The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-12-25
Tho Mothor's Brooch.
a CuIsINAs StoEY

Tho MothorH Brooch,
a CHRISTMAS StoEy,
"Mr. Rood just len this here Tor YOU,
ma'am," Sid the servant, With a very broad
smile ~ shr-sood in the chamber door. hold
ing OUT small pearl GoS to her young mis-
tress,
Sht was combiug her fair hair NJ the mir.
ror, that Christmas morning, and she turned
round with little eager cry, while the blood
lcaped into her checks has be gone Bet
~ ?"
"Ncsi and he lcft merry Chdstmas' for
you"
Gcneyra wild unela,pcd tile delicate easket
-Rith quick, but tremulous fingers aud then,
hs the beautiful gin met her eyes, she sprang
20 the window, threw aside lhv curtain, aud
held Il up to the light.
II VAS Christmas morning, aud the night
before had covered the caith With thick
mating Of snow, but the rising sun had scat.
tered the clouds, aud rode up gloriunsB in
tho east to rejoice over the anniversary aud
lis hll light flashed upon the curious, aOs
iiqur but most beautiful gifi with which Nor.
man Rood had commenoreted the day Tor h:s
bcrothcd.
Il was u brooch. with n sngularly artistic
design q rose OF carhunclrs set among leavcs
VI ANlNIAlNf lAhlNfNf'A Al hAflN hl kNlAAf NllN
the rich Jewels flashed up currents crimson
and am6cr,as the lady waved them m the
sunhcams.
How beautiful how hcoutiful". she mur-
INJURED TO herself 10 the ccNtncy Of youth aud
delight "lioN kind Norman vus. to send
me this, aud what exquisite taste hc has.
How wish had somcl1,tng better than that
90 give him. aud she loukc'i re.rcirully npou
the handsome vcl,rt riding cap which hung
upon the chair, and which her own tasteful
Guqer, had been 30 many hours In executing
Geneva Wild had the face Off picture ol
a soft. delicate, girlish picture, with curls Of
sunny brown. and eyes Of summer blue, and
checks OF mntc,t pink. Somewhat did she
resemble the portraits one finds in old Eng
lish galleries. except that hgr style was more
dclicaie and fragile. She vas an only Guild
the daughter OF wealthy parents, pcticd, ca
resscd, idolzcd from her youth upward,
She was all the bpsl, az twenty-five, that
with her character. such a life could make
,i'--va-- I,rITtt i-tuvIUg, iovvuutv. WIN
no great force or carncstncss, and perhaps no
broad soul sympathigs aud OF course she was
selfish and rN1ctiug. for what else could life
like hers make her. but she was full of good
impulses, and warm affections, and accom-
rlished after the fashion ot her day, genera.
ton and socrty.---
Norman Rood loved her, and was her nfi-
nccd husband, and she had prumiaed to re-
sign her girlhood in one week from that
Christmas morning. lie was a finer charhc-
ter than she, on the whole, that j., he had
more breadth, more strength more loltiness
Of soul. but he had not her womanly instincts
'ympathieS and affections here a woman has
always the advantage Of man. lie had
graduated five years before pt clllcgc, hut hc
had no particular taste for any of the prolcs-
sonS, bat, he occupied lucrative and respon-
she position in the bank, and all GcneSras
friends were picusrd With The 15IGH, anu
thought she would "marry WELL
And on that Christmas morning Of which
Mlitr, and in lhr very hour that the servant
handed 10 Genevra Wild the gin of her be
trothed, young girl stood in the large, old
fashioned parlor of a farm house in the vii
lagc of PentonVille, some ten miles from the
city where We have met the former. a birch
tire was curling up the chimney, aud giving q
ruddy tone 10 tho whole room, but 1t did not
flush that girls face with it's look OF radiant
eagcrpcSs, as she stood gazing atiolls of bills
which an old farmer, in a white shaggy over
coal, T6t ttns PuUtut1vrr-T t.4-t i.--.asI- -.
her hands.
AYES, Mr.. Ritter, sixty dollars, it's all right.
am very very much obliged to you"
"Wcll" answered the old man, drawing on
his woolen gloves, 81 hope you'll have mcr-
~ Christmas, and good vacation, and In
ready to take up school bran new two, weeks
from Monday. guess you'll need the rest,
anyhow, for We don't look over strong and
it's an ohstropolous set enough over yonder.
Anything can do for youP'
"Well, Mr. Ritter, should very much like
10 have the pipe mended so it.won't smoke
So and a new latch put on the inside door to
keep the wind out"
"Well, I'll attend to il aud now Miss Rit. !
ter and the children will like TO have YOU
come over there, and stay two or three days
we're plain sort O. folks. but | guess we cam
make you comfortable"
IL don't doubt it, Mr.. Ritter, and | shalt |.
be very happy to come
Then the kind-hearted school trustee"
shook hands " ith the young teacher, aud took 7
his leave She shut the door, and paced rap
idly up and down the great parlor, with the
little roll of bank notes clasped tightly in her
hands.
"'ro think" she murmured, 81 have sixty /.
my'own, and earned il. | who I
am not yet sixteen, and can get back that
brooch, that precious brooch OF mamas. | T
wonder how much it will be. The jewcller
only gave me thirty dollars for it, and of [.
course thereIl be enough len of this TO get
me a new dress, pair of shoes, and collar.
These will last me till next time. ~Qh.1 am
so glad, so glad | can get that brooch buck, H.
who would not have sold il for anything in 4
the world, but to get mamma, dear mamma,
buried respectfully. Oh, il is the frst Christ /
mas since-"lhere the girl gave way; the |
light faded from her face as the shadows of /
memory rushed over III she burst into tears, 7