The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-10-21
From Peterson's Magazine,
The Mysterious Box.
BY CLARA AUGUSTA.


Horace Flintwood sat alone 10 bis
scantily furnished apartment. Outside
the meagre windows the rough storm
beat clamorously for admittance, and the
wind, whistliug and moaning down the
great black.,hroated chimney, made
bright, waving phantoms of the red flames
which leapcd over the few bits Of wood
upon the snd,irons
Thero~was but a little fre-yet that
little lighted up the hands ome face Of
young Flintwood with . pale, ghossly
CLEAN. And in that face, by the light
you could read the fearful tale Of utter
poverty, and near starvation | There
was hunger in the wild expression Of the
hollow eyes, aud npon the broad, white
forehead where the transparent skin fail.
ed to conceal the delicate vein trasery
wrought there. ..' ... ...
Two years before, Horace Flintwood
had left his pleasant home in a country
section Of Massachusetts,, and bis aged
parents, 10 seek his fortune in the great
city uf the West, c.; where We find
him at the commencement of our story
NC oiu uoucStTdu, VIC Dteouco oiu
place where his childhood had been pas
sed, was mortgaged, and it was to obtain
money TO save the home Of his parents
from stranger hands, that young Flint
wood had bid farewell to those he loved
and joined the great stream Of western
emigration. HIS trade-that of brick
layer-at first procured him ready mon
ey 10 Aattering quantities but as people
were unsatis6sd with settling SO far east
a. C-,sbe young mechanic soon found
! himself deprived Of employment.
He would have followed the current
on--even TO the shores Pacific, but an at
tack Of fever brought him TO his bed, and
be, at length arose to fad himself depri
we'd of every dollar which he could once
call his own. On the very verge Of star
vatioll He though. Of begging his way
back to his parents, but his pride revol,
ted. They were poor, and looked TO him
for the iestyration of their dissipSted for
tune Should they see him come back
to them penniless aud sta:vingl No, not
even if be died 10 that great city alone
aud for the want Of bread Hs could
not go back to them only to increase their
cares. aud be bu. an additional burden
upon their scanty means.
| Horace Flintwood was thinking Of all
this, while sitting there by the waning
fire tha, chill Move mber uight, aud as he
thought despair crePt into his heart.
Out on the muifled cir doomed shiill and
clear, ,he bell upon neigbhorine tovor
pealing eleven
As the last ecboing ring ceased, there
came a short quick rap at Horace's door
Ho answered tho summons, and a 6gurs
closely wrapped in black cloak, strods
into the room, and without a word sal
down on the chair which Horace had W.
Gated. ....,
"A wild evening, friend" Horace re.
marked, to break the awkward silence.
Very. Arc you engaged for this
evening o. The strangers tones were
quick aud imperative.
Engaged 2" Horace started at the
question, certainly not at this time Of
nighL'
"Are you in want of mouey2" Th,
unknown beat 81 apce Of piercing inqui
~ upon Horace, from pair black. fash
ing eyes set far back under clitflik'
brUws ,,I ...I ..... f-I.-
Sir, I am not accustomed TO snswe
| questions coucetuihg my private affairs
iIorscs drew him,el up proudly, an,
something like frown passed over hi
pale brow.
II require job Of work-dous by
good, faithful hsud--a discreet woIkus