Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, October 21, 1896, Image 1
*
ISSUED TWICE A. WEEK--WEDKTESDAY AXD SATURDAY. ^
I. M. obist & SONS, Publishers. } %, ^amitg ^cuisppcr: 4or the promotion of the political, gociat, ^jricuttural, and Contmeiieiat Interests of the .South. {TER^opy^bhe^c^^^
VOL. 42. YOitK VJT,TA<:, S C., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1896. NO. 85.
TOLD IN CONFIDENCE.
By OELIA ELIZA SHUTE. .
[Copyright, 1896, by the Author.]
"Got that fire built yet, Ory?"
"No, marm."
"Well, if you ain't the beatum for
dallyiu, Ory Pease. Can't you step
round a little livelier for once?"
A loud rattle of the stove lifter and
covers convincingly testified to an attempt
being made at more energetic action.
"Put on the big biler, Ory, an fill it
up to the brim. Mis' Holman's wash
this week's a marster one, an we've got
to work spry to git it out early. Did
Jake draw a-plenty of water?"
11 HI a? ft
ricut)'.
The voice of the invisible Ory was in
harmony with the clang of the stove
utensils. In the interval of silence that
followed the brisk, jerky tones from the
room adjoining announced: "There,
I'm a-comin at last It's took me longer
than usual this morn in to git my hair
bobbed. That plaguy neuralgy takes me
so in the shoulder every once in awhile,
seems as though I must hpller right
out" and a middle aged woman, whose
figure was composed of billowy layers
of flesh tied in at the waist line by
broad gingham" apron strings, appeared,
and with an inclusive glance inspected
the preparations made.
" 'Twon't take water long to bile on
top of 6uch a fire as that" she said approvingly.
"That biler'll hold more
without slopping over. Where's the
dipper?"
Ora thrust it within her mother's
reach, and putting the cover of the boiler
on noisily, walked to the kitchen
door and looked vaguely around. There
was a look of discontent on her small
brown face.
Tho little house stood alone on the
crest of a pygmy hill, which on the
right sloped gradually to a winding river',
from which it was separated by a
thick growth of trees and shrubbery. In
front the hillside was smooth and green.
On the two remaining sides fruit trees,
currant bushes, flower beds and vegetable
patches spread themselves about
with a gratifying lack of disposition to
crowd each other. There was a walk
from the seldom used front door to tho
gate at the foot of the hill, bordered on
both sides by whitewashed stones, heaps
of which, piled in pyramidal form, decorated
the smooth plots on either side of
this walk. The freshness and cleanness
of early morning were everywhere present.
There were exhilaration and inspiration
in the view presented of valley,
river and mountain.
"Nioe day, ain't it?" remarked Mrs.
Pease, cheered by the glimpse' of summer
beauty that greeted her as she passed
tho open window.
'Nothin wonderful about it as I see,"
answered Ora almost savagely. "It's fit
as any day to work in. I don't see as it
makes any difference what kind of a
day it is when we've got to slave over
washtubs an suds. I'm sick of it all." |
Mrs. Pease made no answer, bnt
glanced furtively at her daughter's
clouded face whenever the exigencies of
work brought her near the kitchen door.
"It's all her see in Charlotte Frost racin
by arter Steve Judkius last night," she
said to herself. " 'Twon't do no good
to speak of it, though, for she'd deny it
up an down. That's got to be straightened
out, or Ory'll be down sick with
worry in."
"Don't stand there any longer, Ory,"
ahe called peremptorily a moment later,
with a change of sentiment born of the
demand for action. "We've lost a good
quarter of an hour waitin for that pesky
fire."
The girl came back into tho room,
dragging after her by one end a heavy
wash bench, on top of which the two
women placed a tub of wet linen. Another
was already resting cu a broad
topped stool, and Ora and her mother
plunged their bared arms into the soapy
masses without further deluy. Ora's
mood was inimical to conversation, and
no sound was heard for some time except
the swish, 6wish of the linen as
jjiuuu uitci piow was uiug^vu imuu^u
k the suds to take its place on the zinc
ribbed washboards.
"Soon's we git 'em rubbed out once
y we'll have breakfast," 6aid Mrs. Poase
' at last, pantiDg a little from her violent
exertions. "S'pose you run out, Ory,
an see if there's any fresh eggs in the
nest I'll finish rubbin out"
"I'm mo6t done," answered Ora,
snapping a handkerchief through the
air as she spoke "Ain't this a pretty
one, mar?" She held the embroidered
web up to view. ' 'I don't see why I
can't have such things as well as Mis'
Holman."
"What earthly good would they do
you?" asked her mother - scornfully.
"Them things is just for show. I'd
rather put my money somewheres else "
Ora shrugged her shoulders pettishly.
She was in a mood where sympathy
would have been as irritating to her as
opposition. Her lips opened as though
she were about to continue the argu
nit*iii, uui uiuwu a^ttiu lis uiu lruui gate
squeaked 011 its hinges and hasty footsteps
were heard coming up the walk.
"Who in natur' can be comiu at this
time in the mornin?" inquired Mrs.
Pease excitedly. "You don't look fit to
go to the door," she added, rapidly surveying
her daughter's splashed apron
and steamy face. "I'll have to go myself,
though I don't look any too trig."
Ora looked calmly indifferent, but no
sooner had her mother left the room
than she ran behind the door that opened
into the little front entry and listened
eagerly.
"Why, good mornin, Steve," she
heard her mother say in a loud crescendo.
"Come right in. Yes,Ory'sup.
We're early risers here," and her cheeks
blazed with sudden color as she flew into
the bedroom, tidied her hair, wiped
her hot face and quickly substituted a
neat white apron for the gingham one
she had on.
Ora had a face that was very attractive
in spite of freckles and reddish hair.
Her eyes were brown and bright, her
teeth unusually tine. As she came timidly
into the little parlor, in answer to
ner mother's summons, Steve Judkius i
made up his mind that he had hitherto '
failed to realize fully what a very pret- J
ty girl sho was. 1
"I'm goin to drive my Dew horse i
down to tho beach this afternoon," he
explained promptly, "an I came round ]
to see if you wouldn't like to go too. i
You ca.i, can't you?" i
"Well, I don't know about it," an- i
swered Ora hesitatingly. "There's all
them clothes to do today anyway. Mon- i
day's the hardest day in the week al- i
ways."
"Of course you can go, Ory," hastily '
interjected Mrs. Pease. "We can leave
some of the things over till tomorrow i
as well as not, an the ride will do you 1
lots of good." <
"You give me a turn I shan't git over s
in a hurry," she said to her daughter, i
when Steve, after a few remarks, had
gone off smiling at the success of his J
errand. "Charlotte Frost would have ]
stood a mighty good chance of gittin i
that ride if I hadn't spoke up for you. i
You act dreadful senseless about some
things, Ory.'.' i
Ora made a petulant movement She i
understood her mother's allusion, but 3
Knflrtnliuvlw ooticifivrfi chtT TTOtHq f
pVVUilttiAJ OVUOAVA* V MUM U V ??v
did not come easily to her. Now she i
hastily divested herself of her company ]
splendor and went back to her work, i
but her face had brightened wonderful- <
ly. Mrs. Pease caught its radiant expression
by cautious, surreptitious I
glances, but said nothing. To have open- 1
ly recognized the dawning content J
would have been fatal to its continu- 1
ance, she knew. 1
Punctually at 2 o'clock (the earliest i
hour at which it would be passible to I
expect Steve) Ora was ready for her
drive and fidgeting about from one
front window to the other. Nothing but ?
Mrs. Pease's extreme gratification at i
the coming event prevented her from t
commenting cuttingly on this uneasi- |
ness. In the back yard a whirligig 1
clothes drier, stationary from lack of a i
breeze, bore on its concentric lines the i
morning's work. Ora's conscience was I
clear, her face bright. Her pretty little
figure in its blue dress climbing over f
tne Duggy wueei win ^umuvo ropvuxo t
into her mother's heart
On one thing this hardworking woman
had set her heart. She meant that
Ora should marry Steve Judkins if it
could be brought about by any means
possible to her. Steve had a fine farm
and considerable money, and his parShe
ran behind the door.
tiality for Ora had been sufficiently
marked to have been the subject of comment
in the village. It was the mother's
strongest desire that Ora should bo
1 U<*A
Bparcu WJC ILLU ux U1 uugci; ujuv uuw
been her own daily portion.
"She's a pretty girl, my Ory," she 1
said to herself with a curious tighten- ^
ing at her throat as she watched Steve *
tuck the gray lap robe over Ora's dress
and straighten himself as he took the ?
reins. "Charlotte Frost shan't have '
him!" Her pale eyes lighted with sud- 8
den determination. "Somehow I know a
as well as I want to that Steve means
somethin by takin Ory out this arter- s
noon. If I could only do somethin to <3
help it along! I might as well go up an i
see Susan Frost by an by. Perhaps I can b
find out if he's been goin there lately, i
Guess I'd better go as soon as I can git i
things reg'lated, for it looks thundery ?
over in the west" t
The afternoon was fast waning when 1
Mrs. Pease came out, locked the door,
hid the key under the upper step, shook I
the gate violently to be sure she had ?
hasped it after her and started on her t
journey with a briskness that was us- c
tonishing considering her physical pro- I
portions and the upward slope of the t
road. s
The thunderclouds were piling higher
and apparently absorbing all the air. c
The afternoon grew hot and breathless, r
On the tall elms that bordered the vil- f
lage street down which she passed the 8
leaves hung as heavy and motionless as
if carved of malachite. The roadway, c
with its grass fringed sidewalks, lay 1
white under the glare of the brilliant a
sun. Mrs. Pease's face was crimson I
when she stopped in front of a little a
brown house with a front piazza shel- i
tercd by two umbrageous horse chestnut
trees. The promise held out by their 1
clustering branches stirred the tired f
woman to ascend the steps with many c
gasps and sighs.
"Good land 1" cried a voice from an 1
upper window. "If here ain't Mia' 1
Pease!" t
The narrow green shutter that had t
swung open to admit of this remark's 1
descent was drawn to hastily and a mo- 1
ment later the door blinds flew open a
with a jerk and a quick motioned, C
shrewd faced little woman, clad in a 1
Mother Hubbard wrapper of brown and 1:
white calico, as smooth and fresh as c
water and smoothing irons could make r
it, appeared. g
"Whatever made you stare oat on a
such a day?" said sho reproachfully, i
" ""OT1 t-i?it a nfllm loaf fail. "Not but \
piUOVUVAUg U ?VVM.
what I'm always glad to see you, Mis' j
Pease, but seems's if you'd 'a' been more i
comfortable if you'd waited until after
sundown." e
"There ain't much doubt about that," ^
admitted Mrs. Pease, whoso breath ?
came wirn startling aud.'blenesa "If h
'tain't too much trouble, I'd like a a
glass of water, Mis' Frost. My throat's E
terribly dry, waliu through all that
dust." *
The alert little woman darted through a
the straw carpeted entry way as rapidly
as though the thermometer had been
more creditably employed than in gratifying
a ceaselessly aspiring ambition,
and was back again as promptly.
"Drink this tea instead," urged she,
producing a blue willow pattern cup
and saucer from which a dtlightful odor
arose. "Water's dangerous when you're
30 het up."
"That's real kind of you, Mis' Frost,"
3aid Mrs. Pease gratefully. "There
ain't nothin I like better'n a cup of tea
when I git overheated, but, of course, I
wasn't goin to speak of it"
"I relish it more'n anything myself
rach days," said Mrs. Frost, watching
the red patches grow paler on her visitor's
forehead and cheeks. "This piazsy's
real comfortable when the sun gits
round behind the house."
"Ory often wishes we had one on our
bouse," said Mrs. Pease contemplatively.
"It's the fust thing we shall have
if we ever git rorenanaea, dqc i Deneve
in lettin well enough alone."
"Ory's notions are a little high," anjwered
Mrs. Frost, with a certain meaning,
scanning Ora's mother's face narrowly
to discern any indications of resentment
at her freedom. "You've had
i hard time to git your place clear, an
[ never favored gittin into the mire
ivhen you can keep out. Why didn't
Dry come round with you?"
"Steve Judkins carried her to the
aeach this arternoon with his new
lorse," replied Mrs. Pease, trembling
it the opportune inquiry that enabled
ler to state the news she had come so
!ar to tell without absolutely forcing
t into the conversation. "It's a reg'lar
jeauty. S'pose you ain't seen it yet?"
"La, yes! Indeed I have."
Mrs. Frost spoke the truth, for Steve
ludkins had driven by that very afterloon
with his new possession on his way
:o get Ora, but with the perspicacity
jeculiar to certain minds she divined
Sirs. Pease's uneasiness at the indeflliteness
of her reply and determined
lot to lessen it by any explanatory renark.
"He always said Ory should have the
ust ride," added Mrs. Pease, unconicious
how much anxiety was being
nanifested in her florid face.
"I ain't sayin she didn't"
Mrs. Pease did not lack in penetraiou
and could see that Mrs. Frost was
indeavoring to annoy her. She was anpry,
and, straightening herself, made a
>old and unconsidered stroke.
" 'Twould be funny if she hadn't,"
laid she, coloring with the effort she
vqs making. "I s'pose some day 'twill
>e hern."
The rockers on the chair occupied by
lirs. Frost made a wide scratch on the
tainted boards of the piazza as she gave
in involuntary lurch forward. Two litle
spots of red flamed in her sallow
heek, and her eyes snapped visibly.
"Do telll Well, I hadn't s'posed it
vas so serious. Then Ory's really
aught him at last."
Mrs. Peaso was conscious of a tumuluous
beating of all her pulses as she
tared her questioner in the face. To
iear the inference drawn from her preumptuous
declaration voiced in such
tlain and unmistakable terms almost
taralyzed her.
"I ain't at liberty to say anything
nore yet, "she stammered confusedly.
'An you .mustn't mention it to a soul
lutside till I give you leave."
"That's queer. I should think you'd
?ant it spread," said Mrs. Frost, liftng
her thin eyebrows. "Steve's the
atch of the place. If 'twas my Charntte.
I wouldn't let the crass crow un
ler my feet before I'd circ'late it pretty
reely."
"Ory's queer about them things.
She'd be awful mad if she knew I'd
old," returned Mrs. Pease, whose brain
eemed to be spinning around erratically.
"I shall tell Charlotte anyway," inisted
Mrs. Frost. "Steve Judkins took
[uito a shine to her one while, an he's
nvited her to ride with his new horse
ome day. If he an Ory are goin to git
narried, he ain't no business to be takn
other gals to ride, an sho shan't go.
She'll have to have a good reason,
hough, or there won't be any stoppin
ler."
Mra Pease's resources seemed on the
joint of deserting her. Diplomacy was
is foreign to her as the telling of unruths.
Her pale blue eyes were full
if a perplexity that mystified Mrs.
frost, though the latter had not venured
to doubt the truth of her visitor's
tatement, disagreeable as it was to her.
"There's a parfic'lar reason why I
ian't sav anv more iust now." feeblv
eiterated Mr& Pease. "Promise mc
aithful you won't tell what I said to
uiybody, not even Charlotte."
The request, which partook strongly
?f the nature of entreaty, had scarcely
>eeu voiced when the green shutter
ibove flew back with a bang that sent
>oth women half out of their chairs,
aid a sharp young voice called out triimphautly:
"I've hearn it all without bein told,
klis' Pease! You ought to be more careul
about tcllin secrets under open winters.
I'll be down in a minute."
The tones of the sarcastic voice fell
ike lashes on Mrs. Peuse. She sank into
ler chair as helpless as a wounded creaure,
her face ashy, her heavy mouth
witching pitifully. The quality of Mrs.
rrost's questioning gaze made her draw
ler breath with difficulty, but that was
is nothing compared to the prospect of
Univlnfto'c f-nniincr n.t.rnr>lr Thev OOtlld
i ear her bounciug through the uppc
mil unci down /he stairs, like a herald
if the approaching stoma, and in a monent
more she came out. She was a tall
;irl with a massive frame and big hands
ind feet Her abundant yellow hair rose
n a fuzzy mass round her pink and
vhite fuce. Her white teeth wero exlosod
in a smile that bordered on the
ualicious.
"I've been sittin at the winder hearir
very word yau said," she began; "so
ou sec it ain't any use to warn mar
lot to tell me. I'm s'prised enough to
iear about Ory. From things I've seen
n heard I didn't think Steve would
aake up his mind so quick."
The girl's audacity acted on Mrs.
'ease like an invigorating douche. It
roused her to self assertion. The saucv
tone, the self conscious smile, the fieflant
attitude, all hod a part in her partial
restoration.
"I never hearn of Steve's pnyin any
-particl'r attention to anybody besides
Ory," she advanced, with some spirit
"If ho has I'd like to know who 'tis.
Speak up, Charlotte, if you've got anything
to say."
"Well, I have. Steve Judkins has
paid me as much attention as ever he
did Ory. You needn't s'pose that because
he's carried her to ride off an on
he ain't carried no other girls. I guess
I've been as often as she has, an he called
here reg'lar all the spring till 1 went
up to Aunt Maria's You needn't tell
me Oiy's caught him in that little time,
because I won't believe you if you do!"
"Charlotte!" remonstrated Mra Frost,
scandalized at her daughter's plain
speaking.
"Don't Charlotte me, mar Frost! 1
know what I'm a-sayin."
The girl's large face was scarlet with
excitement She had stationed hersell
directly in front of Mrs. Pease, her
hands on her hips and her tall body
swaying as she talked. Her eyes had
sparkles in them. Even Mrs. Frost
quailed under their growing fierceness.
"So, there's a partic'lar reason you
don't tell more, is there?" she went on
jeeringly. "It's my private opinion you
can't tell anything that's true! I don't
believe they're engaged any' more'n I
am!"
"Well, now! For the land's sake! Be
you a-tellin me I'm lyin, Charlotte
Frost?"
"Don't seem'8 if you could make anything
else out of what I said!"
A silence as profound as that which
dominated an uninhabited region followed
this audacious statement. Charlotte's
two listeners sat rigid with astonishment
at her daring. Mrs. Frost's
look of frightened amazement was tinctured
with a certain admiration of her
daughter's fearlessness, Mrs. Pease's
with insulted dignity. For one dreadful
moment she had been completely overcome
at her wickedness in proclaiming
as true that which had no other foundation
than her own strong hope, but the
skeptical sneer on the angry face before
her, the tone of defiant accusation in the
vibrant voice, aroused her naturally
combative spirit to defense. "I've got
to believe it's true now," she kept saying
to herself. "It is true I'm sure of
it." Charlotte's eyes seemed to possess
the quality of augers. Their pitiless
scrutiny was almost unendurable Mrs.
Pease's inwafd perturbation was such
that she scarcely knew what she was
oAvinir She was simnlv conscious, in a
dim, indeterminate way, that ahe must
support the statement she had been led
into making however indefensible it
might be.
"I had no idee it would touch you so
deep, Charlotte," she remarked, feeling
that she must say something to prevent
herself from thinking. "If I had, I
wouldn t have thought of mentionin it,
even to your mar."
"Well, of all things!" screamed
Charlotte. "I ain't said I cared a row
of pins about Steve Judkins, have I? I
only said he'd give me as much encouragement
to think he liked me as he ever
did Ory. I don't want him, but I ain't
goin to turn him over to anybody without
good reason, if I don't. So, now!"
"Prob'bly you'll have to make up
your mind to it sooner or later," replied
Mrs. Pease, whose faith in her own prediction
was growing unaccountably.
Charlotte's refuge in generalities had
lightened her burden wonderfully, and
her courage waxed valiant "You really
give me a turn callin me a liar, "she
added reproachfully.
"You acted kinder strange, anyway,"
put in Mrs. Frost, who had not hitherto
ventured to interpolate a remark since
she had been so brusquely silenced by
her daughter. "How long's it been since
they fixed things up between 'em?"
The natural question aroused Mrs.
Pease's sickening dread by reducing her
to plain facts, for which she was unprepared.
"I ain't goin to say another thing
about it," said she resolutely. "I
" You needn't tell me Ory'8 caught Mm."
hadn't ought to 'a' spoke at all, but it
can't be helped now. All I ask of you
is to keep it close till I give you liberty
to tell it round."
"Well, I s'pose we can promise that,"
said Mr*. Frost reluctantly. "What
do you say, Charlotte?"
The girl had seated herself on the top
step, trembling with the reaction from
the passion that had mastered her. She
lifted a fnce no longer red and a pair
of eyes in which dwelt a curiously unsatisfied
and puzzled expression. There
Was something incomprehensible to her
about the matter still, and she wrapped
her arms round her tall knees and hesitated
before giving the desired assent
In the distance tho roll of carriage
wheels could bo heard approaching rapidly.
The pace was so much more rapid
than was customary in that vicinity
that tho three women were conscious of
a thrill of curiosity even in the midst of
their personal excitement Each turned
her head in tho direction whenco tho
noise came, and the carriage and its occupants
burst simultaneously upon the
vision of all.
'Massy sakesl There they bo themselves!"
said Mrs. Frost, rising and going
close to the railing to see to better
advantage. "How under the light of
the sun do you s'poso they happened
round this war? Hail 'em. Charlotte I"
sne added authoritatively. 'Ten ury
her mar's here."
Mrs. Peaso gave an ineffectual clutch
of desperation at Charlotte's sleeve as
i the girl flew past her. She could make
no sound. The impending crisis had
rendered her dumb.
"They can take you home as well as
not," continued Mrs. Frost, turning to
i her visitor. " 'Twould be a pity if they
i couldn't arter such a tramp as you've
had. Land alive 1 Have you got a pain?
i You look real mizzerble."
i "It's a crick in my side,"gasped
I Mrs. Pease. "Seemed's if I couldn't git
i my breath for a minute "
"Ploorisy," asserted her companion.
"Put on a flaxseed poultice as soon as
you git home There ain't anything to
equal 'em. There! They're drawin up.
i Charlotte's stopped 'em!"
Mrs. Pease shivered visibly, but Mrs.
! Frost was too much interested in watching
what was going on before her to
i notice it "1 can't make out what
' they're up fo," she announced in a puz1
zled tone. "They aiu't a-gittin out,
but they're talkin at a great rate.
Hadn't we better bo down to the gate
i and speak to 'em?"
"I'd rather set still," said Mrs.
Pease, in a faint voice.
" Well, if you don't mind bein left,
I'll run down. Think you'll be all right
i if I leave you a minute?"
"Yea"
As soon as the brown and white calico
> had fluttered over the lost step Mra
i Pease raised herself in her chair, and
gripping its wooden arms tightly looked
toward the carriage, which was drawn
up by the roadside near the gate. She
could see that Steve and Ora were bending
forward listening to Charlotte, who,
leaning on the rail of the white fence,
seemed to be talking with animation.
"She's a tellin 'em," groaned the
poor woman, stung for the first time
into a realization of the enormity of her
offense. "What shall I do? Seems's if
the very old boy got into me an driv
mo to tell that lie. It'll mortify Ory to
death. She'll never git over it, either.
Oh, what am I goin to do?"
She was a sad spectacle as she sat
there, her big body cowering in the
roomy rocker, her face, framed in a
large black bonnet much askew, white
with anticipation of Ora's humiliation
and despair when Charlotte should have
finished her startling revelation. "An
right before Steve, too!" she thought,
with anguish.
"She must have beam it all by this
fimo " aho fVinnchtT?resentlv_ "Wonder
what they'll say to me fust?"
"Mis' Pease!"
"Mis' Pease!"
"Mar-r-r!"
The voices breaking in upon her tormenting
thoughts nearly forced a shriek
from Mrs. Pease.
"I can't go, noway,"she groaned.
"I don't see how I can face 'em!"
"Mis' Pease, come along down;
they're a-waitin for you," called Charlotte's
sharp voice, as she advanced a
little way up the walk to make herself
heard. She put her hands to the sides of
her mouth, sailor fashion, and called
again: "Hurry up, Mis' Pease. They're
waitin to drive you home. "
"Drive me home!" Mrs. Pease rose
in bewilderment "Why?why?they
can't be so dreadful put out then."
She adjusted her bonnet with hands
that trembled so it was more one sided
than ever when she had arranged it "I
can't think what it means, unless Ory's
too dazed, or too proud, to say a word
before the Frosts. I'm thankful they
ain't goin to take me to task here!
Don't seem's if I could stand that before
Susan Frost an that sassy Charlotte!"
She tottered a few steps.
' 'S'poso I've got to git down there someway,
but my legs don't seem to have a
mite of strength in 'em."
But Mrs. Pease had been too long ao
customed to domineering over others to
be wholly crushed by any kind of calamity.
Appalled as she was at the difficulty
into which she had gotten herself,
her lifelong habit of self reliance acted
as a brace to her weakened nerves. With
a praiseworthy assumption of that capableness
which she felt that she had perhaps
forfeited forever, she got down the
steps in spite of an uncertainty in regard
to her extremities to which she
had hitherto been a stranger. Her anxious
eyes scanned the faces she was
nearing with something so desperately
imploring in their glance that Ora noticed
it at once.
"Why, mar! Ain't you feelin well?
You hadn't ought to come out such a
day. 'T^'as too warm to walk so far."
"Dunno how you'd 'a' managed to get
home if we hadn't happened to come
L? " ""' ^ iAAnlnvlfT TKnrO trflfl
vyt OttlU OW5VO JVA/U4UA4J. f> MU
noticeable buoyancy in his hearty voice,
nnsuppressed happiness in his pleasant,
rustic face. Mrs. Pease looked uncertainly
from him to Ora, whose little
brown face wore a blissful expression
that her concern for her mother was
powerless to subdue. Charlotte's felicitations
had produced a most unexpected,
most inexplicable effect The attendant
humiliation seemed to have been transferred
to tho unlooked for side, for Mrs.
Frost stood by tho wheel with a disappointed
countenance, and Charlotte was
twisting her big hands together with an
unsuccessful effort at lightness and indifference
in her demeanor.
Mrs. Pease found speech quite beyond
her. She took refuge in her accredited
pain, and kept one hand pressed to her
side.
"Git right in, mar," said Ora.
"We'll have you home in no time."
"An don't forgit that flaxseed poultice,"
urged Mrs. Frost, as she and
Charlotte assisted their fleshy visitor
Into the buggy; Steve, while facetiously
suggesting a derrick, having all he could
do to hold in his frisky animal during
the formidable operation.
"You sit on the 6eat, mar," said Ora
laughingly, "an I'll git down in front"
"Wait a minute, an I'll git you a
cricket," suggested Mrs. Frost. "Run
in, Charlotte, an git tho one that's at
the foot of the lounge."
But Steve's horse was determined to
wait no long' r and bounded forward
with a jerky motion that momentarily
straightened Mrs. Pease's remorse bowed
shoulders. *^V,
"What's that jial been sayin to you?"
sue UHKeu, Willi ucapcmw; ucici miuanuu
to know tho worst at once. Ora rested
her head against her mother's knee and
cast a sidelong glance at Steve, who ,
was not so deeply absorbed in his duties
as to neglect to repay the coquettish lit
tie glance with a broad smile of very
particular meaning.
"Just the thing to hit us off exact,
though it beats me holler ho^y she found
it out," said he, laughing loudly. "She
was just playin a game on us, I s'pose,
tryin to find out if there was anything
between me an Ory. 'I want to congrat'late
you,' she began, with more
'
J
She reached out and suddenly seized the
reins.
air than you could shake a stick at Tell
you, Mother Pease, it set her down
pretty low when I said we'd be mighty
glad to have her. Slio was too flustered
to speak for a minute, an then? Hello I
Ory 1 Your mar don't seem to take it in
yet!"
"What's he mean, Ory Pease?" demanded
her mother, grasping her daughter's
shoulders and shaking her nervously.
"What's he mean? Speak up, Ory."
"He means wo got engaged this afternoon,"
said Ora, coloring, but making
the announcement with a youthful dignity
that was most attractive. <
Mrs. Pease sat bolt upright She re- i
nounced her pleurisy and drew the first i
comfortable breath she had inhaled since i
her arrival at the Frost cottage. Her
face was even more jubilant than those i
turned toward her. ]
''Thank the Lord for all his massies!" |
she ejaoulated devoutly. Then, as a |
painful thought assailed her, she reached >
out suddenly, seized the reins from ,
Steve's hands, and with one movement t
of her strong wrists pulled the restive |
horse to an abrupt stop. ,
"You ain't goin a step further," ahe |
declared vehemently, "till you solemnly {
swear, both of you, nover to let out to
Charlotte Frost, or her mother, or any
body, when you settled it"
The odd demand had little signifl- {
cance for them, but they recognized
that for somo reason-compliance with it {
was of moment to Mrs. Pease, and gave j
the promise with a sincerity that guar- j
onteed absolute and enduring silence.
THE END.
^lisccUanrous Reading.
SHIPS OP TODAY. [
Do Not Dlfler From Those of the Ark In 1
Principles of Construction. ]
"The shipbuilder of today imagines
that he has far advanced," said a representative
of a shipbuilding firm, i
"but when he looks back he finds that ,
he has in reality made but little prog- ,
ress in the matter of proportions over (
the original ship by Noah 40 centuries ?
ago. The lines laid down in the con- g
struction of Noah's ark are followed (
today in the best examples of ship- t
building. Those proportions are that ^
a ship should be six times as long as ,
it is wide, and with a depth one-tenth t
of its length. The Taest authority
gives the measurement of Noah's ark t
as 300 cubits in lengin, ou cuous id ^
breadth, with a depth of 30 cubits.' 8
"Though the cubit varies io differ- s
ent parts of the world, the Eoglish t
cubit, which is 18 inches, prevails io <
most couDtries. All kinds of changes 4
io proportioos have beeo made sioce c
Noah built the ark, but shipbuilders, r
to get the best results, have been com- f
pel led to go back to these proportioos. e
Nearly all the flyers oow od the oceao
in the passeoger traffic are built od t
the lines of the ark. Shipbuilders s
thought they would improve on these r
proportions and have built thousands t
of ships since on different lines, but
they have been forced to return to the
original lines to get the best results.
"The ark's lines are also followed r
today in the matter of decks or sto- '
ries, if you may call them such, and ^
the best ships here have three decks, F
or stories, upper, lower and middle. r
All of this goes to prove the assertion s
that there is nothing new under the 3
sun, at least in shipbuilding. The F
cigar-shaped boats for which so much 9
was nromised. where the length was c
x 1 w
10 and even more times as much as 1
the width, failed to fill the bill."? ^
Washington Star. 8
c
SHAVING. J
It Whs First Done by Order of Alexander I
the Great. *
The confessor of Francis II of ?
France refused him absolutely until he 1
had completely removed his beard. ?
An ancieut German was by tribal enstorn
not allowed to cut off his flowing *
beard until he had killed his first man v
in battle. About the year 200 B. C., ?
the Roman Emperor Scipio Africanus .
inaugurated the custom of shaving
among the Roman nobles. Henry I
of England wore a beard until a courageous
preacher leveled his eloquence i
at him to such good purpose that he t
submitted to be shaved. From the ]
time of Julius Ceasar until the advent t
of William the Conqueror the Britons t
wore mustaches, but the clergy, after t
the conversion of the islanders, were a
forced to shave by law. One of the e
early Popes established the shaving of e
Roman Catholic priests to distinguish r
them from the patriots of Constantino- c
pie. The priests of the Greek church t
still wear beards. Peter the Great of t
Russia laid a tax on beards, and de- ]
Iinquenta were forced to have their
faces shaved with a blunt razor or to
have the hairs pulled with pincers.
So everybody shaved. The first shaving
was done by order of Alexander
the Great, who forced the Greek warriors
to cut off their beards, as he
found them awkward impediments in
the hand-to-band contests of that
time.?Current Literature.
Faith In Humanity.?Never let
us lose oar faith in human nature, no
matter how often we are deceived.
Do not let the deception destroy confidence
in the real honesty, goodness,
generosity, humanity and friendship
which exist in the world. I have lost
25 per cent, of all I have ever made in
lending money and endorsing notes,
and have incurred generally the enmity
of those I have helped, because I
did not keep it up. But every once
in awhile there was somebody who
did return in such full measure the
credit for the help which was rendered,
that faith was kept alive, and the
beauty and goodness of our human
nature were made evident.
I have bad appointed about a thousand
men to employment which gave
them support and a chance to climb
to positions of greater responsibility
and trust, if they bad tbe inclination
and ability. About 9 out of 10 of
them threw stones at me because I did
not do better for them, and keep pushing
tbem; and yet there are a hundred
cr so who, by the exercise of their
cwn ability, their own grasp of the
situation, have gone on to the accom- *
plishment of such high ambitions and '
successes, and have appreciated in so
many ways the help extended to tbem
iir helninor nt.hflrs that, ?tr?i n mv
"J MV,r"*o ?? ?o ? /
faith in human nature remains undi- finished.?Chauncey
M. Depew.
Kaffir Dentistry.?The method
jf extracting teeth among the Kaffirs
s barbarious in the extreme, and re- *
Binds one of the tortures of the dark
iges.
The patient is placed on the ground
ind four men are employed to hold
aim down, two taking his arms and
/WO his legs. Then the operator
tneels down beside him, and taking a
piece of sharpened ivory, steel or
wood, he calmly proceeds to hawk
iway at the gum until the offending
;ooth is loose. He then extracts it
with finger and thumb, the patient
saving suffered naturally unspeakable
igonies.
The time occupied in the operation
s often of long duration, .sometimes
extending over as much as 30 minutes,
but, of course, this varies accordng
to the strength of the tooth. Persons
in this country who make a practice
of taking an anesthetic when
laving a tooth extracted would probibly
find the operation as performed
sy the Kaffir dentist a little troublesome,
to say the least of it.
Of course, the Kaffirs dwelling in or
sear the towns go to the ordinary
ientist, but those living far away from
civilization have no alternative but to
esort to the method described above.?
London,Spectator.
A Millionaire's Pet Economies.?
fVhile the late Enoch Pratt of Baltinore
was most generous, he had a , .
lumber of pet economies. He was in
he habit of walking between his home
tnd bis baDk, and when some one suggested
that be ought to use the street
:ar, as the fare was only five cents, he
ejoined: "Only five cents. Don't
rou know, sir, that $100 will have to
vork nearly a whole week to earn
hat five cents?"
He had a grim sense of humor, and
he state got a lot of fun out of him
vhen he was summoned by the county
authorities for an increase on his tax
issessment. He appeared as a downrodden
farmer. "Don't," he said,
'put it on us poor devils who only get
tO cents a bushel for our corn. We
:an't live. It costs me $500 a year to
un my place, and I can get no income
rom it. I have two cows, and they
ire both dry."
He went on in this strain for some
ime, ending by telling the coramisioners
that the taxable basis wa3 aleady
too high. But they raised his
axes just the same.
United States Pensioners.?The
~C tKn nnmmioomnar nf npnqinns
UpUM/ l/A lUOVVUiuiiSBiwuv. w
or the fiscal year ending June 30,1896,
lasjust been made. From this it ap>ears
that "there were added to the
oils during the year 40,374 new penioners;
and there were restored
1,873, who had been previously drop>ed?a
total of 44,247. During the
ame period the losses were 29,393 by
leath, 1,141 by remarriage (widows)
.,684 by legal limitation (minors,)
!,552 because of failure to claim penion
for three years, and 9,223 for
tther causes?an aggregate of 40,493.
rhe net gain over the previous year
vas only 154. The whole number of
>ensiouerson the rollou June 30,1896,
vas 970,678. While the rolls show a
light gain in numbers over the year
mmediately preceding, the amount
lisbursed for pensions was $138,214,'61?a
decrease of $1,592,575 as com
tared wilb the previous year. There
vere 495,664 pension claims pending
it the close of the fiscal year, 234,337
teing applications for increases made
>y persons now on the rolls."
VST There are in the United States,
t is stated 200,00(F machinists, 10,000
ool makers, 25,000 boilers makers,
0,000 pattern makers, 750,000 car peners
and joiners, 200,000 masons and
tricklayers, 50,000 contractors and
tuilders, 50,000 plumbers, gas and
team fitters, 150,000 stationary engin;ers
and firemen, 100,000 locomotive
tngineers and firemen, 50,000 electric
ail way and light employees, 50,000
:abinet makers, carvers and woodvorkers,
50,000 civil, mechanical, elecrical
and |miniug engineers.?GlobeDemocrat.