National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-05-26

Townsend" cried be, "what upon eartf
do you suppose2 I've got the wrong bag
l've changed baggage with the angel o
mercy. Look at the slipper. See tina,
thimble Contemplate that glovew
"It's evident you've got the lady's satch-
el And what was there in yours 2"
"Don't bring up that dreadful idea" said
Dick. "Cigurs and a harr-brush, pack oi
cards, pockct-fask and tooth -brush-ev-
erything disreputable If l am Judged by
chat bag, Im lost man."
Sand this took for clean shirsy' and
Dick held up frilled and huted sack, such
as do duty for more extensive night dress
es with ladies when travelling. I'D like
to see Angelica when she opens my satch-
ell
And Dick fell to musing, with the slip
per perched on two fingers, and the frillcd
white lace spread out tenderly on his
knees.
In the upper apartment of handsome
mansion in st. LOUIS, on the evening Of
the day our heroine first made the readers
acquaintance, beautiful Belle Alden, the
petted and only daughter of the house, sat
contemplating the various articles her &C =
fidential maid was disposing upon the ia
ble-articles taken from no less recepta-
Gle than Dick Marcy's travelling bag
The cards and cigar case lay side bv side,
aud highly scented party they were.
whats in the little silver flask, Rosa"
said the fair mistress.
"Brandy, maam,n replied the maid.
"He can't be very dissipated to travel
with such little bottle. That's in case
of sickness, suppose" returned Belle.
"It's my belief" said Rosa, who was a
shrewd girl, THAT the gentleman was
mighty nice one, else you'd not so readily
excuse the cards and the bottle.n
"For shame, Rosa All gentlemen play
euchre, travelling, and even clergymen take !
a little brandy in case of Sickness" ans
wered Belle "And this man was a gen
tleman, and liberal one, too, for be gave
the poor emigrant woman ten dollars.
What's that, Rosa 2"
For at that moment Rosa held between
her fingers letter.
Whether it was wrong to read stran-
gers letter vexed Belle for moment. as
her eye glanced at the superscription and
handwriting.
"Why, Of all things p exclaimed the de-
lighted girl, sezng the letter. "Why,
Rosa, this is Jenny MaTcv's writing, and
TO Richard Marcy-her only
darling brother-who was in Europe when
we two graduated a Madam Ritter's, ir
Brooklyn
Belle read rapidly till she reached the
middle of the letter, when she burst into
. merry laugh.
Hear this, Rosa" she said, and she !
'ead from the letter:
"Above all things, Dick. dear, don't fail ,
while in st. Louis to see my best friend ,
md schoolmate, Belle Alden. know you .
will fall in love with her, Tor besides being 9
he best girl in the world, she's beauty !,
md an heiress, and fathers choice above =
ID Others for his sons wife. He used to =.
ak it over at home, and hoped Belle .
would not marry before you came home ,
rom Europe. She is full as anxious to .
now you, and wears your hair and mine :
n a locket father gave her last year. Give :,
Ter lots of love, and beg her to overlook i
our many impertections for the sake Of l.
er old schoolfellow, Jenny" :.
Then this gentleman is, of course, Miss !,
enny's brother" said Rosa, land what :,
ill she say when she hears of your having "
let in romantic way p I,
II don't intend to tell her OF it till 20 -
0 New York this Fall, SAID Belle "Per- =
APPS her brother will call" :,
But in this suppositon Belle was wrong "
he month passed. and she saw no more :
the goden-headed Richard. -
And she carefully separated the yellow h
,ck in the little keepsake from the dark a,
-ess OF Jenny's, and put it back into it's W
lace alone, while another locket held t,
ece of Jenny's. And somehow, Belle a,
'oked very, very often at the wee, golden I,
Irl, and she never did SO but the rest of IL
le handsome head sprapg up beside the a,
cket and she would sit and contemplate h
le picture her fancy had wrought for her, a,
title dreaming the interest she was allow w
e to grow in her bosom for Jenny's n,
other.
In the Fall, Belle and her father went
New York, and the first day after her
rival found her sitting with her old
lend, who, after the evasive meeting, sat tn
,wn to empty Ler soul II
III am so glad you are here this month";" hi
,nny said, "because I'm to be married in ar
,tober, and have always been crazy to ev
we you for bridesmaid, and Dick is to TO
lIarry's best man" Belle blushed re
"But Dick has fallen hopelessly, madly ir'
love" Belle turned pale. an
"fcs, ] was dreadfully provoked when ii
passed through St. Louis, and never hg
mt near you. But he went wild over en-
me lady he met on that fatal trip. tw
"I1e will talk to me by hours of Angel at
. And when have spoken of you he 10
$ been positively rude and asked me to SEE SEE
We done bothering him about my freck- pI
school friends-you know your picture an
ows freckles but, bless me, you haven't ke
' now. And your picture don't look tei
' more like you than it does me, not a ev' ~
But tell me-" asked Belle, "is your hg
other engaged to this lady ?'' Ing
Engaged! Why. dear heart, he don't
ow her name He just found some of
r old clothes somewhere. He's got her sal
slippers under glass case he's got hel
r gloves stuffed under another he's got to
r nichtrown done up in lavender; he's "a
her gold thimble hung on his watch sol
lin and | do believe he's got hair
i.h and some hair-pins next to his heart Ior
/. it's folly to interfere. He's beyond WI
hope! did think the excitement Of and
wedd;rc would ve,n him from il. but sho
! q bit of it. He looked at my new So'
ns. as calmly az an oyster and only DOG
dit is not kind Of me TO repeat IT,
ugh" broke of Jenny. i
what va. it be said y inquired Belle, Rh'
ching now heartily. Don't fear for my frol
a..