The mountain Democrat., 1863-01-17

and besides, New Year was bis birthday
This year, New Year fell on Tuesday,
On Saturday, as Grace was sewing at tn,
Hall, Miss Redfield abruptly entered th,
room.
will you sit DOWN. Grace INQUIRED
scarcely knowing what this visit portend
ed.
Miss Red6eld smiled and drew up
chair beside Grace, saying:
! have come to ask you . favor. 1t il
trif1e, and am sure you will grant it
Fhad dress made Just before left home
and intended to wear it New Years Eve
but neglected to try it on till yesterday
wba9.J found that il needed some altera
ton before l could possibly wear it.
was out long time, trying to find some
one to do it in the village; but everybody
is busy just now and as last resort
come to you
Certainly I would do it if had time,
replied Grace; but don't know how il
will be-
%, know you will have no time on
Monday, Interrupted Miss Redfield; but
you might do it to. morrow
Tomorrow = Grace repeated in dis
may ; surely, you don't mean it! To.
morrow is the Sabbath L
But, said Miss Redfield, it is work
Of necessity
Pardon me, Miss Red6eld, said Grace.
But it does not seem at all necessary to
me. have seen you wear q number of
beautiful dresses since you have been here,
and surely some of them would do for
Monday evening
Yes, yes she rejoined, impatiently !;
but have worn them al ever so many
times, and this is new and so becoming.
have set my heart upon it and must have
it, And she placed . shining gold piece
in Grace's hand.
Them that honor me, I will honor i
seemed to sound in Grace's ears, and she
answered decidedly, as she returned the
gold:
NO, Miss RedHeld, I cannot do it TO-.
morrow. Money is no temptation to me
to violate the law of God and my own
conscience. And il did it at all, she
continued, proudly, 4 should do it for
nothing
A malignant expression crept over Miss
Redfield's face rs she rose, saying, You
/ will renent Of this! But know what
your object is; you have got some Of the
Wolcotts' puritAnical ideas, and you think
your sanity ways will find favor in Rich
ards eyes. But l can tell you he is as
proud as he is good, and with all his CHI
valrous ideas of right and honor, he will
never stoop@
The hot blood was flushing Grace'S face
as she rose and held open the door. Miss
Red6eld, angrier than ever at this hint OI
dismissal, could not finish the sentence,
but with look Of bitter hatred, passed
out Grace closed and locked the door,
then threw herself on chair and wept as
If her heart would break.
On Monday there was joyous hustle
through the house. Grace was working
busily upon some articles that she knew
Mrs. Wolcott wished to have done that
day, when she heard Miss Red6eld's voice
in the hall saying, 4 have protege whom
| would like to recommend to you in her
place. think she would please you bet
ter.
ToGrace's establishment she heard Mrs.
Wolcott say in reply:
Thank you; think shall employ her,
as have contemplated a change for some
time
Grace was. thunderstruck; what could
Mrs. WOlcott mean? How could she have
offended Mrs. Wolcott, who was so gentle
and so just! All the morning Grace pom
dered her words, and wondered what she
should do when cast of upon the world
again.
She will surely help me to find another
place, Grace thought She knew she had
done right; and, as human helpers seemed
to fall away, she leaned with firmer trust
upon the diviue. Truly she thought,
the ways Of the All.wise are mysterious
and past finding out. 1t seems strange to
me that this wicked girl should triumph;
but know it is all right The hearts OF
men, o God, are in "'1 Hoy hands, and trust.
/ ing in Thee, | will await the issue
! 4.Mu so she sat, that bright morning,
and listened to the joyous sounds, and
noted the guests as they fitted past her
half:open door, and saw the sleigh drive
off with Richard and Miss Redfield.
1t was afternoon when Madge came in
hurriedly, saying, why, Grace, how pale
you arel We have been Sc busy lately,
that l haven't seen you. You are too
much confined here
Yes, and it's a shame for her to be
stitching away this merry holiday time,
when everybody else are enjoying them
selves = chimed in Fanny, who had en-
tered unperceived. Mamma sent me to
tell you,' she continued, not to mind about
finishing that Misunderstanding else
will do just as well. She said she meant
to tell you before, but she had so much to
take up her attention lately. We are 60
ing to have q grand time tonight, and
mamma wants you to come down.
4 thank you,' Grace managed to say ;
but think had better not come
%, but you must said Fanny, and new
er supposing that Grace would continue
obstinate, they left her.
But how could Grace 60? What was
there in common between her and the
happy, brilliant company to be assembled
that evening9 The dream Of her life was
over. Not until it had been SO rudely dis
sipated was she conscious that she had
induiged in it. How insane she now saw
tito have been! All little, she thought,
did her triumphant enemy know Of the
blow she had struck, and how it had gone
to Grace's heart Of hearts!
When night began to fall, she bad come
| hovoo rlod1s0r. hEp ~ vvoarilu OvaH tho