The Portland daily press., 1866-04-02


wool, got out sheet of paper and little note
of Gracie's which had in my work-box, and
began to initiate Gracie's handwriting had
not much trouble, for we wrote nearly alike, and
afterwards composed little letter.
Dear Mr.. M'Donnell," itsaid, II have chang,
ed my mind, and will be very glad if you will
join me ON the road to the conservation on Sun
day. Yours, sincerely,
tAsA E4-l- ~ "GRAcE BYRNE."
What harm can it do to send it?" thought l,
trembling all the while. folded it up and put
il in anenvelope directed to MI. Donneli MDon-
nell, The Buckley Farm And it may do such
q great deal of good In the first place, it will
prevent his marrying for spite before Sunday,
and then she will be so glad to see him coming
in spite of her crossness, that she will be quite
kind to him. He is always SO stiff and proud
when she treats him badly, that 1 am sure 1t
makes her worse. She will never hnd out that
he got any letter-not, at least, IN .ney are
quite good friends-married, perhaps-and--
then they will both thank me-"
So the next evening about dusk, l slipped
quietly into the tOwnand posted my letter. l
was dreadfully afraid of meeting DOnnell or
Gaacie; but saw no one knew. l dropped
the note in the letter-box and rushed off towards
home again at full speed. ran nearly all the
way; the snowy roads were slippery in the eve
ming frost, and near our house / fell and hurt
my foot. "A neighbor found me leaning against
a stile and brought me home. 1 was to have
sailed for America the very next week, but
!, was iaad up with sprained ankle and
On Sunday evening neighbor woman who
mad been at the conservation came in to tell us
the news This one had been there of course,
and that one had been there for wonder.
Oracle Byrne had been there in a fine new bon
net 1.-THE girl was going to the mischief with
dressl and Squire Hannah had been there, and
given her the flower out of his button hole. -
t"And Donnell M'Donnell was with her, of
course !" said l.. H-A's
"a, deed you may swear it," said the woman.
''Thatll be a match before long. He walked
home with her to the town, and her smilin' at
him like the first of June !" - Z y
They'll be married before / 60 away" said
touiysef; and ] leaned hack in my corner, for
the pain of my foot sickened me.
D0nald's mother brought me a custard and
some apples the next day.
"DenneHs gone to the Glens, my DEAR" said
she, scr he would has been over this morninst to
see you. He went before we heard of your foot,
and he won ttbe home for week"
whats he dOin' there 2" asked my step
mother. -4<k-
He has land there, you know" said Donnelps
mother, "and he goes whites to settle his affairs
with them that has charge of it, 1 don't know
rightly what he's gone about now. Something
has went agin him lately, for he's not like HIM
self those few days back. He said somethin'
about goin' to be married when he came home,
but if he is it's not afther his heart; for never
saw bridegroom so glum on the head of it.
But. dear, l thought it was you he liked"
$50 he does, Mrs. -M'Donnell," said L, 'but
not that way-not for his wife," s.e.1
"Well, well, my dearp said Donnell's mother,
Everybody was coming to see me now, ON &C.
count OF my foot. Oracle came the next day or
30, and surely was amazed at the glory of her
dress My stepmother, who did not like her
LETT US alone together, and Gracie's news came
out She was going to be married on next
Tuesday. --24-
Il know that" said l. ~ .I ai-7E'
HHow do you know it % said she. liiy
"Donnel's mother told me-" 9i
"Donnelp mother Nothing but Donnell and
Ponneirs mother from you for ever. How
ooh, Oracle, his OWL"
w ny" she burst in, "you don't imagine that.
ne is the man !? Why, it's Squire Hannah
Snly thi ,as. Bet, OF your Oracle being the
, / Twas quite COMPOUNDED. "oh, oh, Oracle !"
WE'LL said she,, sulking are you not
"Oh, yes" said, very, on your own account;
but what will become of Donnell?"
"Donnell again. Now listen to me, Bet. 1
know when man likes me, and when he doesn't
like me, just as well as any other girl; and I've
seen this many day, that Donnell didn't care o
pin about me. Not he. He only wantedme to
marry him that the people might not say Tilted
him. told him that the other day, when he
asked me to have him. No matter what want
you for said he; I want YOU Thank you,'
said 4. And then what had he the impudence
to say If changed my mind before Sunday,
L was to send him word, that he might Come to
the conservation with me. Then he would set
OFT for the Glens on Monday, and settle some
business there, and be home for our wedding in
a week ~ ifrFrr p s,rr+.rFr
screamed out, seeing what had DONE
"The poor foot !" said Oracle, thinking I was
in pain. us it bad ?"
Never mind it !" said I. And what did you
81 said" Oracle went ON, shat whatever
morning he got up and saw black snow ON the
ground that day he might look for q message
from me. And yet he had the meanness to walk
fun Of it is, that they say he's gone to the
Glens" u = si7 = ID Al s177
"Oh, oh r. said I, beginning to groan again.
and pretending that it was all my foot. After
that, Oracle talked about herself and Squire
Hannan until she went away. And somehow
never had felt so sorry to part with her before
She seemed not to be my 0acn Oracle any
longer. tyl-sc15 49,. 5s.. -. ~. -,
And now was nearly out of my senses,
thinking what mischief might come of my
meddling. was sure that Donnell and Squire
Hannah would fight and kill one another, and
all had in the world to see Donnell before any
one else had told him the news, and confess to
him what / had done. On Tuesday, about mid
day, countryman from the Glens came in to
light his pipe, and he said he had passed NJ |
Donnell, of Buckley Farm, on the way.
San 1 think things must be goin' badly with
him, said he, 'for he has look on his face as
black as the potato blight"
Somebody has told him, maybe p said to
myself And put on my shawl, and, borrow
rfrZ IL IL os-ll L III
secretly up the road towards the Glens. soon
got tired and dreadfully cold, as could not walk
last, and sat down on bit of an old grew
to watch for Donnen coming past At
Last he came laundering along, and although it
was getting dusk, I could see that he had his
happy.
{ "Donnell," said I, calling out to him ~
/, Wh b Y he said. why it's never lit
d aBut indeed it is" said I. ooh, Donnell, did
you hear. came to tell YOU. Oracle was mar
ried this morning to Squire Hannah"
s.Whew !! he gave long whistle. The jiltw
said he, and he snapped his fingers But his
whole face frightened up. r.6a5. X
! She's not SO much of a jilt as you think,
Donnell," said r 'for-oh. how can 1 ever tell
you-it was who wrote you the note you got
last week, and she had nothing to do with it, I
did it for the best; I did, indeed, for I thought
that Oracle liked you; I did, indeed. And, oh,
Donnell, sure you won't 60 and kill Squire Han
nan ?' i3as ia.- = -
Wont" said he, looking awfully savage. II
cut great blackthorn this morning in the
Giens for no ether purpose than to beat out his
brains"
/. gave great scream, and, dropping my stick,
fell along with it; but Donnell picked me up,
and set me safe on his horse behind him.
Now said he, ."Ill tellyo what it is little
Bet. I'll make a bargain. You'll marry me.
and L won't touch Squire Hannah"
II marry your" cried I, 'after-after Oracle.
Indeed will NOT, Dome IN 'Donnell"
"Pve behaved very badly " said he, shut I'm
very sorry: It's long SINCE! liked you better
than Oracle, but the devil of pride was in me,
and the people were saying she would jilt me.
When I got yonr bit of a note I felt as if was
goin' to be hung. God bless Squire Hannah
Now will you marry me little Bet ?" ,,
NO." said I. And with that he whipped up
bis horse, and dashed off with me at the speed
of hunt. /,
"Stop, stop p cried I. Where are You taking
me to? You've passed the turn of our road.
But might as well shout to the wind. On
we dashed. up hill and down hill through fields