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The Brussels Post, 1891-4-24, Page 5A.PBIL 24, 1891 A RUSTIC COMEDY. nY MARY 0. WILKIys, The boll for Sabbath evening meeting was ringing, lout it was ttill quite (tabby thing, you know that. We've talk. light, The sun had smoothy gone out of ed it all ever, and you don't want to got before her mother, terrified and appoalulg, In hor little, limp smelling calico, " I don't see why you can't buy a dress if I ain't at your elbow I yon won't always have me. \ eu know jest about what you wont ; you don't want to buy any light, eight, the sky was a clear, pale yellow, Anil tum trees hoknd dark and distinct; it soothed las If one could count tate leaves, J''ho bell rang, and Bossy Lung mune down the street with lir ntothor. Bossy was small and round faced, She held up her rustling muslin 0kirt0 daintily out of the the dust and moved, with a light toss, like a bird. Ilor mother, in her black gown and Sunday bonnet, stopped firmly beside her, Thoy passed p10lenlly a glossy white house set well up from the road, un to pilo of green banks, Bossy'smother nudged her when they came to it. " Pretty soon you'll be turnin' in there, an' I expect you'll fool pretty grand," said sloe. " 1 declare, there's Jerome at the window now 1 He's lookin' , look up aro' bow to hint. Why don't you look up?"' 13 15y looked up, and bowed to a man whose face was dimly visible like a pude shadow at oto of the windows. " I guess he ain't quite ready," remarked Mrs. Lang, "Mobilo Imo's wattle' for Marin." Sho and Bessy wars already seated in the church vestry when the nuon emerged from the house and came Clown tho steps between the gam banks. Thorn was a woman with him. She looked older than he ; her face wits pale and self•contaiuoi and her bonnet strings wore tied austerely, Maria Bowles in hor young days had experienced a disappointment in love. Whatever change it might havo worked in her nature, sho had tied hor bonnet strings straighter and pinned her shawl more evenly ever since. That ploy havo been the out. ward evidence of rout inward revolution, of perpetual squaring of herself for a contrast to the crookedness of the world, whereby she acquired a curtain cold peace and salts. faction in life. As they want down the steps she surveyed hor brother with pale,. sharp oyes ; then sho picked a thread from his vett sleeve. " 1 s'poso you won't bo home till late to. night," said she, in a dry voice which had no accord with her friendly action. " Somewhere about 10." "It was 11 before you gob home last Sunday night.". " Well, it won't bo many Sunday nights more," said Jerome, with embarassed pleas- antry. His thio lips curled in smiles as if under stiff protest. Ho looked like his sis- ter, though he was younger and darker, People called him handsome. Ho had never paid any attention to a girl in Itis life —and ho was 11011 toward forty—until he commenced courting 'Bossy Lang. Now ho was to marry her in four weeks. They were to live in his house with Maria. The Bowles' house was finely furnished, the carpets were all tapestry and there wore drapery curtains in all the front rooms. Village people eyed them with respect and admiration. Mrs. Lang had expatiated a gond deal to Bessy upon these grand house- hold Uolog u is^s. " Thom carpets is elegant, elegant 1" said she. " I expect yotl feel fine enough when you're hvin' ann. They'll be dreadful hard to sweep awn ; • 'st of it but • , that's the maybe you w'on't have to sweep � 'um much. " Maria Bowles. although there was money enough to pay for one, would not keep a servant, none could work to suit her. Jerome had talked the matter over with Bessy. " We can't keep a hired girl when we are married," said ho ; " Maria wouldn't he willing to ; but we don't need one, any- how, with only throe of us." Bessy had assented sweetly and smilingly. Site had never done any hard work ; al• though the Lange were too poor to keep a servant her another had taken it all off from her. Tho older woman regarded hor daughter's little, soft, white hands and tender arms with a kind of fierce protection; she would have worked her own to the bone to save thein. Tho swopping of those tapes. try carpets was all the drawback to her do - light, over o•lightover the prospective nlarrisge, and she was hopeful over that. She could not believe that Maria Bowles could have the heart to be loss tender with the girl than she ; very likoly sloe would not lot her touch the carp- els. To -night, w'iten Jerome cane into the vestry, Mrs. Lang gave Bessy a little nudge and she colored, but did not look around. After meeting she took his area and walked down the street with childish decorum, suiting her paw to hid. Her another follow. ed after with one of the neighbors. Maria Bowles had stalked on alone faster than any others. Sloe entered icor house, went unswervingly through the dark for a lamp, which sho lighted, thot sat down to wait for her brother. No matter how late 110 should ration he would find her sitting there, bolt -upright and unoccupied, rigid and remorsolesr, with that remorselessness toward hor own comfort' which could sting another deeply because it reflected upon his selfishness, Maria was not pleased with this match ; sho 11111 not wish hor b''othor to marry, She had said all along throb it would coma to naugh. " She's a fii;hty little thing," she sea often. " She won't have you, Jerome, you stark my words." Jerome, past the fiest rush ofyouthful Goa. deuce, and the'obyrsnderotl more susceptible to it, had caught the poison of his sister's nature. At times ho looked at Bossy with at incredulous and suspicious alt' which bewildered Iter, He questioned her sharply about all her doings. Sho vend to tell her mother, het Mrs Lang was rather pleased than otherwise. " Oh, lie's kind of jealous, child," she would say, " that's all, he'll got over it." 13000y was all ready to bo married with the exception of the wedding silk and rho bonnet fat which she was to could out as a bride the Sunday after her marriage. Sho was to bo married in 0 white mn0ltn gown, She and Ixer onetime hod planned to go to \'Velleboro t'0 buy the silk this nextiklonda4y. But in tho morning Mrs, Lang was not won; she was stubjoot to rheumatism and just at this critical moment, had an attack of it in hor knee. "I don't know whales groin' to bo dorm, Bossy," said she, She bad contrived to hobble out into the sitting room, and sat thorn helpless. "I oouiclu't walk 0000' to Wclleboro to save my life. 1 s'poso we could got a team, but it 'maid cost two (blithe, and I don't know how I could get in and out, then. I wondel' if you could''( got the silk yourself, Bossy?" " 0, mother, Ion afraid to I" "I'dliko to know why? It's time you learned how to do such things yolrsolf, I wa'1t't any olcier that yen when 1 ova5 mar - raid, an' I bought ten' earned overybhing I lad myself, my weddin' silk an' all, an' I cut au made it, too, I should think you 0011111 do as much as buy it when the money WAS right in ,your hand. I guess I shenitht t have boot afraid when I was a girl, I altonld have thought I Wns pretty loopy, I wnttldn t tell of it if I couldn'tt, if .I, were you. Here's the dressmaker 00tid1x to ;morrow 1" '' 0, mother, Pm dreadful afraid I spoil get something you won'tlikc'." Dem otool anything that's gout' to fade or spot. I think 0 good brown silk would bo about as good as anything. An' you want to look out an' not get the that will Or/Wk. 80110 SHISH will math right out before you've worn 'em any time ,• you must talke a cot'nor of it and pinch it together this way between your thuon' an' finger and see if it's made mucin of a erase. If it has it's likoly to crook, You want to remember all these little things, an' take your time an' ink aroun' an' not buy the first thing you see. '!.'hat's all, you cla11 do 1t jest a0 well as any- body 1f you only think s0,' as Bessie wan at last persuaded and anther• aged, and after dinner sloe started for Wells- boro to buy her wedding silk. Sho had to bey a benne!: too. It was a three-mile walk. All the way she meditated upon the intend. ed purchases ; she had her little purse in the very bootom of her pocket, which she had pinned together for further safety. In the parte wore 430. Her another had scrimped and saved with infinite toil over petty household finaneiering, her father had eliminated what he could from his poor treasury. He was to small farmer, and money was the scarcest thing he had. 1f Bossy could only have had a bridal gown woven of green ribbon grass, embroidered with daisies and olovor, there would have been wealth for it; but to buy ono of foreign production cane hard. Bessy kept feeling of the purse to Deo if it -were safe. Sho had never before had so much money in her pos- session, and she kept ropoating to herself her another's instructions aboat the silk. Finally she emerged !uta a busy amain street of \Vellsboro and began peering with inno- cent, weary eyes over the dry goods min- ters. She wont here and there in a panic of hesitation; at. last she bought desperately, sow her purchases done up with pitiful orfs. givings, took the parcel in her hands and started fur 1101110. As sire walked. she began t0 be more at ease. She had some money left in her purse and eho was confidant thea the silk would not croak. She had bought 001110 beautiful white rosebuds for her bonnet. After she got well out of the town she took the rosebuds out of their paper and stopped a moment to loop at them. A green light fell upon her through the thin bhei woods whioltbordered the road. Bessy held up hor rosebuds and surveyed them, smiling admiringly, her head on ono side. " 0 dear 1" said she suddenly With 11groat sigh. She put the flowers back in the paper and walked on. A wearing trouble had cone over hor face, as it had been doing at intervals for the last few weeks. Her mother had often asked her sharply what the natter was and Bossy had answered, " Nothing. Why ? " and the look had gone away. Truth was that this poor little rose, who had so far gotten all her notions from her another es from a strong wind and had gone sweetly all her life at the beak of another's will havinghad her gown and her husband —almost hr virtues selected for her, was beginning to perceive dimly that the great events of life have ;Ingle entrances, that not even love can enter alongside, ids notnatterhow fondly crowding, and the perception awoke in her, for the first time aeutoly, tho sense of individuality. THE BRUSSELS POST, iel it she would hurry home amu 0011(100 to lour mother. It woe after 0 o'olook when the returned. She had soot found the silk. Shewos gnite pale when she entered the sitting room, Her mother and Jerome wore there ; her mother looked wonderingly, Jerome sIOpi• cloudy. Why, where havo you been, Elsey 3" asked Mrs. Lang. „ Where did 1 tall you wee going . y aid Bossy. Sho tried 10 take off hoe bat nu0onceru0dly. Then Jerome spoke. His thin faro lookod hard and unpleasant. "You wore not in the dressmaker's when I came past 011 (lour ago," said he, in a cold voice. "1 stopped in there of an errand for my sietor, and—I Artme it," Bossy stood staring at him, clutching her hat ribbons. " Where was you, Bossy ?" polled her midouter. The young girl said nothing, She kept drawing her under lip in between Icor teeth, " Bossy !" " It w'a511 t any harm, 11 wasn't truly, mother 1 I can't tell you—to-night, but it omelet any harm 1" Jerome stood still with hie black eyes fixed upon her. "You might believe mo 1" said Bossy, half sobbing, looking at him in a frightened " I don't believe it 1' ( y's Metter off without 11111 thus with him -- "It is, It is 1 Just Hoe l" an' his either ain't any hotter—" Betsey 8110011 the silkout of the wrapper •' 0, ,nether 1 what did he say?" and it rustled down iso shining folds, " Say ? lie wouldn't believe one word I "' For the land ethos don't let it get onto said 1 jest the same as told me I lied ; amid the kitulten floor 1 Whore did it come from !" "I don't know. It's the silk," "1 don't the what Made you get such a light eolor. It'll spot." " I thought it woe real pretty." "PiatLy I Pretty wa'n't, what you want- ed. Tidos is a cream color. You ain't got ions, more judgment than---" ' 0, mother, whore did 11 cornu from 1, There it 11100 lying right on the sitting room table,,' " Its more'n I know ; the whole perform. ane is beyond isle 1" Their wonder and epecalaliol iner000811 until 4 o'clock that afternoon, whon Mrs. 13e11, Lawrenco'e mother, canoe in. She w58 a pretty, long.visaged woman, with a slow way of speaking. She had been sitting quite to while before she remarked, watt long -drawn plaoir'ity t " You had quite 11 time x,•011010' your sills didn't yu, liesty'1" \Shut 1" cried Bossy and her mother to. get her. Yee ; when Lawrence brought it in last night and undid it, an' therm was all that Mown silk instead of the cotton cloth 1'd sent hint for, I couldn't believe my eyes, I s'pose he told yer about it ; he looked as if way.„ lie thought he was out of his head. Then "I haven't get anything to say, said' ho happened to think that ho'd changed it Jerome, slowly. ” When a young woman with you—I 5'pose he took year bundle to goes off alone in the evening and stays till after 0 o'clock, and says she's going to a certain place and doesn't go there, lona then, when she's going to marry, where she's been, of course folks can draw their own concha OLons." Jerome's voice had a rasping sound, 1115 8'8 sounded like whistles. " I did go to the dressmaker's," said Bessy, gathering a little resentment in the midst of er distress. " Yon wont somewhere else, afterward," said Jerome ; "you wasn't there when I was there." Bossy Rushed pinker and pinker. He look. el at her with the more icy disapprobation. L'essy's very pinkness and roundness, while it had attracted him, had always filled him with uneasiness and suspicion. The light, curly locks of hair which sloe had worn over het' forehead like the other yoang girls had made him uncomfortable. One day ho had Pushed them back with a hard hand. "I'd wear them that way if I were you," said he, " it looks neater," So Bessy had obediently brushed back her Mir, but exposing her round, blue -veined forehead only gave her a more childishly sweat look yet, and Jerome's mind had not been set at peace. " I thtult you're real cruel," said limey, " You'll see you are, some time " Then she began to cry. But Jerome did not soften. He stalked out into the entry and got his hat off the table. Wait a minute," whisperedMrs. Lang, fol- lowing him. " It ain't anytltin,' I know ; she'll toll me when you've gone." "I know toll I care to, 110W," said Jerome. His face was very pale and had an expres- sion of repellant t nie ryHw n L out, shut- ting the door with solid decision. I don't knew what you've clone, Bessy," said her mother, coating back ; " he's mad." Bessy sat quite still, with hor face hidden her hal in handkerchief. c " Where in the world was you ?" said her mother. Mother, I'll tell you to -morrow," sobbed Bossy. " I'll make it all right when I do." Mrs. Lang coaxed and scolded with no avail. Bossy wort off to bed and had not confessed a word. Site slept—she was so young that trouble had no power to keep her awake long 1 but she awoke in a patio of misery, This loss overshadowed everything Mee for her now ; no one could know how stupendous and socking a thing it seemed to her, She had never hada silk dross in her life. The having one at all and paying so much money for it scented to her almost sinful, She realised acutely hor parent's hard toil to procure it. And now she had lost it. The thought of her mother's distress was harder for her to bear that her anger. "Poor mother," she sobbed to herself over and over, " what will she do 1" Sho stole away as soon as she could after breakfast, hitting her hat under her apron andslilPiug ovt of the front door. Then silo went up the 1Vellsboro road, looking on either side. It was a dowy morning ; the bushee were all sparkling and dripping and little cobweb disks wore spread over the genas. High up in the blue morning hung the finny half moon, only delicately visible now. Bossy had gone about half a mile when her heart gave a great leap. How had sho missed it the ought before? There lay bite parcel just off the path, pushed 0libtlo under the leaves, as if by a passing foot. Bossy snatched it up, turned about and ran home. She burst into bhehousecalling, " Mother, mother 1" Mrs. Lang thrust hor head out of the kitchen ; sho was fall of fierce indignation at Bossy's absentee. "1,1 11110 to know—" site began; but Bessy, radiant, shamefaced with smiles, in- terrupted Icor—" Olt mother, I've 1011nd111' " Found what ?" " My dross, my brown silk dross 1 Hors it is 1" "Buoy Lang 1 What do you mean?" " I did buy r4, Mondor, and—I lost it com- ing home, yesterday. I didn't avant to tell till I'd found it." " Baaay Lang, you don't mean 'to say you lost that nuw—brown —silk dress?" " I found it, mother—hero 1 1 is all safe I know I should I that's where I wins last night hunting for it." " 1 north heard of such eatelessnosshomy life, 11--" Jnat Deo if it !ain't pretty I" Bossy tremblingly mooned the pared, thou she prom scream. Her mother caught it out of hor hands—it was nothing but a roll of white cotton clout. "For goodness sake 1" erica her mother, and stood stating, 0, mother I I dont know what it moans sobbed Bon. y. " Means? Weil 1 know what it means. Yon have lost all that new brown silk, an' I don't know whore you arcout' to get an- other, tan' J0t'otne 10 dreadfully put out. You've got yourself into a nine prohcamont. Well, its no 1110r0 than I ought to have ex - prided. Yon was always 30st so heedless." " Jerome won't homed when ho knows 1" "1 demon whether he will or not. .T. don't know how you're goin' to got married, anyhow ; you won't have a thing to wear to mootin'. And I've boon saw in' all this time." I'll go and hole again,' "Look again 1—h'ut 1" Bat the slid look again. Even hof mother hobbled clown tho road and aided in the 8001011, '1']1oy canto home empty-handed at (linnet. time, Bossy, in spite of her pride, half crying through the street, and hor mother scolding and lamenting under Icor breath, Mra. Lang want directly into tiro kiteloon. 11000y, who had now quite broken out sobbing, entered the sitting room, Lt a tninato she gave a loud any and ran into the kitchen, "Mother, ntothor, utero it is 1" " Whitt?" " Here itisl" It was only a gentle, tender littlo girlish spirit which begun to be aware that it had in toe world its owl proper direction which was distinct from another's, and there was produced, ae yet, only a mild unrest. Pratty soon Bossy gave herself a poop at the silk, then at her white satin bonnet rib- bon, and her face brightened. Sloe pictured to herself the o0'eot of the rosebuds with Ute whits satin loops. She was within a half anile of home whon u young maul oan0 up behind her. When he caught sight of her he slackened his pace and kept quite a distance between them. Ho was hardly more than a boy. He had a good deal of youthful height. His face was pale, with a pleasant look about the mouth. He eyed the young girl's fluttering draperies and loops of brown braids and would have looked stern had the youthfal sweetness of his face allowed it. Suddenly he paused irresolutely. Ho had seen one of Bossy's bundles slip from under her arm. She kept straight on and did not notice it. The ye111gman quickened his path, then slackened it ; heven opened his month to eall out to her. But he finally walked slowly along picked up the bundle and stood look- ing after her. Ho had a para1l of his own. He molt a stop forward ; then Ido gave his fair head a defiant shako, set lois boyish mouth hard and laid down one of the 1>un• dies on the ground. Then he kept on. Whoa Busy toothed her gthe she looked amend and saw Min in the distance. He in- clined his head stiffly. "Lawrence Bell has been behind me all the way," she thought with troubled reflection, When sho got into the sitting room bur another was not there. She heard her clink - mg dishes in the kitchen, where shewas try. Ing to got tea. Bessie laid her bundles on the table, then paused most, looking at thou —the sills was not there. She oould not be - Hove it at first. She counted then over and over. She pried into them. Thorn was no doubt about it—the precious silk was not there. Theo was nota minute of deliber- ation. She hoard her mother coning. " Is that you, Bessy?" she called out. "yes," 51190101 di Bossy, in 0 weak voice, " You've got home ho good season,' said her mother, lumping painfully in. "How did you got along?" " Pretty wolf—I guess." Mrs. Long went over to tine table and be. gam undoing the bundles, " \•\'try, whore's the silly ?" asked she, turning to Bessy. " I—ltavon't got it." "Haven't got it?" "No.• " Why not, rd line to know " I'm—going again." " Goin' again ?" "I'll gob it—to-marrow," faltered Bossy, miserable, Sho was quaking with terror at hat' own wial10dn055 "Get it tomorrow 1 Why, hero's the dressmakorcomin'to.lnorrow 1" I'll go up an' toll her not to, after supper ; shoal as soul ulonge with somebody else, " Why didn't you get it 1" " I'tl rather—go at got ib' ---tomorrow. I --got the other allege to•clay," Well, I matt say yon re smart to take that long walk o•ot' again. 11111 t11111e you had entitle more sense. I don't see what you moan." Mrs. Long, fall of angry perplexity, dis- cussed the matter atlongbh. She suspected sontothing wrong, boot sho did not know Whitt. Onoa sho came near it. " You ain't lest any of your money, have you ?" asked she. "No, I haven't lost a colt I" 13essio ro• plied with alacrity. Sho feared lest hor mother might ask to the her puree, hat she did not Soon after supper Bossy started ostensibly to notify tho dro0snaker, bat in reality to search for the silk. As tool as elle should carry, he tlidn t say so, but I s'poe0 that was the way it wan—an' thou he gave you the wrong coo, Bessy's fame was full of bewilderment. aloe kept looking at her mother, "Iie charged me not to say anythin' about it," went on Mrs. Bell, "ton' he said ho'tl bring the silk book an' got the cloth. I see he did bring the sills. It's real pretty, ain't it 1" ' I think We quite pretty," murmured Mrs. Lang. ' D1,1 Lawrence take the cotton cloth ?" " No—I guess he didn't. " Well, 1 thought mebhe he wouldn't till he came hone. I guess he thought he'd stop on his way back. I'll tante it when I go. Yes ; I think that silk ie very handsome. You must have thought it fanny when you opened that bundle and saw cotton cloth ?" " Yes, we did," said Mrs, Lang. She kept casting suspicious end sharply question - hog glances which had almost the force of words at Bessie. The minute after Mrs. Bell had gone ale began— " Now, I'd like to know," said she , " was lyou welkin' with Lawrence Bell last night?' No, I wasn't ; you haven't any right to look at me so, mother 1 I haven't done a thing 1" ' 1 shouldn't think you had ! How did he come by your bundle?" " I—don't know 1" Bessy laid her head on the table near the new silk and began to erHer mother snatched the Bilk away. "Don't know? I declare, she's left that cotton cloth after all. You'll have to carry it over aft PP after supper. This is more'n I can cos through 1' ' I—don't know any more than—you do," said Bossy, brokenly. " He was behind me when I came home front Wellsboro yester. another thing—" n't know (lay. Ido g Y It's the greatest piece's of work I oven heard of !" After tea Bessy took the cloth and went over to the Bells'. It was dusky and she did not at first see Lawrence leaning over the gate, Then she started. "01w, good evening," said aloe, tremulousiy. " Good evening," returned Lawrence, stiff. by, and opened the gate. • , Ie—your mother in ?" " No ; she's just gone over to Mrs. Mar- tin's." l've brought back this cloth." Lawrence started—" I suppose you know how mean I've been," ho burst out. Bessy looked at hint mutely. he made up his ndnd. that llessy watt suited to him, and Maria, she chimed in : " I told ltim finally that I guessed Bessy wan't beholden to marry him, an' I guessed with all ler advantages that she might merry eoanebo''ly eine an' not be an old maid like 101110 folks mum to follow had too eted her mean. I guess Marla Howlett took it 1" Mr. Lang in the doorway gave a grunt ; he 001(0 finite all old noon. ' I never thought much of her marryin' him, anyway," said he, " yes ; father never seemed to like him much," said his wife, " Well, I guess he want far out of the way ; I guess he Lvan't far out of the way ; 1 guess Bessy ain't goin' up there to slave over them tapestry carpets, not if I know it." "'then—yon think I'd bettor not have him, mother," returned Bossy, tremblingly, " I gueas you won't have hien if I know it. I ain't goin' to have a little, delicate thing like you goin' up there to be trodden on by Jerome Bowles an' his sold -maid sister an' a-sweepin' their tapestry carpets for 'am." - Suddenly Lawrence sponte. out, his young face fiaehing hotly. "Say, Mrs. Lang, said ho, " can't Bessy have me? I want her dreadfully, and she'd a good deal rather marry me than that old Jerome liowloe, Can't sho, please?" "I don't know what you memo," said Mrs. Lang, with sadden stiffness. " Can't Bessy marry me instead of him 1" Mrs. Lang Dyed him sharply. " You ain't in earnest? ' " Well, I rather guess I am." " Well, said Mrs. hang, in an angry voice, "I don't think it's boat to bring up anything of this kind tonight. I don't k'•ow as 1't'o got anything against you, but l've had 50 much such work that I'm sick of it for one while. Pel rather Bossy wouldn't got mar- ried at all ; there ain't any need of it. She's got her father an' mother, an' she- Mrs. Lang began to cry. " 01, dont, mother," said Bessy, crying too. "I can't help it. I've been lookin' out for your welfare jest the best I know how, an' it don't seem as if there was any reason for such work as this." Mrs, Lang's voice load angry cadences in 10. "Do you think your mother'd care?" Lawrence whispered to Bessy, when she wont wtih him to the door. "I—don't know," said she. Then they kissed each other. " 1 WAS just starting to conte over to your house," Lawrence went an, screwing his toe into the wally. "I was going to tell you— there wasn't anybody as tome, so I jest put the silk in the window this morning. I'll own I did a mean thing, Bessy. I'!1 own I saw you drop the bnndleandlpioked it upend was going to give it to you Then—I laid it down agaun and I suppose 1 swopped bundles somehow when I did it. I didn't find It out till this morningg—I don'ts know what pos- sessed me. Mother saw yon go by and said sheguessedyouweregoing tobuy some—wed- ding things, and I guess 1 felt kind of ugly. I didn't want to speak to you and I didn't care much if youdid lose your things. I know I did a mean thing—' Suddenly the boy made a stop forward and flung his ethos around Bossy. " 0,' groaned he, " you don't wont to marry that Jerome Bowles, do you, Bessy ?" " Lawrence, you ntusn't do so 1 Stop 1" " Toll mo you don't—" " I guess I do." " I don't believe it." " What do you suppose mother would say? Don't 1" '' It isn't your ntothor, it's you 1, Bossy, tell mo the truth—wouldn't you rather marry me than him?" " Lawrence Bell, you let me go 1" " What nettle you say you'd marry him ?" Ho—asked me to," " Asked you to 1 Is that the reason girls have for getting married 1 Bossy, you know I liked you." " No, I didn't 1'' Bessy mnrmnrod faintly. Site Was half crying. "It seems to me yon alight havo known. I never looked et another girl when WO went to school together. I always thought you and T would be married soma time. I never said anything, for I thought maybe it wasn't quite fair. You weren't tach more than a little girl and I Wasn't very old myself and Wasn't monist' ntch. Hut I guess 1 should if. I'd known. \Voll, I ain't going to talk about it. 31 ,you've mono up your ntdnd to starry 1»m 1 ain't going to nege you to break it off, I won't oto anything moan. I shotldn't have said this to -night of :l could have helped Lt." ].aWrenne walked along by Bossy's side with to defiant air when else started toward hone. It Was oohs, a little Way. "I'M going inn minute," said he, when they totehod thelhonsc. "I'm going to toll your another abort that sills myself. I ain't going to lot you„ Mrs. Lang was in the sitting room, She looked exalted. Lawrence began at once upon the subject in his mind. " I'm real sorry you had so ?moth trouble about that 51111,' 110 begat, impetuously. " I want to toll you--." But hits speech seemed to loosen the flood- gate of 111rs. .Lange emotions. " Well, .L denim but it's ,just as well that the silk tuns toot," raid she, " 1 ghees it'5 a good thing that we've found out sabot Jerome Bowles is before it's too lake 1" Lawrence tend Mossy stared Toothless, Ml'. Lang in his Apron sleeves stood listening in the kitchen door, " \Nell, 1: don't care if you do 111ew it, Lawrence," Mrs. Lang went on. "I've ,Must boon up there; 1 thought. I'd explain about last night, an' i smith say he's a strange follow, I guess Bos - N u * * * * aF * They were married before long. Bossy's wedding clothes were all ready, and Mrs. Lang did not oppose it. Maria Bowles' tongue had not been nd1e, and people had heard a good many stories, "I guess they'll see now that Bessy don't feel very bad," said Mrs. Lang. The brown silk was made up, and the bon- net trimmed with the white ribbon and rosebuds s and one Sunday Bossy Y " came out a bride" a When the bridal pair went to church in the evening the bride saw the new moon over her right shoulder with a thrill of satisfae• hertion mII childish heart. or mother had brought her up to believe iu the new moon. When they passed Jerome's house they did not see loam, but ho was peering at them ram behind a curtain. An unhappy man, who hold ever his ear to life as if it were a shell, and heard in its mighty and universal murmur only allusionsto himself. Jerome, miserable, possessed with his gigantic deuton of vanity, peered at the young pair passing smilingly clown the street, but they did not know it, and over them on the r ight 1111116 the silvery crescent of the new moon. A G'uo o "iib most iK'fractelous.'" When 1 wilts 14 years of age I had 0 severe attack of rheumatism, and after I recovered loth to go on crotches, A Y10111 toter oorofula, in the font of whlto swellings, appeared en various parts of my body, and for 11 years 1 was an invalid, being confined to my bed e years, In that time ten or eleven sores ap- pearod and broke, caushtg ane great pail and suffering. I feared I never should get well. " Early In 18018 I went to Cllcago to visit u sister, but was waned to )soy bed most of the time I was there. Ila July I read a book, 'A. Day with a Circus,' ht which were statements. of cures by Hood's Sarsaparilla. 1 was so Im- pressed with the success of fills medicine that 1 decided to try it. To my great gratification the sores soon decreased, and I began to feel better and in 0 short time I was up and out of doors. I continued to take hood's Sar- saparilla for about it year, when, having used six bottles, I had become so fully released from the disease that I went to work for then Flint 84 Walling bifg. Co., and siltue then 11A00 NOT LOST A SINGLE DAY 011 account of sickness. I believe the disease - is expelled from my system, I always feel well, an la good spirits and have a good appetite. I am 110te 27 years of age and can walk as well as any one,. except that one 111" 15 n littlo shorter Man the other, owing to the toes of bone, and the sores formerly on my right leg. To 107 friends any recovery seems almost miraculous, and I think hood's Sarsaparilla is the Icing of medicines." WILLIAM A„ L01111, a N. Itailroad St„ KendallVllle, Ind. 0 PS S0' rsat'ariiia SOW by all (druggists, 01; six for g5, Pro pared only - by C. I. HOOD ,i CO., Apothe0trlas, Lowell, Mass. 100 Doses One Dollar An Even Thing. Fanny Farmer,—" Well, Patrick, I hear that you had a little encounter with my Devonshire bull this morning?" Patrick—" Vis, yer honor." Fancy ]!'ar,ne•—" Well, which came out ahead ?" Patrielt—" Shure, yer honor, it was a toss up." 1t is proposed in Paris to do away, as far as possible, with lunette asylums, and to place insane persons who are not prone to violence in the hones of country people, who will bo suitably remunerated by the State. "German n! DIED TOGETHER. "101g Erect," the Indian Olnrlter, and Ills Utile German W11e. Last week an Indian and a white woman were found dead in the deep snow near St. Croix lake by lumbermen. An investigation proved that the couple were ncno other than Big Fred," the Indian hunter, and his little German wifo, Elsie, whose doings caused such a sensation about here some ten years ago. Pretty Elsie's passion for a wild Indian caused no eacl of surprise, for then]. diens heIn- dians were looped down upon and despised by the white settlers horn ten or twelve years ago far inose than now. In those days the only persons living on Minnesota Point wore old " Granny " Shute, her very aged and feeble brother and her grand- daughter Elsie. They kept the lighthouse that commands the entrance to Superior bay. "Granny " was very anxious for hor Elsie. She had set her heart on snaking a teacher of her, and, with her head full of these plea- sant anticipations, she never wearied of the daily task of rowing Elsie across the bay to school and going after her again in the even. ing lint Elsie 00015 110 scholar, and announced that sho would not go to school. It was early summer whon Elsie telt school, and the spent most of her time on the water. fishing and rowing about, exploring the in. lets or " pockets' of the bay. All summer long Otte rambled at her own sweet will over the bay and the surrounding shores, until one fatal day, when " G1anuy" sud- denly came upon her as she reclined in the arms of " Big Fred," an Indian hunter. The unexpected sight was too mesh for " Granny. " Sloe 01IRltw all' ITER HANDS 1R ATM Atn1xY, Syrup 9 J. C. Davis, Rector of St. James Episcopal Church, Eufaula, Ala.; " My son has been badly afflicted with a fearful and threatening cough for several months, and after trying severalprescriptions from physicians which failed to relieve him, he has been perfectly restored by the use of two bottles of Bo - An Episcopal s h Ee'I German n ret Syr- mom - end it without hesitation." Chronic severe, deep-seated coughs like this are as severe tests as a remedy can be subjected to. It is forthese long- standing cases that Boschee's Ger- man Syrup is made a specialty. Many others afflicted as this lad was, will do well to make a note of this. —_ J. V. Arnold, Montevideo, Minn., writes: I always use German Syrup for a Cold on the Lungs. I have, never found an equal to it—far less a superior. to O' G. G. GREEN, Sole Man'fr,Woodbury,N,) her unusually ready speech failed her, and she could ontyg gasp and wave hor arine wild- ly. The te'rihed Elmo threw her arras around the Indian, and quick as a flash he caught hor up in his awns and made off like the wind through Ole ovoods, with "Granny" in hot pursuit. Bntthe swift Indian teen left her for behind, and elle lost all trace of then in the thick woods, For several long and weary clays sho and two or three othere soourod the woods for utiles around, but found no trace of the fugitive, Broken hearted and longing for revenge, " Granny" returned to tie lighthouse, She began to act so queer that her sanity was doubted, and she was dismissed from the lighthouse. She lad quite a sum of money saved, and taking hor aged brother she wont back to Germany. Elsie and bot' Indict were married in the Indian way. They led at indolent, vagabond life with no settled place of residence. They lived Ina little deserted claim ehttty thiswinteroaugitt at fire ono bitter cold night and theyluod to fly ]calf naked in the cold to seek shelter, but before they could find a place of refuge the bitter coil anemone them and the poor creatures perished. The striped suralls, wash silks commons ty 0 ailed, aro soiling very tvoll. 100 Agnes Strout, Toronto, Out, May 23, 188; t "It is with pleasure that I eortify to the fact of my another laving been mood of a lead case of rheumatism by tie use of St, Jacob's Oil, and this after leaving tried ether preparation , without avail." Wm. 11. MoOoneiS't.i., Rector. He Meant Business, Father—" I thought you said the other day that you meant business when I asked why you called so often on my daughter and stayed so late?" Young Mat —" I dict, sir. By business ' however, I did not mean that I should ask your daughter to marry mc. I always strive to work for the interest of my employers and —here's my card, sir. I stn employed by the gas c.ntpany. '— Tho effective of the Argentine army has been fixed for 1801 at 5,600 men. Of these, 2,825 compose the infantry, 2,225 thecavalcy, 780 the artillery, and 230 I he corps of engi11- eera. —51 +yiry a . ,Av euruigiu, Sciatica, Lumbago, Backache, Headache, Toothache, Sore Threat, Frost 1 itee, Sprains, Bruises, Burns, Etc. Sold by Drog0lsts and Dealers everywhere. Fifty cent, a bottle. Directions to 11 Languages, THE CHARLES A.'IOOELBR CO., Oettlonots, Md, Canadian Depot: Torortto, Ont.