The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-04-16
JAMES STRUGGLE.

"Where's jamie ?" asked Madge, tim
idly, coming into the room, CHEEKY with
its pretty crimson coal fire, and bright
yellow jets of gas-light.
Her cousin looked up coldly at the
question, Uncle Geuld frowned ominously
over his paper, and Aunt Gould just
said. very drily:
I'm his room"
Madge looked uncasily from one to the
other, but no single pair of eyes turned
upon her with sympathy or explanation,
and after a few moments of irresolu. ion.
she laid down her school books, aud stole
/ FROM the room. In the Eall she met the
house. maid.
oh! Betty, please tell me, has anr-
thing happened, and why didn't Jamie
come to school this afternoon ?"
Betty shook her head.
"WeIl, Miss. don't like to grieve you,
but your brother has done horrible
thing, aud if he was a poor boy now,
suppose he'd be looking through iron
bars tc-nighr in the county Jail -
"Oh. Betty, what do you mean ?" said
Madge, turning quite pale.
swell Miss, said Betty, sinking her
voice to whisper, you'd have to know
it some time, suppose, and the fact is,
he's just been stealth money out of mas
tiers drawer-a hundred dollars, more or
! less ~
"It isn't So" cried Madge, in loud.
sharp tone, which almost startled herself
What! Jamie steal It's a wicked
| lie ~ md she burst into tears.
Very we'll" said the offended Betty,
"vou soon find whether | tell lie, for
believe he's none too good to be a thief.
nor you either, with all your niucing,
sain ways
! But Madge was out of hcaring-two
steps at time up the broad stairs, till
she reached little room at the farther
end Of the third story corrider. She
burst in Withou: any ceremony, but all
was still In the cold winter twilight. cx
| ccpt the dismal dashing of sleet against
the window paues. Jamie" she called
anxiously.
At first there was no reply. and then q
! lltlle movement behind the dngy brown
curtains betrayed him, and Madge was at
bis side, with her arms flung around his
neck
Il knew you had heard it all the
minute you called me-" faltered Jamie,
trying to smile IL heard the tears in
Jour voice. you know but you don't be
lieve it.
"Never r' cried Madge. vehemently.
"Now tell NE all about it. How could
any one dare to say so -
Il hardly know where to begin" said
Jamie, with great effort at sef-control
"Ill have to tell you something I've been
keeping secret ever since last summer
You see when Cousia Bell had her birth
/ day party last June, and all the girls
swept around in such pretty shining silks,
or else dresses half clouds and half cob
webs, and you only bad that pink calico
it hurt me, | don't know why. You
lpOhGu lucS do S"COt oS 1Nsf bliN
prettiest of all | thought but when Fish
er knight said Just look at my sister !.
Isn't she pretty, and doesn't her dress
look as if she had bought three or four
yards of sunset, and had the moon up all
night sewing stars CD it? Then the boys
laughed. and | sald-'And isn't my sister
pretty, too ?" for you did look as sweet as
rose, | thought; but that proud Fisher
knight laughed just like a knife-l
mean it seemed to cut right into me, and
he said--'O, yes, and how kind Betty
was to lend her that dress Some of the
boys said-'Too bad 2 but tha: only hurt
me more, aud | crept away pretty soon,
and lay behind the thick SNOWFALL bush
es, aud looked up ID the great, still sky,
and wondered why God couldn't have
taken you aud me too when father and
mother died, and not left US to come 10
this proud. rich uncle, who does not love
us, and who treats US like little beggars. ;"
| "Oh, don't say SO, janis" said Madge