Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-10-01
GQortester Daily SPY.
from Leisure Moments. ~


mlscIievous smile fingered on her fair iea
lures, and her delicate foot tapped the plant
carpet petlllantly, 81 cannot tell the day when
L saw you look SO solemn and gloomy as you
now do; in fact, brother, you look as melancholy
as weather beaten gable on a rainy dav.
Now, l should really like to know the cause Of
this, and it there is any remedy or antidote
that can prescribe, | shall be most happy to
do 1t. | am sure the day was never fairer the
sky clearer, the weather more beautifully car.
peted with soft, green grass, nor the peach
trees fuller OF gay blossoms than now. Then
why this sOmberneSS, if | may be allowed to
use this epithet, Of your department 2"
When she concluded, Roland looked up as
grave and aweinspiring as a deacon when ex
hortlng his hearers to repentance, and inquired
Ill corresponding tone
"Have you got through, sister 2"
Through? No. | can give Won a whole
lecture, if you wish; how do you like the tone
of my remarks 2"
81 have nothing in particular to say, either
pro or con, because they were anticipated. You
charge me with being gloomy, and l, with
equal proprlety, can retort by calling you
querulOus; because, if l am merry and ubi
liant, am foolish in your opinion and estima-
ton, and when am thoughtful and serious,
you say l am as doleful as a funeral train
Now, is this not true, sister?"
tice, plead guilty as to part, while as to the re.
malnder L will plead the general answer;
whereby contrOvert each allegation and deny
the same
"Of verify, Amelia, l should advise you
to enter some lawyers office and commence
reading Blackstone and Kent, as you quote
legal phraseology as f1uently as an infant does
the Hebrew tongue, said Roland laughingly
"Avast to your joking, especially at the
INN ,tigh a. ri o,,f
your late condyct."
There it is, again when do make a pleas
ant remark, you repudate it Immediately but
/ don't feel disposed to enter into any alterca-
ton with you; and will, as you appear to be
so anxious to learn it, tell you why | have
been so somewhat thoughtful for the last
month or So"
'Now you begin to talk as a brother should
and, by all means, go on
20 crafty your womanly curiosity, then, |
was just Illuminating over what have Lately
done, and"
He dropped his head and paused, as though
the thought was terrible and too painful to re.
late.
She saw with astonishment this singular
maneuvre, and said, in an agitated manner
"Go on, brother; tell me all You surely
have not committed nun"
The remainder of the word was uttered in
all lnduulDle Whisper
After signing nervously, he raised his head
and replied
mo, 'Melia; 1 have not committed any
thing that is strictly criminal, other than in
moral view, and even then | might be eX
onerated."
"You have excited my curiosity to its high
est pitch so please tell me about the matter,
so that, if necessary, can aid you; and if it
is so that you will not admit OF aid, that can
sympathize with you"
"Thank you, sister, for your kindness, but
DO amazingly hate to tell you anything at
all concerning it, as it in no wise relates to
you; and furthermore, am sorry have been
the unhappy means of arousng your curios-
ity."
ooh, plague take you, brother, for thus
tormenting me. ] never thought you were so
cruel Pray tell me all, as you have told me
a part"
"Well, / have taken a"
"What, brother, what z" she eagerly asked
interrupting him.
"Do not permit yourself to become SO
excited have done nothing SO very out
rageous."
Twas too fast, Roland, but will now remain
silent till you get through"
Gas | was saying, have taken-"
"Nobody's life, hope, have you, brother %
"1Ou appear very apprehensive and mis-
trusttul lest should have done that Which is
wrong SO much so, III fact, to totally dis
regard your promise to cease interrupting me
while L relate that which gives you so much
uneasiness and dissatisfaction. ltyou will en-
deavOr to keep as quiet as you conveniently
can, | will proceed"
Perceiving that her eagerness had led her
too tar, she slightly bit her lips, and requested
him TO tell his story, and she'd "do the best
she could
''To commence anew, have lately taken a
chance i'll lottery which has caused all this
ESQ caledl seriousness.
81 am sincerely sorry, Roland, that you
have been again allured from the path OF strict
integrity by the tempting inducements held
out by these lotteries. Don't you remember
you promised me, not long ago, that you
would never risk any more i'll these fraudulent
concerns should think, too, that your eX-
perience in that business was sufficient to
steel your heart against them all. You know
the manner in which they are conducted, and
that prize scarce ever leaves the firm who
own the lottery. They are nothing more nor
less than a fraud or an imposition, where the
community is annually robbed of many thou
sands of dollars. You have purchased ticket
after ticket, and package after package, and
what have you realized from it Why sir
nothing, aside from an empty purse and
burning anxiety to try again, only to lose
more If you have purchased another ticket,
and whether you draw prize or another
blank, let it be the last one. Hearken to the
advice Of sister, and you will never fill a SUI
icide's grave
"St Peter ST. John, St. Michael, and ST.
Dominic, deliver me from being obliged to
swallow all the orthodox morality that you
can preach but this is quite immaterial, as
my determination is concluded, and it pre-
cisely corresponds with your advice should
not have purchased this last chance had not
been confident of securing a prize. Indeed,
/ am so sure of it that l would not sell my
chance for thousand pounds sterling, which
amount Ned Harris offered me yesterday"
so you choose rather to make him your
confdant than your sister"
ella hal 'Mea, wonder if you think
could trust with a secret of mine, with any de-
gree of certainty that you would retain it? |
never yet came in contact with woman who
could keep a secret in any other way than to
keep it going"
"How provoking you are, this morning
Now that you have taken chance III lot
terry, please inform me when you expect to
receive prize"
GAS you haven't asked me Which particular
lottery have procured the chance in, will
tell you something as to the time of its being
drawn. | think in about a month. That
/ shall get a prize, rest assured but must
now fulfill an engagement / had previously
made"
Saying which he sprang to his feet and lett
the house.
"What difficult set of beings these broth
ers are" mused Amelia, after Roland had
quilted her presence. "No doubt he thinks
my curiosity is excited to its highest degree
and by his conduct he appears determined to
keep it there but am not foolish enough to