The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-12-18

8 coQaeltsb slIk apront ana The bhl
slipper resting ou o flower ia the hearth
rug
Periodical glaHees al the cloak tolt
Eana-t that It was halt-pasl eight tber
that it was nine, lie formed the sccont
resolve Of the day, aud began to talA
shout bis travels. he gave a long auJ
intensely prosy account Of bis life ia
Paris, using all the French he couid thiuI
o. Mr. Wentworth had never travelled
bur eviuced polite attention. Earnest
with uunagging zeal, went on with Ger
many and Italy.
His host nodded with waning interest
Earnest was about 10 attempt Russia
+ when a suore delighted his ears.
The Young lady nervously resumed hel
corn-poppiug, vainly trying to hide Q
smile.
The fire was dying down. Earnest
FASTENED to assist her, seized the tong'
and raised heavy log; as be raised il 9
brand fell out upon the hearth and broke
in pieces sending a shower Of fiery spark,
over The pretty tigurc on the cricket
Each uttered ii suppressed exclamation,
Miss Wentworth shook her hands hastily
and Earnest shook the little apron and
much berutlled skirt. lie shook 1t SC
/ vigorously that letter dropped out OF
the pocbet and lay before bin, addres:
upward; bat he did not heed the letter
for somehow he had mistaken the young
lady hand tor her apron, and still held
/ il, though the sparks were only black
specks. He was in the midst OF an inco.
hereut but earnest speech, saying some
thing about wanting to protect her from
/ all the troubles of life as he had pro.
tected her from those flying sparks
when the letter caught his eye. Miss
Ella Wentworth, D, Massachusetts
in Dayid's handwriting, unmistakably.
That one glance showed him that it was
a drop letter, and stamped September
%.
Earnest hesitated so uoticably in the
middle of his speech that his listener
glanced up at him in surprise, ,and caught
his glance at the letter. She picked it up
hastily, with a rosy bash, and an excla-
nation that caused the old gentleman 5
eyes TO open wide.
Ahem! believe, be observed, with
the extra dignity sleepy persons often
assume, that lost what you were last
saying-abont the Swiss patois, wasn't
Ii?
Poor Earnest! 1t was hard work to
sit and hear the history of the old gentle
mans last speculation, after that; and
many pleading glances were cast toward
the flushed, downcast face opposite of
him.
At last, at eleven, he rose hopelessly to
go. lie fingered and fingered, continu-
ously finding last words to say, till the
utter futility Of delay discouraged him
into seeking the door. But here the old
gentleman, suddenly radient with new
thought, detained him.
Dear me why, Nell, | had almost
forgotten what we spoke Of at dinner.
Mr. WeIch, we want you and your friend
Whipple at Christmas time, you know.
You must give us few days. Nell here
is going to be married about that time,
and you must both come to the wedding,
without fail, dare say, he added, struck
by the blankness of Earnesl's face, that
you've never happened to hear Of it be-
fore. Well, well-good news is always
welcome, isn't it? Now | shall depend
on you for a week at Christmas, and
don't forget to invite your friend. Good
bye, and good luck to you, my boy And
the hearty good-wisher followed him out
upon the doorstep to give him last
hand-shahe.
a half hour after, as David was pacing
bis chamber, feyerishIy, his door opened
and dreuched aud muddy figure pre-
scented himself, aud remarked, historical
ly, rs lac dropped soaked cloak on the
floor:
Well. old fellow, we've come out even
again Neither of rs won The race ,neith-
cr won the wager, and neither has won
the lady.
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