, 1869-12-25

her to sell It when he had spent her other money:
eo a3a p scaasa bs spm sae
could bare gut ior It tnen seemed 90 small to
excha, &c certainty for, Sister Betty had refused
dieseed d M M lover tssrsd st aer as il he tno1snt her
silly as her brother, when she rroposed 70 make
the uaus1es hare spoken Of. "Wny. bother II, "
"that's the very thing wanted 70 marry you for:
What use would you be to ms without your bit OF
money :" After that, the DIN .I, na!o q romance
Welsh Wig vanished. e The Wig faded into the
light Of common day, and Sister Betty resolved
nsses to !ease hsr nre.nes THY t9os mite
10 that gossip-lov,ng borough. Master Giles was
ns eaf 1 ia n se ms
"iie really looks quite the gentleman" said the
women. Meantime Stster Betty s6inted herself TO
dark dresses white that ho might 0gare in his
Ir!led sntits. The beaver bonnet sue wore at
church wa = such M & manRy mons1os'ey taas ~ ne
ehasn tae opsn W. seoea A. at
10 church with her. He was called Mas
ter Giles In Stoverton as a compromtse.
"; Gae. won!a have 6es5 3G soo sds igs1eo on,s
have been ditrespecifu'ly abrupt since he had
orce had property. Fer time the sporting law.
f5a I'D ana O. 5 esS T.
Lcng Rootinga, Invited Master Giles pretty freely
TO lheir houses, and very pleased was poor Oliver
10 6ECEpk IlElT luT1IALOOH RUQ Elk OVER ClQ QueS
attr DINER. s,s,er Betty vas rleased 70 see him
pleased. bat when the wiEes Of the lawyers, &c,
gave her eordesce1dipg lnv1tat,ona to tea, Sister
plainly ted her ,nsitcrs That she could not
give parties, md 80 abe did not mean to go TO
70 them. But /. isnt party, Miss Giles, Mrs.
asked Jou quite by yourself because"
"Because you're asnaned 10 ask anybody 10
meet me. I'm much obliged 70 you, Ma Neck,
Polite sto1ertonlans, a. have sad neve.
steAk out what they mean but, without speaking,
Trey soon le. one another kEox thas they thongli
Sister Betty gave hereelf most absurd alf5, Tor an
uRly old maid next door 10 paper.
The reaIs rolled Oh, and even Master Giles WAS
almost entirely dropped by hts SsoEetton friends
A Bly old man, living on plain old Blister, With
nothing but The Torknouse TO look forward 70 at
her death, and scarce peunY to bless themselves
with dnrpR her lfe-nn old man who keps no ser.
want, and couldn't ere1 ask caller to take glass
OF wine; that vas the light In which the prosper
ons Law yers, &c, regarded their old felfoWsports-
rnaD. II vas absurd 10 suppose that they were 70
ago, he had oeen fool enough TO run through
nico liae property, and had given them many q
good d!nnsr: H Mr. Neck. when he 2 obtained sae
not 70 speak to h'ln when t1eE met IN S1oserton
high street.-The pate1na Meek being shoe
nsser-so 1t vas rot likely TINT be Was going to
keep up the acquaintance OF that ''pennlless Old
tdto', I" IA he called poor Master Giles, Il should
have explained that 1t is only the ladits Of Sto.
yerton who use language 10 Disguise tsetr
Sometimes Master Giles was quite unconscious
OF h!s old friends Neglect ne wonld take bis
~alSa abroad siIlng nlnnaly a. everyone
deased lis ~ steps Hui'Ds Hus Z. 'n osnes rmes Mas
be Tould come suddenly upon his ancient crontes,
arc Mns1 aaGy asnsy sno9s MIN a. fus n
could TO comfort him, but ste only got snapped at
for her paina The deFouon soe lavlshed on her
facttnced berself 10 him 90 long that he hsd come
to LOOK ppon her self sacrifice aa duty, and, IN.
etead or beirg grateful for It, often turned salky
@ peeau.e sne could not crafty at h,s wniG., rs
he put Il on with his topooots- :
Il was the day before Christmas Day, aud Mas
very unamiaeie temper. !" WnJ did you 60 and
tell that sax-man that was poor, Bet.y7" he
aald Grossly. Hes too high and mighty to Bpeak
They we're glAd enough 10 Be- friends win ne
once. Forty and more I've mad to dinner at
Christn as time at Long Roothinga, haven't I,
have to dine all alone With yoa, Betty, ,o.mor:
row-and nothing out Of the common lot dinner
no WIe or anything. wish you wouldn't 60
taking to psoRe Betty and wish 1921 dEes,
| was 60 poor" -
| Sister Betty VAS ruzzllng over her housekeep.
EooH nov much e
Christmas treat. "Never mind. Oliver" sae
sad, soo.ningly. "You shall have plam.pu
ng and Te y ssy %p 70 0
|
We'll have bottle OF elderber1y wine. IIlgo anG
| get the thipgs directly after tea /"
ea was ns much d. o.
his hands, and gave childish cnucEe Of antlci
patton
Before tea vas over. however an Invitation
come Tor Master Gltea 10 eat his Cartsnlss duucl
ut lhe StoyeI.on veterinary Enrgeon'A. "My Ok
woman md the lit.le ones are 10 the countrg, ant
@ Go e II sPa
nooouy to talk TO, old fellow. You used to know
bit aoont boss once upon time"
l Poor Master Gtle8 wa5 delighted NTH MI
F,eam's nncompi,mtn injury invitation. The prom
iscd plun.puddlrg at home was contemptuousl,
Kicked. 80 TO SPEAK, into the middle OF next week
anAiously called after her, = Don't forget tn,
eIderberry wine, Betty she was not llkely I,
forge. II, es II was The only item Of Christina
outon The MORROW, Sister Betty had determine,
to make her dinner on any cold eclapS she coui'
md IN :he tiny iarder. Master Giles had been u
| 1hat quarter, and Sister Betty WAS dreadl1g tn
| doctor bill.
she brought little saucepan up into the patlor
and warmed the wine and made some toast a
the rarlor tire. Master Giles roasted his knee
over II, atd soaked h!s toaat, mud slpped hts WIN
with great compacency; now aud 1hcn speaking
cut bis childish anticlratsons OF the far r!cer dan
ss ss nRan iee Wvs w
aid thS caurch tells rang out tnelr joyoas greet
ing Of Christmas through the mooultt, frost atr.
s ne.s Yoa1an Yea1n' osssr SsM q
led Iow, or you'll be TIED tomorrow. I've pu
the warm water bottle n your bed.''
Then Sitter betty raIed out the 1Te, and clnset
tie shntIere, aud fastened the front door. Whel
she came in fEcm the passage to make sure rus
the fire vas ali safe, - she stood for minute Q
tao watching the dying coals. Sister Betty va
BY no neans sentimental, but she could not hel
IceltDE vaguely that there was some likeness be
tRcen The 1aletl-out fireplace aud her life.
She uudged mp stars, and said her prayers. an
RIt into bed much as usual: but she got ou
again 10 dtaw mp the blind that she might &C
the yellow moon and the neecy clouds in tt
co,d kky. Ugly. mtidleage unseuilmeutal OIL
maid - the WAS, her thoughts went back to
far OIL Christmas night when she had stood Wit
her mot her IN Long Roothirgs gartleo, noodin
htr head IN her mothers posp, aud dream.l
scneming what her future life was 70 be. rs sh
Looked up at the yellow moon aud the neec
clouds Not one Of her dreams had come true. an
lct before the bells finished their peal for Ii
night, Sister Betty was sleeping with a child
Tranquil Emile on her grim MCuth and wItnkie
cheeks. II was the Triumph Of Remuneration tn
luhslaLt bella were cclcorating-"It Is NOR
blessed to give than To receive" was the burde
OF their chlEc- In her poor little prosatc wa
Sister Betty was faithtnl, though unconsctou.
ditclpllnc OF that creed, and Christmas peso
came down upon her curta!nlesa stump bed
stead; chrtetnas dreams made her sleep aonnul
IN spite OF scanty blankets and washed.ou
tLrr4doare. patchwork quilt,