The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-02-23

G or, for all whose love she cared for shoul
a know what her history was. i told be
8 to have courage and thanked her carr
t estly and truly for how she bad spoke
: to HE then and presently, weeping still
but happier and full of love, my darlin
left me--left me to weep, because gric
I should have known would come, ha
fallen on me.
, | said that the Beresfords were land
ed proprietors, aud Arthur was their on
ly son 80 his coming of age was to b
a great day. Of course I very seldom
moved from home but it ha6 long bee,
promise that on this occasion we wer,
to spend q week with them, and th,
time was now close at hand indeed, il
was on the second day. I think, after
had this talk with my child, that our Wis
it was to begin. So carly on that day
We went.
have not mentioned that for the las,
fortnight, besides Nevill, the Beresfords
had had other visitors with them-a
brother Of Mrs Bercsford-a Colonel
Haughton, with his wife and their two
children, boy and girl They had
just returned from India. where. indeed,
Mrs Haughton had lived for many years
She was in delicate health and did not 90
out much, so that she was as yet almost
a stranger to me but the little that |
had seen other. and all that Fortune had
told me about her, pleased me so much
that | was not at all sorry for this op-
portunity ofknowing more of her. There
was something graceful and winning in
in her manner, indeed, that prepossessed
most people in her favor, and there was
much both of beauty and refinement iu
her face
1t was the day after we came, and a
kind of preliminary excitment was
through the house, for the next morning
was to usher in Arthur's birthday and
to-day Mrs. Beresford was giving large
childrens party, expressly in honor Of
little Agnes and Henry Haughton. l
think we had every child for six or seven
miles round assembled together and
there had been music and dancing, and
a ceasclcss peal of merry voices all
through the long summer evening. and
every body looked gay and happy, and
all went well, for not few Of the elder
ones had turned themselves into children
too for the time, to aid them in their
games.
1t was growing late, and even the
lightest feet began to long for a little
rest, when from one large group that
Lad gathered together. there came a
loud call to play at forfcits and, in two
or three moments. all were busy gather.
ing pretty things together to pour into
Fortunes lap and then they merrly be-
gan the game. and laughed and clapped
their hands with delight as each holder Of
a forfeit was proclaimed
The most uproarious laughter had just
been excited by Nevill's performance of
some penalty allotted to him and then
l recolect well how lie came. looking
very happy, to kneel at Fortunes feet
and deliver the next sentence She
held up little ring and. when she ask
ed the usualquestion. what the possessor
of it was to do, he answered gaily-
To give US his biography
There was pause for a moment while
they waited for Fortune to declare whose
the forfeit was, but she did not speak, for
the ring was hers. Ncvill had risen
from his knees and, seeing it, he exclaim-
ed, laughing for he knew it
"What, Miss Wildred has this fallen
to your lot "
She looked up hurriedly from him to
me, and said, Aunt Dinah." quickly, as
if to ask me to speak But before l had
opened my lips, Mrs Beresford came for
ward, and said kindly,
"Ncvill, think it will be hardly fair
to press this forfeit We can't expect
young ladies to be willing to declare
their autobiographies in public, you
know"
l interrupted Nevill and answered.
But if you will take my account of
Fortunes life instead Of calling on her
for her own, think | can answer for
her willingness to let you hear it, Shall
it be so, Mr.. Ellington l'
But he was eager that it should be
passed over, was even vexed that any
word had been said about it at all.
understood his delicacy welland thanked
him for it in my heart but knew what
my child's wish was, so would not do
wha. he asked me, but promised that
when the children were away the story
should be told and then the game went
on.
1t was past ten o'clock when they
gathered round me to hear my child's
history. There was no one there but the
Beresfords, and the IIaughtons, and Ne
will. and ourselves. | saw that my poor
child was agitated, but would not have
her either know that | guessed she wac
so, or that | shared her agitation, 60 |
took out my knitting. and began working
away very quietly as | talked, just CLAN
cling up now and then into one or the
other of my hearers faces-into Neyill's
oftenest, because there was that in the
earnest look he fixed on me. which seem
ed to ask it more than the rest
There was not really very much to
tell, and | had gone on without Interrupt
tion nearly to the end, and was Just tel
ling them how l called her Fortune be-
cause we thought the name she said she
had so strange. when as | said the word
Willie" d sudden cry rang through
the room
1t fell upon my heart with a strange
terror. and in an instant every eye was
turned to whence it came
Pale as death, her figure eagerly bent
forward, her hand graspirg Fortune:
shoulders, Mrs. Haughton sat From my
child's cheek, too, all color had fed mo
tionless, like two marble figures, they
! Ernntad onn nnnthar thoir 80. Arod =.