Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-07-29
IN A SPIRIT OF
MISCHIEF
By sHIElA ESTHER DUNN
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association


"Dou't do IT,"
A young girl sat at the feet OF wo-
man OF ninety. The tender curves In
the face Of the one contrasted strongly
with the wrinkles OF the other. who
was her great great-grandaunt The
one was OF the early twentieth cen4
fury. the other OF the early nineteenth
when | was your age" the old wo'
man continued after pause. General
Jackson was president He was q
great lighting man. and since he NOS
only fought the enemies OF his conas
try, but his own enemies. his examplt
affected every one He fought dual
with and killed a young married maa
who said something disagreeabIe about
his wife. always thought she was
no saint. but the romance OF 1t tired
yonng friend of mine. Albert Steven
son. and be was constantly looking FOR
some girl on whom 10 practice Jack
sons knight errantry.
II was accepting the attention OF q
young virginian. Fiiz Hugh Fairfax.
He was a remarkably handsome man
and full OF real chivairy. not the spuri-
Gus kind affected by many others. He
was devoted to me. ana | loved him
desperately.
"But our southern girls had the same
romantic ideas as the young man. We
thought 1t fine thing to dirt with
two or three men and at last give our
selves TO some suitor who was ready
10 play Don Qulxote In our defense.
! was at the time playing game with
both Albert Stevenson and Fttz Hugh
Fairfax. | uad one other string TO my
bow. but | pave forgotten his name
And yet Mt one time thought should
marry him. oh. dear. how ones mem
DRY faiis after so many years.
"Oue day was walking IN the gar
den With Fairfax. We sat down on
a bench under a tree Stevenson called.
and they told him was In the gar
den. | saw him leave the house and
ccme toward us. Fairfax was turned
away from him. I am sure Fairfax
was about 10 propose tc me. He was
bending over me with his face near to
mine. Suddenly jumped up. assum-
ing an offended appearance At the
same time Stevenson Joined US.
HE asked Fitz Hugh what II all
meant Very red In the face. be told
Stevenson TO ask me Stevenson turn
ed to me. aud 1. acting under the guild
ance or the spirit OF devilrry that was
1.ftf IL
TO the house
u was no sooner on the gallery than
IL occurred 10 me that some real trou-
BILE might come out OF my freak. aud.
returning 10 the young men. ! told
them that there was nofbing OF mo-
mept between AIR Fairfax and me
and they were 10 consider the matter
as not having happened Then when
Fairfax gave me that cold. contemptu-
Gus look. which can see at this very
moment. my blood ran cold knew
be had loved me. that loved him aud
that bad lost him
Neither OF the young men spoke As
| had nothing more TO say and infiu-
enced by the hook Fifz Hugh had given
me. | went away. leaving them togeth-
er. I made u second mistake 10 doing
this. but | couldn't remain where FftZ
Hugh was after that lock. wished
to go TO my room and weep There
was more TO weep for than the loss or
bis respect. and no man can really love
a woman without that. IL did not &C.
cur to me that after I had excnerated
him there would bs any trouble be-
tween him aud Stevenson
Il lay awake that night I'LL dawn and
then fell asleep I awoke hate In The
morning and went downstairs into the
dining room.
LAS u massey. Missy Imogen- said
our table servant. have 20 heeTd de
news
NO ! said What Is itr
Mars Stevenson and Mars Fitz
Hugh fought a duel dis mawnin' befO'
sunup. an Mars Fitz Hugh killed
Mars Stevenson
u sank on the ioor In a swoon-
1t ives 9 long time before recover
ed from an attack Of brain fever. re
CONeEeu ifouh Tue ieNct. Out tHoe ~
I have recovered from to this day
"Fitz Hugh never came TO see me or.
as far as could learn. asked for me
! knew that 10 my he~dirSs act ard
its result I had uxrd great gulf be
tween him and mo he weEt bark 10
Virginia. He never MARRIED. nor did
|. But we never met again.
"A friend Of both parties told me-
what had happened after eft the
two young men. Stevenson assumed
that ! had exonerssec Fifz Hugh BE-
cause I wss magnauimous and DID not
wish 20 make trouble. He posssd ~
ny defender and sent q chsiienge %
the nan who had insuIred me. In
shifted me. In snoiher unom~ns ne
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