The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-08-10

1t was Charles Atoms birthday. and
he was twenty-one years of age. And
a child of fortune was Charles Alton.
His father was the wealthiest man in
town, and Charles was the only SON
he and his sister Mary the only chill
dren. And Charles possessed some
thing more than heirship to his faith
ers gold. He was handsome and brave /;
he was warm hearted and generous:
he was gay and entertaining; and, at
the end of two years in college, he
stood at the head of his class. He was
at home Oh this his twenty first birth
day, having obtained a leave of absence
from his tutor for that purpose.
Many were the friends who thronged
the large drawing room of Mr. Atoms
residence OH the evening of that day =;
and many were the presents bestowed
upon the gallant youth and young
men and maidens were there who en-
We'd the fortunate hero Of the occa-
sion. How could such an one be else
than happy What was there of earth
ly good that did not rest within his
grasp
In a far corner of the drawing-room
sat Lottie Page-mild, gentle, pretty,
blue-eyed Lottie-a slight, fair formed
creature, only fifteen years OF age, and
looking not SO old as that. She was
an orphan and lived with her aunt
a child of humble station and scanty
means, seeking strength to do the bat
tie OF life that was before her, and ask
ing that she might be loved and trust
ed as she deserved. Mary Alton, the
sister of the hero, was just Lottie's
age, and the two had been playmates
and warm friends, cemented by that
friendship of childhood which had not
yet felt the touch of those adverse
winds that sometimes come with ma
turer years.
The bright-faced, laughter-loving,
blue-eyed girl had been favorite with
Charles. When he was stout lad of
fifteen she had been a mere bit of a
fairy OF only nine years; and he had
carried her in his arms, and tossed
her in the air, and loved her as he had
loved his own little sister.
And on this evening, when Charles
was one-and-twenty, and she fifteen,
the relations had not been changed.
She had grown some, to be sure; but
the rich bloom was still of childhood,
and few there We're who noticed the
light, shadowy lines of thought that
were being drawn upon her fair brow.
She had come to the party because
she was Mary's playmate; and when
she knew that she was coming, she
wondered what she should bring for Il
present. She had no money to spare,
and it was not III the season for flow
ers.
Dear Aunt, what can / give to
Charley Alton p
"Why not give him that?" returned
her aunt, resting her hand upon a
small book that lay upon the table at
her side. "That will be better than to
buy anything You have two of them.
This one l gave you last Christmas.
You may give it to Charles Alton, and
l will get you another should you ever
need it.
So Lottie had come with a little
book--a book in covers of purple mo-
rocco with silver clasp--and when
all the others had bestowed their pres
ents, she crept forward and took him
by the hand.
"Charlie," she said, in her quiet,
child-hke way, calling him as she and
Mary had always called him, 1--we got
something for you, and I'll give it to
you if you'll promise not to laugh at
me-"
"My dear little pet cried the young
man, kissing her upon the brow, 'why
should / laugh at you? Let your
gift be what it may, l will keep it al
ways"