Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-03-09

lace, anu the squire III HIS low SINUS anu
silver buckles, led off the stately country
dance from the top of the hall; the mar
ried sons and daughters came next, then
the young people, the children and grand
fathers guests as all who were not re-
lated were styled by the rest.
The dancing was at its height; the holly
and ivy quivering on the panels, and the
oak floor was becoming more and more
slippery; wher, uDannounced, and with
a powdering of snow on his cloak, tall
figure dashed among the dancers. seized
the squire's hand, and wrung it violently,
fell oD Dame Ursula's neck and gave her
hearty kiss before any one had time to
think what the disturbance could be about
But the squirc's eyes were keen, and after
! the first moment he returned the grasp
with a hearty "God bless you, my boy!
welcome homel" and Welcome to Barby,
grandson" said the kindly voice of Dame
Ursula, albeit some tears of joy shone in
her soft eyes.
"Cousin Jack. Cousin Jack' came
from twenty mouths, and the favorite
grandson threw aside his cloak, and flung
away his hat to shake hands with all the
aunts and uncles, and many of the guests
who remembered him.
And one of these guests, seated under the
holy decorations of a great oak panel,
leant her white terror stricken face against
the woodwork, and pressed her slender
gloved hand against a heart beating
strangely fast.
"What can it meanl' she thought
"Why am so struck at the appearance of
an utter stranger?"
| And yet it was not stranger. The face
| of the favored grandson was the one whose
image lay between the leaves of her Lara
up stairs. All, Maggie, it is dangerous to
have dealings with astrologers. Here was
| this girl, who had answered a mysterious
advertisement, for mere funs SAKE. as
| tOnished and terrified beyond measure at
what seemed the sudden realization of the
astrologer's mute prophecy.
Not the folds of her crepe dress looked
whittier than her face; all the joy of the
Christmas party was gone for her, and
| sickly feeling of superstitious terror pos
sessed her. The spirited girl was now
faint, dropping figure, with only just
strength enough to creep up stairs to her
| bedroom, where she crouched down before
the fire, crumpled mass of white lace
and clinging crepe, shiverlng with fright
at every wall of the wintry wind bowling
round the house.
ooh that I had never written to that
terrible astrologer-that horrid, mysterious
man! Fancy the very person appearing
in my path-the very person! | declare L
should have known him among thousand,
though he is not terrible, for he looks very
nice. Oh, it is dreadful! l have heard of
such things as fates in the stars, told by
wise men, but never believed it. l do
now though. How fortunate it is that
nobody knows it I will take good care
they never do"
With this thrilling secret at her heart,
Maggie sat and shivered another twenty
| Thor, fnntctprc fnllnyVpI
/ by troop of girls rushing in.
"Why, Maggie, where have you been?"
cried one. "We wanted you for a cushion
Dance"
"Oh Maggie, where are? Have you seen
grandpapas pet-such a romantic stir
when he arrived!'' exclaimed rosy girl,
with forgetme-nots in her hair.
! "And he's adorable!' said third.
"He's DEAR" chimed in another.
He's the son OF grandfather's eldest
daughter and she is dead, SO the old gentle
man thinks worlds of him." said matter
of-fact young lady adjusting her chignon.
"I have heard he is terrible scamp,
said another.
regular Jolly fellow, Mary. l never saw
such eyes; and he gazes so anxiously
around, one would think he was looking
for somebody"
And so he was, you know, reader.
The girls fingers had been as busy as
their tongues, and, wreaths being settled
to their satisfaction, they made move to
go down for snap dragons; and Miss Bar
ton, with the awful secret locked in her
breast, went too, for fear of exciting sur
prise.
Meanwhile Mr.. Jack Carleton was in his
11o l,.o -
the dancing and games his eyes were dill
gently seeking among the guests for the
signor's fair correspondent. A dozen
times he thought he recognised her in
some fair yellow haired lady, till some un
familiar feature altered his opinion. I" Pm
sure should know her," he said to him.
self, though all the girls are exactly
!; alike"
J Mr.. Carleton's eyes, therefore, did double
duty and, presently, when pale.girl, with
a dropping geranium in her hair, entered
, in the rear of a dozen more, down went
, Mr.. Carleton's glass of sherry; and, for
getting the lady by his side and Lindley
Murray, an energetic "That's her!" burst
from his lips.
"That's who, Mr.. Carleton!'' inquired
, his astonished companion.
THAT? Why-she-will you take some
negus, Mrs. Allerton ?" he said, suddenly
recollecting; but his eyes were following
! Miss Barton, and he scarcely heard the re
ply. "That's her!-yes, I'm sure of it
, How scared she looksl There's something
unpleasant on her mind, 1 conclude. She's
, very pretty, though. I wonder if she has
got my carte. Ha! ha! what spree
, Lemonade? Yes, madam, I'll fetch yor
some" And he darted away, fully deter
| mined not to return to that part of the
room for some time.
, A servant was standing near the door
and Mr.. Carleton addressed him in an un
dertone:
. What is the name of that young lady
r standing near the fireplace, and talking
!. to my grandmother?
!, with the red flower in her hair, sir
That's Miss Barton, sir. She came with
: MIR. Frances and his daughters. She was
= here last Christmas, sir"
: Jack worked his way dexterously round
D the room, and by the time he was within
4 ear-shot of the young lady there was
, cry to put out the lights for snap dragons
and while they went out with Whit,
, sharp spring placed him at her side. "Miss
$ Barton-Maggie-how do you do?"
, There was a little glow from the fire
f just enough for him to see the shiver hii
| words caused. She raised her dark eyes
3 "Asu SiiauO VA OlSplcdSuI6 OfeTCOullus
e her fear but of course he could not ser
!, that, and he continued to murmur unintel
/ ligible nothings, till, in common polite
( ness, she was bound to murmur unintelli
l gible nothings back again. But of course
the ice had to be broken. az shall arrive
' at the deep waters of friendship, by-and
4 by" said Mr.. Carleton, to himself HI
i was apt to be carried away by poetical en-
t thusiasm, at times.
g A few more sentences, and then, while
g the rest were pressing round the burning
: dish, Jack made bold stroke.
DO you know you owe me kiss, Mis-.
: Barton?"
f The experience of the last few hour.
: had already reduced her to state of mute
3 resignation. Nothing he could say would
, much astonish her now, so to this remark
f able question she only answered, "Do |? p
DO you? Why yes, Maggie DOM