Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-06-09

the rest OF the handsome head sprang up
beside the locket; and she would sit and
contemplate the picture her fancy had
wrought for her, little dreaming the in
terest she was allowing to grow in her
bosom for Jenny's brother.
In the fall Belle and her father went
to New York, and the first day after her
arrival found her sitting with her old
friend, who, after the evasive meeting,
sat down to empty her soul.
81 am so glad you are here this month, )"
Jenny said, because I'm to be married
in October, and | have always been era
W to have you for bridesmaid, and
Dick is to be Harry's best man. Belle
blushed.
"But Dick has fallen hopelessly, mad
ly in love" Belle turned pale.
"Yes, | was dreadfully provoked when
he passed through St. Louis, and never
went near you. But he went wild over
some lady he met on that fatal trip.
" He will talk to me by hours of An
gelica. And when | have spoken of
you he has been positively rude, and ask
ed me to have done bothering him about
my frecked school friends-you know
your picture shows freckles; but, bless
me, you haven't any now. And your
picture don't look any more like you
than it does me, not bill"
"But tell me-" asked Belle sis your
brother engaged to this lady p
Engaged Why, dear heart, be
don't know her name. He just found
some of her old clothes somewhere. He's
got her old slippers under glass case;
he's gother gloves stuffed under another
he's got her nightgown done up in laven-
der; he's got her gold thimble hung on
his watch-chain and | do believe he's
got hair-brush and some hair-pins next
to his heart Oh, it's folly to interfere
He's beyond all hope | did think the
excitement of my wedding would wean
him from it, but not bit of it. He
looked at my new things as calmly as an
oyster, and only said-it is not kind Of
me to repeat it, though" broke off Jen
ny.
what was it he said p inquired Belle,
laughing now heartily. "Don't fear for
my feelings"
"Why," he said," I'll stand up with
your friend Belle, and see you safely
married and then I'm off to winter in
Paris. I'm done with love on my own
account Its positively awful "
And so Belle thought, as she looked
at her old slipper and glove lying be-
meath a globe on either side of the faith
full Richards mantle,
"And," said Belle, "since he desires
only to meet me on the morning of the
wedding, so it shall be. / will be intro
duced only as we are leaving the house,
and he can do as he pleases about con-
tinuing the acquaintance afterwards. =
Belle was radiant with happiness when
she returned to her father, and delighted
his fond heart by the change, for she had
been very quiet of late.
Jenny aud Belle shopped and talked
and visited together for the next few days,
and when the eventful morning arrived,
and amid bevy of beautiful girls, Belle
shone like queen, the bride was eclips-
ed, and delightfully."- acknowledged it.
"Oh, BELIEF she said, II long to
have old stoical Dick see you. Hark +!
there's his step. Come into the next
room now and be introduced. Don't
wait till the carriages come-it is an
hour yet"
And Belle, with a beating heart,
swept through the door and stood even
as Dick first saw her, only in place of
the gray travelling dress, magnificent
white satin fell III rich folds about her.
and upon her lovely white throat lay the
turquois locket that held Dicks golden
curl. Upon the beautiful head, crowned
| by its chestnut hair, coronal Of pearls
added to that grace and beauty of an
image that, shrined in Dicks heart, was
already an angel.
Belle did not look up, but she felt the
presence, as Richard Marcy came up and
was introduced to little Jenny's old
schoolmate. Then, as he held out his
hand, she raised her eyes, and laid her
tinv hand in his, and said;
II think we had better rectity that
mistake about the travelling bags, Mr..
Marcy"
''Good heavens, jenny said Dick
Marcy "Why didn't you tell me that
your friend Belle was my angel of mer-
cyl"
because didn't know it till last
night, and then Belle made me promise
not to tell. And, besides, you didn't
want to meet the freckled schoolgirl till
it was positively necessary" returned