question:
"You don't need TO ask. Worm II on
while you're there You can take N
that new set OF points you've made
Perhaps Mrs. Burkett might like (
wear them with her Widows black.
The last words came spltefully.
The girl stood In a pleading attitude
"Tnis Is a nice way to treat your oh
aunt that's given you bed and boar
for ten years now, Now, you stop sniy
cling and trot along"
Poor Peggy Before those word
''bed and board" she never hesitated
They formed the spiritual lash whIcl
her aunt swung with unmerciful hand