Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-10-16

hide her tears.
9 Yes, darling, Iknow. Your father
thinks l love his child; and does Annie
think so, too?"
Gently ne turned her face toward his,
and looked earnestly into her beautiful
eyes. "Tell me, Annie ?"
81 know you do, Howard" )" she.an-
swered low.
Yes, more than all the world, An
ME"
q know it, Howard, 'and I,can't,help
being so glad of it."
g You darling girl, Now l shall not
care how dark everything looks, for with
Annies love to bless and guide me, /
shall be sure TO succeed. You do love
me, Annie 2"
''I cannot help it. But | ought not to
listen to you, or tell you that | do love
you, because papa said such dreadful
things-that / must not allow you to
love me-that, that he never, never
would consent to to such a thing he
would just as soon see me dead But
here he is coming back. Oh, Tn so sor-
ry, and so glad, too Mamma loves
you. Maybe all will come right; we
will hope and pray"
"God bless you, darling" Howard
said, as she hurried away. About noon
the next day, to Annie ''Lawson's amaze
ment, when her father came home to
lunch, he said to Mrs Lawson
i" You have not spoken to Howard
about leaving, have your"
No, not yet. | hate so 10 DO it, l
wish you would reconsider it." Mrs.
Lawson was saying, when her husband
exclaimed:
Reconsider it. I'm sure | don't
wish the young man to leave. Can't
imagine why yOu should. And now |
| think of it. | do not see why on earth
you fixed him in that back room. The
front chamber in the third story is far
| pleasanter You seem To forget. wife,
that Howard Is my relatiye--vcry dis
tant, to be sure, but near enough To be
! entitled 20 some love and consideration.
| I've not been feeling well for a week
| past. or should have looked more into
4 his comfort BY the by. Annie, think
you treated Howard very strangely this
morning A. our-guest, if nothing more,
! you should at least be polite
/ -Annic'S eyes, and her gloihers, grew
i larger every nl0Hent as they listened,
/ yet scarcely believing ths,ir ears.
/ (" What are you staring at? | woald
/ Hike 10 hitBNs Nj J41Fhol4 hltslt3 lBcAl bHts
| looking from his wife TO Annie. /" do
! suppose. if nv eyes had not opened at
/ last. before twentv-fouF hours you would
| have driven my cousin from the house.
! All the time, during his talking. he
/ had been pulling over the papers. in first
| one pocket and then in another. until
the contents of six were e'nptied on the
! table
.. Lost. as sure IS fate. he said
And when his wife and daughter start
/ ed up to- help in the. search, inquiring if
/ Il was Of much importance, Mr.. Lawson
answered.
"No-oniy business notice. ] sup
pose another will come.
The missing article WAS the veritsble
1 postal card sent by little Nellie the
I evening before. Meeting the letter car
rier, Mr.. Lawson had received, with his
own mail, the card directed to Howard.
Instead of sending it Immediately to
him, Mr.. Lawson retained il, to read
over and over again, and speculate upon
its meaning.
In vain the search was ended
"Perhaps it is just as well. If he
had received it from me, he would have
thought that it had something to do with
my-ah, well. the change inmy feelings.
| In few DAYS be will receive another
from his agents. and in the meantime
/ will manage to let il come gradually"
An hour after. when Mr.. Lawson was
returning to his place of business, he
met Howard. The day was very hot,
and the poor fellow was really suffering.
dressed in his heavy winter clothes.
s. say. Howard" called Mr. Lawson,
YOU had better follow my example, and
| drop into Smiths, and let him put you
into q cooler suit. | was there two
hours ago. Hey. not prepared just
| now? Oh, that makes no difference.
| Use my name it necessary. I want to
have everybody look and feel as cool as
myself. Go right now. will you ?"
Howard could scarcely speak his
thanks for establishment.
" What on earth has come over him
! Well, really. ! was just wondering how
| should manage to raise a more suitable
coat.
To Howard's greater rast0nishment still
when he entered Smiths that little man
came forward with more than usual
courtesy, and when Howard made
| known his want" just a plain cheap
coat Smith laughed quietly, but
! pulled down a very nice and desirable
suit, insisting on his trying the coat on.
And then, when Howard put his hand
in his pocket, only for the purpose of
getting his pencil and memorandum
book, to figure little on it. and about
when it was probable he might pay for
| it, Mr.. Smith said quickly:
"Oh, no matter about tine pay now
any time, six months hence, at your
pleasure. We will always be glad to
serve you.
What has come over everybody
I'd like to know 2" thought Howard.
" | shall begin to wonder, like the old
woman, if this be really l.
When Howard passed out of the
store, Smith drew from his pocket the
postal card, murmuring:
g 1t is lucky for me that Mr.. Lawson
dropped this. I've secured very desir-
able customer But who would have
thought it? Well, this is of no further
account. I'll destroy it"
And so saying, Smith proceeded TO
tear in small pieces the card, and scatter
its fragments to the winds. But its
work was done
Although Howard, the first day, al
most doubted his own identity, he soon
got accustomed TO the wonderful
change.
And how it really came about Howard
could scarcely understand himself; but
so it really was, that before the end of
the week he was engaged to Annie, with
the sanction of both parents. The dear
girl thought her father had only come
to his better senses, and appreciated
Howard's worth, and so was very happy
in the happy change.
There was something, however, TO
mar Howard's perfect bliss. How was
he to get Annie's ring?
He had written to his mother such
! happy, hopeful letter, Immediately after
winning Annie's promise to be his for
his previous letters had been very de-
/ spending, and "mother's heart must be
relieved" he said. She, dear, thought
/ full woman, began to think her darling
ought to have little extra money just
then, particularly as the commencement