The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-02-14
Flushed and breathless he burst into

bag. I've changed baggage with the
Angel of Mercy. Look at that slipper
See that thimble. Contemplate that
glove"
Its evident you've got the lady's sat.
chel. And what was there in yours -
Don't bring up that dreadful idea, II
said Dick. Cigars and hair brush, a
pack Of cards and a comb, pocket.hask
and tooth brush-everything disreputa-
BILE. If am judged by that bag, I'm a
lost man."
"And this took for a clean shirt" and
Dick held up frilcd and fluted sack,
such as do duty for more extensive night
dresses with ladies' when travelling. I'd
like to see Angelica, when she opens my
satchel"
And Dick fell TO musing, with the slip.
per perched on two fingers, and the frilled
white sack spread out tcnderly upon his
knees.
In an upper apartment of handsome
mansion in St. Louis, on the evening of
the day our heroine first made the read
er's acquaintance. beautiful Belle Alden,
the petted and only daughter of the house,
sat contemplating the various articles her
confidential maid was disposing of on the
table-articlcs taken from no less a re.
ceptacle than Dick Marcy's travelling
bag.
The cards and cigar case lay side by
side, and highly scented party they
were,
"What in the little silver flask, Rosa ~
said the fair mistress.
brandy, ma'am," replied the maid.
ale can't be very dissipated, to travel
with such little bottle. That's in case
of sickness, | suppose" returned Belle.
at is my belief" said Rosa, who was
shrewd girl, that the gentleman was a
mighty nice one, else you'd not so readily
excuse the cards and the bottle"
"For shame, Rosa. All gentlemen
play euchre travelling, and even clergy
men take little brandy in case of sick
ness" answered Belle. "And this man
was a gentleman, and a liberal one, too,
for he gave the poor emigrant woman ten
dollars. What's that Rosa ?"
For, at that moment, Rosa held be-
tween her fingers letter.
Whether it was wrong to read stran-
gers letter vexed Belle but for a moment,
as her eyes glanced at the superscription
and handwriting.
"Why, of all things :" exclaimed the
delighted girl, seized the letter. "Why,
Rosa, this is Jennie Marcy's writing, and
addressed to Richard Marcy--her only
darling brother-.who was in Europe when
we two graduated at Madam Ritter's in
Brooklyn"
Belle read rapidly till she had reached
the middle of the letter, when she burst
into merry laugh.
"Hear this, Rosa" she said, and she
read from the letter:
"Above all things, Dick dear, don't
fail while in St. Louis, to see my best
friend and schoolmatc, Belle Alden,
know you will fall in love with her, for
besides being the best girl in the world
she's beauty and an heress, and fathers
choice above all others, Tor his sons wife.
He used to talk it over at home, and hope
Belle would not marry before you came
home from Europe She is full as anx-
ious to know you, and wears your hair
and mine in locket father gave her last
year. Give her lots of love, and beg of
her to overlook your many imperfections,
for the sake of her old school.fellow,
Jennie"
"Then this gentleman is, of course,
Miss Jennie's brother" said Rosa, "and
what will she say when she hears of your
having met in this romantic way?"
81 don't intend to tell her of it till | 20
to New York this fall, said Belle. per.
haps her brother will call"
But in this supposition Belle was wrong.
The month passed, and she saw no more
of the golden-headed Richard
And she carefully separated the yellow
lock in the little keepsake from the dark
tress of Jennies and put it back into its
place alone, while another locket held the
bit Of Jennie's. And. someway, Belle
looked very often at the wee golden curl,
and she never did so but the rest of the
handsome head sprang up beside the lock
and she would sit and contemplate the
picture her fancy wrought for her, little
dreaming the interest she was allowing to
grow in her bosom tor Jennie'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 ol friend
who, after the first elusive meeting was
past, sat down to empty her soul.
"l'm so glad you are here this month,
Jennie said, "because I'm to be married
in October, and | have always been crazy
to have you for bridesmaid, and Dick i,
to be Harry's best man"
Belle blushed
but Dick has fallen hopeles,ly madly
in love-"
Belle turned pale,
"Yes, | was so dreaIiully provoked
when he passed through st. Louis and
never went near you. But he went wild
over some lady he met upon that fata
trip.
"He will talk to me by hours of his
Angelica. And when | have spoken o.
you he has been positively rude, and asked
me to have done bothering him about my
freckled school friends-you know your
picture shows treckles but bless me, you
haven't any now And your picture dom
look any more like you than it does like
me, not Bit"
But tell me-" said Belle, "is your
brother engaged to this LADY,"
Engaged Why, dear heart, he dom
know her name. He just found some o
+ her old clothes somewhere. He's got he
old slippers under glass case he's go
her gloves stuffed under another he's goi
her night gown done up in lavender; he'
got her gold thimble hung on his watch
chain aud | believe he's got hair brusl
and some hair-pins next his heart. Oh
it's a folly To Interfere He's bevood nj