4St
i
P
It, II II 31 IP 1
'"JLVZZZ"- AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. "KT
Vol. "V. IV ow I31oomflelcl, Ti., Tuesday, November 11. 1871. No. -1CJ.
J Published Weekly,
At New Bloomfleld, Tenn'a.
FRANK MORTIMER.
BCBSCRirTION TERMS. '
JHl.f5 I'EH YKAlt!
70 Cents for 6 Months; 40 Cents
for 3 Months,
IN ADVANCE.
Chig son's Plot.
A MYSTERY IN THE FAMILY.
""rjrniLE enjoying myself one Septcin
T T bor nt the Springs, I was surprised
by a telegram from my niece, saying, " If
you love us, come to Hawthorn Villa at
once."
I felt certain that something serious must
have caused the summons, and determined
to obey it at once. Tho two friends who
were with mo on this trip lias gono a few
miles up the lake on a fishing excursion,
and not wishing to leave without telling
them about my intended departure, I
mounted my horso and started for the place
where I expected to find them. But luck
was decidedly against me, for a sudden shy
ing of the animal threw mo ofV, and as I
lighted among the stones, I remained in
sensiblo until somo persons passing found
me, and took me back to the hotel.
My friends carefully attended mo, and
when after two weeks' confinement, I
thought best to attempt the journey, one
of them, Charlie Hartz, insisted on accom
panying me, to sco that I stood the fatigues
of travel.
I boro the journey belter than I expect
ed, and after a supper at tlio hotel, hasten
ed out to Hawthorn Villa, which was tho
residence of my two nieces, Edith und Isla
Cathard. It was a relief to see that outside,
everything looked as usual. A servant let
mo in. I asked for Edith, and went on to
tho drawing-room. Bho came in presently,
a tall lithsomo girl, with a superb face. Sho
had grown paler since I saw her hist, and
her eyes looked unnaturally largo. They
were so beautiful, however, that there
could scarcely bo too much of them.
"Ihavo come, Edith," I said, "but not
so soon as I meant to."
" You have been sick, Undo Lemuel,"
sho observed, swiftly noting a toning down
in my physitjue.
"Yes, or I should have been here a fort
night ago."
Her hands, which wero fast locked to
gether, seemed to clutch each otiier a little
more closoly ; but she answered with per
fect composure :
"I am sorry to have troubled you. You
had probably started beforo my second tel
egram was sent, or you would havo known
that tho matter bad been arranged, and
that you wero no longer needed."
Bo this is what I had come for. Yet I
could not quite declare to myself that it
wag just as I expected. There certainly
was a visible change in Edith. Some
thing of her old buoyancy I missed, which
Bohemian as I was, and intolerant of girl
ish trivialities, I would gladly havo seen
restored.
" Where is Isla?" I asked.
"In town, spending tho evening with
irace Harleigh. You do not know, I sup
posp, that Isla is engaged? You will ro
rcuiembor Alston Ilarloigh, probably.
"Yes, an excellent match, I should say
if he is tho other party."
" lie is ; and, as you say, it will bo an ex
cellent match. The narlcighs aro a proud
family, but they are all pleased with Isla.
They are always sending for her, though
Alston is away now for a few weeks. O,
it you please, uncle, do not mention to Isht
that I sont for you to come."
Tho request was carelessly made, blit I
noticed that Edith' small hands again
tightened their grasp upon each other, at
this casual reference to that " mattor" that
had been arranged without my assistance
i hate a mystery of all things, (next to a
miss!) Yet I began to fear that we were
going to have one in the family.
A mystery it might be or a mere senti
mental misery. Whether .the one or the
other, it was evident that Edith had no in
tention of making me acquainted with it,
x nor had I any authority to demand an ex
planation. . Nominally I had been guardian
to these girls, though I had mainly shirked
tho responsibilities of that position upon
my lawyer, and now they were both of age,
and quite their own mistresses.
All through the evening that followed,
my perceptive faculties were upon the
strain, without arriving at any conclusion.
Just as I was taking leave, Isla camo in.
She was full of vivacity, giving one tho im
pression of never being serious long enough
to have a sober thought. She took me to
task saucily for my reduced bodily state,
and rallied me soundly upon being so bad
a horseman, after hearing the mishap that
had befallon me.
"But who aro aro those heroes, who
cared for you, and what are their names ?"
asked sho.
"What's in a name? But theirs are
Hartz and Dclamcrc. Harts camo to Dale
port with me. By your leave I shall bring
him to Hawthorn Villa to-morrow."
Edith had grown deathly pale, but Isla
answered eagerly:
" Yes, bring him by all moans. For to
Mr. Hart, as ono of tho preservers of my
undo, I must always feel grateful.
So tho merry girl rattled on, and when I
was leaving warned mo not to forget to
bring Hartz on the morrow.
I had never mentioned my nieces by
name to him, but tried tho sound of Edith
Cathard on my friend that night, and was
surprised by tho sudden grip given to my
hand.
" Edith Cathard, your niece ! And hero
in Dalcport I Havo the goodness to get
sick again, and I'll keep you in bed thrco
months instead of weeks, to prove my grat
itude by dilligent nursing."
" Perhaps you'll begin by bathing my
hand in arnica." I said, taking a bottlo
from my valise. I bclievo your grip has
dislocated some of its joints."
Hartz laughed, but looked rather red in
tho face, as he left for his room.
I saw no more of Hartz that night, but
tho next day ho accompanied me to Haw
thorne Villa. My nieces were walking to
gether under tho maples that shaded tho
avenue. Just ns we camo in sight, Isla
espied a bright-winged butterfly, a strag
gler left from tho summer hordes, and ran
oft" in pursuit. Sho had not seen us, nor
had Edith, but tho latter discovered us a
moment afterward, and stopped liko ono
paralyzed. Hartz, on tho instant, left me
without ceremony and bounded toward tho
spot where sho stood.
"Found at last, my Edith," I heard him
say, a triumphant ring iu his voice ; but his
next words wero spoken with loss assu
rance. " Miss Cathard, I fear this meeting
affords you less pleasure than it docs mo."
" My unclo's frionds aro always welcom
ed hero with pleasure," returned Edith, in
tlio quiet tones that had impressed me tho
previous night ; tones so subdued and sub
duing, that I believe they would have re
strained a wild Ojibwah, with the war
whoop at his tonguo's end.
Hartz immediately fell into the utterance
of commonplace, remarks at which, on com
ing up with them, I assisted. But Isla soon
milled tho surface of our conventionalisms.
Sho had caught her butterfly, and return
ing back displayed her prize in triumph.
I presented her to Hartz, who walked on
besido her, whilo I followed with Edith,
whom an utter weariness seemed to have
ovorconio. Her motion was so languid, in
deed that I feared sho must bo ill, and of
fered tho support of my arm.
" It is hot needed, thank you. I am
quite well," she answered, exerting herself
to walk more briskly. "Are you and your
friend going to stay long in Daleport?"
"Somo weeks, perhaps."
A gasping sigh escaped her showing
that my answer had added to her secret un
easiness. I began to feel heartily concern
ed. Recollections of my bright, gay sister
Miriam, tho mother of theso early-orphaned
girls, came crowding into my mind, and
impressed mo strongly with a sense of du
ty unperformed toward her children. I
determined now to gain their confidence, if
possible-, and so retrieve, as well as I could,
my previous neglect. Busy with such
thoughts, I walked on in silence, Edith
probably had ongrossing reflections of her
own, and was as littlo inclined to conversa
tion as myself. But from ahead, the sound of
Isla's mellow mirthful voice came back to
us, with frequent intervals of merry laugh
ter. "She, at least, is happy," broke at length
from Edith's Hps, sjoken not to me, but in
utter forgetfulness of me.
"And you are not?" I said.
"I? O, yes," with a quick accession of
color, which, however, faded rapidly.
" I feared that you were not."
She walked on yet a yard or two, then
aid:
" I believe I will take your arm, Uncle
Lemuel, since you were kind enough to of
fer it. I feel a friend's support is pleasant
sometimes, even though it bo not actually
needed."
" Never fear to ask support from mo.
I'm afraid I have been recreant to my trust
but I have not meant to neglect you."
I looked into her face to make the words
tho more impressive, and saw a momentaiy
quivering of her lushes. But she answered
steadily :
" You havo always been very good to us,
Undo Lemuel. There is nothing for which
you need reproach yourself."
And then, from a side path, a new actor
camo upon the scene. This was a lean,
w iry figure of a man ; his head like a coffee
pot, with somo necessary adaptations to tho
human form divino ; his feet and hands
three sizes too large, according to tho rule
of proportion; his entire self, in fact, a
discrepancy, as it seemed to me. I felt
Edith's hand tremble upon my arm, as with
a series of rabbit-liko hops, ho camo np
with us, and actually indulged in tho famil
iarity of tweaking her car. To my sur
priso Edith expressed no resentment, but
in quiet even tones presented "Mr. Chick
son." "So this is undo Lorn," squeaked the
newcomer, his tones about as musical as
thoso from a cracked fiddlo. "Bless my
life! tho old man isn't half such a bear as
I expected. Edith, old girl, who is that
just going into tho house with Isla?"
" It is a friend of Undo Lemuel," said
Edith, very faintly.
"A frieud! Oh ! Mr. Anonymous, I sup
pose." "His name is Hartz."
"Hartz? I go you one, now, that he's
your Saratoga top-knot. The old lovo you
were, or maybo weren't, off with, beforo
gotting on with tho new. Givo us a kiss,
old girl."
" Edithshall I kick this fellow off tho
grounds?" I demanded straightening my
self,and feeling as belligerent in spirit as an
unadulterated Irishman.
" No, undo Lemuel," sho said, submit
ting to bo kissed by Mr. Chigson, hut look
ing as white as the dead. ' I was thinking
of telling you beforo ho camo. Wo aro en
gaged." There aro situations in lifo when words
cannot do justice to tho occasion; and this
was one. My first feeling was of anger; my
next of unbounded pity for my niece. If
her manner had been happier, I might havo
concluded that Mr. Chigson, repulsivo as
ho seemed, was possessed of redeeming
qualities. As it was, I could not bclievo
that sho had accepted this man's ad
dress from choice Why thou?
In marriages of convenience, money is
usually tlio compelling power, but Edith
was herself a wealthy heiress. Whatovor
her motive, however, I could read in her
white inflexible- face, that sho would adhore
to her purpose, at any cost. Could nothing
bo dono tho n to rescuo her from Mr. Chig
son ? I would watch nnd wait, but her
manner left mo littlo hope.
I allowed my hand to bo shaken in a con
gratulatory manner by Mr. Chigson, as if I
wore tho engaged party instead of himself,
and saw a look of relief como into Edith's
face, when it appeared that I would accept
tho situation quietly.
Wo wore at tho house door by this time.
Hartz and Isla had already gone in.
Edith, when upon the threshold, gavo ono
despairing look out into tlio grounds, which
I interpreted into reluctanco to face a
meeting between Hartz and hor betrothed.
" It is plcasanter outside, Edith," I said.
" Would you iiot prefer to gc in?"
But if the reluctanco I conjectured had
existed it was already conquered.
" That, I fear, would bo rudo to your
friend," sho said, leading on to tlio parlor
with a rosoluto air, and when we wore with
in, introducing Hartz nnd Chigson as if
both were everyday acquaintances.
Isla, too, was plainly intolerant of hor sis
tor's lover, and cast now and then a dis
gusted, yet searching look upon Edith,
when somo familiarity from tho lrraprcssi
blo Chigson was allowed to go unrebukod.
From all that passed I inferred that Isla
was, as yet, in ignorauco of this previous
engagement, which I thought as strango as
all tho rest, knowing that in formor days
the most perfect confidence had existed be
tweon those girls. At any rate it would
not remain a secret long, I judgod, for Mr.
Chigson was much too well satisfied with
his position to let it go unproclaimed.
With elements so discordant, it may be
supposed that we were not a very social
party, Isla's vivacity, indcod, redeemed us
from absolute dullness. Yet I could see
that her light spirit felt itself trammelled,
as mine did, by an invisible network of re
straint. Hartz strove to support Isla's ef
forts, but not with his usual spirit. Chig
son talked at everybody in a jargon pecu
liar to himself. Edith seemed intent only
upon her duties as mistress of a hospltablo
mansion. A generous lunch was served by
her direction an event of consequence to
at least one of tho party. The titillation
of his palate was certainly a matter of
prime importance to Mr. Chigson. When
fed, ho became quiet for a littlo while, as is
tho nature of animals. If Edith knew his
propensities and had counted upon freeing
herself so, from his impertinences, horswas
a signal success. Not long after lunch
was over, Isla said to Edith :
" Y'ou ought to show Undo Lcm your
collection. It may shake his belief in tho
incapacity of girls."
Edith rose at once, a movement imitated
by all but Mr. Chigson. He was stretched
at full length upon a sofa, and seemed much
too comfortable to be disturbed, I thought.
Edith, however, asked him if ho would go
with us.
" I guess I can trust you with tho old
man, can't I, undo Lcm?" was his ingenu
ous and confiding answer.
For Edith's sake, I took no notice of his
impertinence, but followed tho others up
stairs. Tho collection was ornithological,
occupying a cabinet in an upper hall. Tho
display of birds was very fino, and thoso
had all been shifted by Edith, as Isla as
sured us, with evident prido in her sister's
skill. There was also a goodly sprinkling
of bright plumagod foreign birds, procured
in exchange from various correspondents.
With most of tho native specimens, eggs
and nost were shown. They were arranged
according to their classes, exhibiting a skill
and intclligonco highly creditablo to a girl
liko Edith.
" I must show you my collection now,
Undo Lem," said Isla. "No, Mr. Hartz,
not you. It is only a few butterflies and a
cattcrpillar or two, not at nil worth your
inspection."
She opened tho door of a small room
connected with tho hall, shut it carefully
when wo wove within, nnd said with sup
pressed impetuosity:
" No matter about tho caterpillars and
that rubbish. What docs it mean, Undo
Lcm? Did you sec him that boa constric
tor, Chigson put his arms across Edith's
chair-back ? And pneo tho vampire leaned
upon her lap. And sho let him ! Beforo
Mr. Hartz, too, and you. Has tho snako
gono crazy, and is she afraid of offending
him, or what is it that makes him so outra
geously bold?"
"Do you not know? Has sho told you
nothing?"
"Not a word."
"How long has Mr. Chigson been com
ing bore so familiarly?"
' " I havo novcr seen him so insultingly fa
miliar before, but it is about a month siuco
ho first began coming hero. It was just
after Edith camo home from Saratoga. I
did not go with her to tho Springs. Tho
Harleigh's wero going to their country
scat, and wanted me with thorn, but Edith
had promisod tho Fentons to join their
party, and they would not let her off. It
was tho first time wo wero over separated,
and it seems as if wo aro never coming to
gether again as beforo."
"Had you ever known Chigson at all,
previous to tho time you speak of?"
"A very littlo. Ho was an understrap
per of somo sort in Mr. Dodson's law of
fice. I beliovo ho claims to have been a
partner, but that is too preposterous. Wo
mot him onco or twice at public receptions,
and he pushed his way to an introduction.
I don't know, I am sure, but ho was never
at all troublesome until about a month ago.
Before to-day ho has not been horo
for four or five days, and I was beginning
to hope that wo had got rid of that thorn in
tho flesh, but it seems that it was only driv
en in a little deeper."
"Havo you talked witli KdllH about
him?"
" I have tried, but sho always puts mo
down with tho calm unassailable way sho
has got lately. So 1 havo given that up.
I beliovo now that I shall never speak his
name to her again, though with my tow-aud-flro
temperament I can't bo sure. I
suppose I would bo frank and open with
her, if she would let me: but there's littlo
comfort in taking a block of inarblo into
one's confidence."
" Whot if she wero intending to marry
him?" ' ,
Isla stiffened into stateliucss, and . an
swered with an offended air :
" What can you think of Edith, Uncle
Loin ? My sister will marry a gontlctnun,
at least, or carry her own family name to
her tombstone"
Against this spirited declaration I had
nothing to oppose, Bince I did not think it'
right to divulge what Edith, it seemed, had
confided to me alone. We went back to
the hall directly, where, behold a tableau 1
Hartz was clinging to Edith's hand, utter
ing an impassioned remonstrance, and Mr.
Chigson standing upon the stairs, his head
from the eyes up, abovo tho upper floor,
glaring furiously upon the pair. Edith saw
neither him nor us, as sho replied, in tones
that trembled slightly despite hor strong
will, to Mr. Hartz's appeal.
"You must allow mo, Mr. Hartz," she
said, "to bo my own judge of what is best
and right for me to do. Y'ou say 1 consid
er,' as if it were probable that I have not
considered. I have, and my mind is fully
mado up. I expect opposition, and am
prepared for it. Peoplo will look upon tho
outside and condemn, forgetting what Ono
has said, 'Judge not.' Forgive me if I
causo you pain, and pray lcavo mo."
" Wrhy don't you pitch into him ?" catoe
in squeaking angry tones from the stairs.
" Dang it, old girl ! why don't you go for
him? "Look here, now, Mr. Half-a-dozen
Hartz, more or loss, as tho case may be "
A bluo pallor ovorsprcad Edith's face,
but sho moved quickly toward the stairs,
and said, in hor peculiar tranquilizing tone:
"Mr. Chigson, shall wo go down now?
Tako caro, Mr. Hartz, that gun is loaded."
Concluded next week.
A Dutchman's Letter.
MY" FAMILY vast ferry mooch droub
lcs mit him. My son Fritz was ta
ken mit do droublos in dar troat. Vcn I
beers dat I tells der olt voman vat shall I
to ? Sho tells mo I vill go for Dr. Vito.
I goes. Ho comes in tcr hous un tells tcr
poy ho Bhall stock out tcr tung. Ven ho
sees dat, ho says isth ferry pat mit to hipro
tcria dejectiony. Ho givo mo den apout
four quarts of bills, an ses I givo him
twclvo affry five minutes until ho git bettor.
But do moro bills I gif 'im to worscr ho kit
so I go fur anudor Doctor. Ho squees his
ai m a littlo vilo in to rist, and ses to poy
got to digestion of dar lungs ferry pat, uut
ho can't lif moro as an hour ; but if, I giv
'in fifty tollars ho makes him nil right. I
dells him I don't cares for to money, put
hurry up an mako im well. Ho puts dar
monisli iu his ferry fat bockct-pook. Den
ho giv mo soin powdors vat look liko saw
dust grount up, and says I shall giv im so
much as I can, but on der pint of der nife,
vonco in oflry seconds. I pitch in an gif
dor bowdors so fast as I can, but ho kits no
pcttor ferry fast, unt I don't know vat I
shall to. Den I hcers a man vot makes
him veil mit somo litcning in a box. I
runs right away an kit him, an ho comes in
an says vy for you gif der poy dor bills an
dor powders? vast enough to mako der
well horso seek. I say can I mako im veil
mit litonin. I says holt on you mako im
veil liko do udder feller for fifty tollor. Ho
says ho try first, seo vat ho do. Ten ho
dakes somo dings in dor hants un put der
fingers on der poy, an tcr pox mako somo
noises liko der pees in der Schwann, un
der poy, ho kit right away up und
says isth tinner roaty, vor I vant to go
vishiug dis afdemoon ; and ho is smart as I
vas now. I tell to doctor how mooch I shall
pay him. Ho say tree toller. I say all
right, dat ish koot, von I half somo vokes
vat is seek I cum right away for you.
I don't get dimes torito some moro now,
and hobo dis Alios you do same as I vas.
OOETI.Ein SwiNlMMMEIt.
tW Near tho littlo town of AVormin, iu
Lcthuania, there used to bo a lake 8 versts
long (3,!501 ft) by 5 wide It was famous
for its fish, and was wortlf, from this source,
1,500 roubles a year. Four or five weeks
ago, during a perfect atmospheric calm, tho
waters of the lako became violently per
turbed. AVaves roso high in tho air and
dashed furiously to and fro, whilo a poig
nant odor of sulphur pervaded the whole
neighborhood. For threo days this went
on, and by that timo tho surface of the
lake was covered with fish, that had been
killed by the sulphur. Fearing a pesti
lence from the great numbers of dead fish,
tho inhabitants of the neighboring villages
began to oollect and cover them with lime.
Meanwhile, the lako began to sink, the sul
phurous smell iuoreasiug dally, and at la
test accounts tho bed of tho lake was al
most quite dry. . i .
The theory is that the limestone and
ohalk bottom of tho lako has given way,
and that the waters have mado tholr path
into subterranean canals.