Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-05-03
alta5ntsrssting Galt.
GFrcm Arthur's Ladies Home Magazinel
"a HUNDRED DOLLARS"
Br VIRGINIA ,. TOWNSEND.
CHAPTER I.

INV" eo 'oou, ~ StoPPeu uoro " oco W
anybody could tell me what is the matter"
She had one OF those bright young voices
that slid along the words as lightly as one
Of Moore's poems slides into some sweet
air.
despair Of conveying that picture to you
with any painting Of my pen, and yet II Yves
such perfect one, so full Of 6ne shades and
contrasts, so real. so impromptu. yet so per.
fected. that cannot pass by II.
In the frontispieee, then. was he girl
speaker, with one hand grasping a small
silver. mounted rid,ng-wip, and the fingers
Of the other closed over her bride.
She was pretty creature. whose life
must have lowered somewhere about its
fourteenth year, with a sweet, delicate face,
where smiles were forever sliding in and
out, chasing themselves up into the deep blue
eyes, and round among the dimples that sat
by the small, coral mouth. Her features
were clear and soft. bu, with nothing Of that
doll look which one often meets with in girls
Of her age, and which is more repelaRt than
almost any conceivable degree OF homeli-
ness, especially to shre~d observer, who
10 toieIuoiy Ceftaiu WHat soFt VI WouiuH ~
prophesies.
The girl wore q simple black riding dress,
whose heavy folds almost swept the grass,
and the little dainty riding cap with its soil.
tary sable plume brushing her shoulder,
gave a certain dignity and picturesqueness
TO the bright ftce g. small figure. She sat on
her horse with easy, natural grace. He was
small, black, glossy, beautiful Canadian
pony, and his large. bright eyes had in them
look Of almost human intelligence.
In the background was a blacksmith's
shop, or shed, as the little, old, sooty tumble
down structure had better been denomina.
ted.
A boy stood in the door Of this building;
holding horse shoe in one hand, for he
had sprung from the forge where he was
heating 1t, at the girls summons; he was
small for. his years. which were fifteen. A
straw hat, ragged and rimless,was set down
on thick tsns led heap of hair; he wore a
blue cotton shirt, and an cid patched pair Of
trow sers, his face and hands were begrimed
ard sooty from his recent labor. and though
he added great deal 10 the effect OF the
picture, he was a dirty, ragged, poverty.
9 ricken spectacle.
"There nobody e sc in the shop. but per-
hsps can tell what's hurt him." said the
bov, answering the girls question in a
Straightforward, respectful way, that some
how would have made you turn al d look at
him again.
She did; the boys reply, and not his ap.
pearance, nut have decided her, for she an.
swered little doub,fnlly, well, shall be
much Obliged to you il you will look and
see, as hate 10 keep on. he limps so"
The boy came forward. (Which foot is
il!" he asked.
THE right fore-foot."
"He wont kick, will he!"
"Oh. no, he's perfectly gentle. You're a
good horse, aren't you, Valiant" and she
stroked the glossy neck of the animal with
her small hand. while the boy raised his
leg and examined it carefully.
He's stuck nail iuto it, and II hurts
him"
"Oh, dear, what shall I do!''
81 guess can take 1t out for you. f'vt
seen Uncle Jake do il a good many times.
"But wont ii hurt hint"
:, mot much; not half so much as II doei
now"
"Wcll, then, should like to have yo'
try
In few moments the boy returned will
an old pair of lorceps. Hadn't you bette
get off!' he said; "most horses are likely Il
rear and kick afore the nail comes out"
"Oh, I'm not in the least afraid" and sh
sat still, now watching the boy ss he Sc
about the operation, now stroking her pony
glossy neck, and exclaiming, in voice u
great concern-"its too bad-there's goo
Valiant. Does the, dteadful nail hurt himl
And the, beautiful anithal stood perfectl,
quiet while tie. boy was extracting the mai
only two or three times during, The opera
: tion he groaned low groan, that was lik
suffering human beings, and which elicit
ed fresh caress, and new expressions q
: sympathy from his mistress. .
4 A. las, the boy held up the nail triun
: pha tly. "Thers il is'' 5n
"Dear me! what a great, crooked, ugl
thing! Pm afraid he'll never get over it,
"Oh, yes he will, I've known lots
J notses tUut oiu. iou " ohiy ndVS W let NJ
lay quei for two or three days" .
= "How much must pay you'll" and Oh
= slipped her hand into the pocket OF her dres
The boy lifted his eyes TO the = girl, ~
she noticed for the first time. what larg
: bright, intelligent eyes they were, Of mis
sort OF brown hue, which,. fairly, redeemt
and spiritualized the beerimed face.
ID III shant charge you, anything. I don
IT. wish for any pay said the boy.
& believe per ons wko possess 'grace
4 soul" who are inately gentle, fine graine
have. usually an ihtuitive recognition OF III
in others. rhe, girl, looked .dosn to II
I tastered dress and The begrimed face. with
new curiosity and respect. v.s.
al wish you would lot ma psy you,",'s
h =. said hesitstingly as she would to some o
81 who had placed her under an obligation III
M ~, whom she half feared would lake offence
al. her offer.
=, The boy half smiled, ~ didn't expect
m. have you though. l didn', take me bu,
moment" ,..I