The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-06-30

pocket, and with it band Of black vel
vet to which tiny, plain, gold cross was
attached.
Little did my lady know / cut the
velvet with the curl, and only begged
hair that | might secure the cross. Little
did the lovers curse 'em-know | over.
heard their sugar caudy romance about
the token OF the cross but if George
Woyland don't get this before I'm a week
older, it'll be strange. Trust either Of
'em for an explanation they're too
plaguey proud
Aud Maggie went on with her sewing
for another hour in blissful unconscious.
ness of the loss Of her treasure. After.
ward she and Bessie had game Of
romps before Bessie went finally to bed /;
apd later at half past nine--she aud
brother Ben went down to the last mail
to sec ii there was letter from Geroge.
1t was not until she had retired to her
own room, and stood before her dressing
bureau to arrange her hair for tho night.
that she missed It, aud then she missed it
at the very first glance in the glass.
1t was down stairs, Of course, on the
floor, where it had fallen when she and
Bessie had their game Of fun or, oh
suppose she had lost it on the street on
the way to the post Office 1t was very
probable, very; and when she had crept
softly down stars, lamp in hand, and
thoroughly searched the sitting room in
vain, she knew it was really lost on the
streets. What would George say to her
carelessness ? Aud how could the velvet
have come united? And with little bit
of crying over her loss, Maggie went to
bed and dreamed Of wading deep through
gold crosses.
George Wayland, on his way home
from hard days work, stopped at the
post Office, in the far off Western city for
the long delayed letter from Maggie Car
roll. 1t had been fortnight now since
be had received the last, and worried
sort Of feeling took possession of him at
the delay. Was Maggie i'll ? away from
home-or-Goorgo hated himself for the
ugly thought that more than once fitted
uubdden across his mind-was it possible
that since his short absence, and Ned
MorrisoD's heirship to long disputed es.
tate, that Maggie could have changed her
mind ? Yes, it was barely possible and
that was all, George decided ; and when
the mail at last opened, and the rush at
the boxes was lessened somewhat, and
George actually saw there was one for
him, he felt it was very impossible.
But he shook with surprise apd sick
fear to SEQ Ned Morrison's handwriting.
What was the news in the sealed envel-
ope?
He tore it rudely open, and wrapped
in tissue paper, dropped into his 'remb.
ling hands-Maggio's gold cross
Not word, only this mute signthe
very token he had suggested! How con.
temptuous that blank sheet Of paper
seemed to him. and how unutterably
mockiug did his name, in Ned Morrisop's s
handwriting, appear.
So. net only possible or probable that
Maggie could throw him over, but actual.
ly undeniably the fact that she had done
SO. And he, away out West, with but
one friend-his companion iu labor, Mag
ge's cousin Jim-and stinting to save
money for Maggie. aud working day and
night for Msggie's sake. o, WAS it any
wonder he CRASHED his teeth in rage Of
grief? He ungrily crushed his letter in.
to his pocket, and pushed his cap on his
eyes, aud strodc on, dumb from the blow,
never seeing. never hearing Jim Carroll,
who had got a letter from home, and hav
ing read it,was waiting to deliver ucssag.
es to George.
What can all the man ? thought Jim
wonderingly, and ho started after, and
stepped ON some little hard object as he
put bis foot down. He stopped and picked
up the little gold cross.
Georges lost it of his watch chain, |
suppose.
He put it in his pocket and went on
Intending to overtake Wayland, and give
him his lost trinket But, dint of fast
walking, maybe, George was out of sight
and Jim did not see him that night. And
on the morrow one OF the hands gave him
a pencled note from Wayland.
I've little business to attend to fur
ther down for week or two. KeeT
things going. Back as soon as can
G.. w.
Then, when Jim started on his day.
work, it suddenly occurred to him that
as George would be away probably more
than week he would send his cross hom,
) to Maggie for safe keeping. lie knocked
around so much among the machinery
that it might get broken or lost, and HI
knew George priced It highly. So, anc
the fates ordered it that he had DO tim,
to write line before he went out-h'
thrust it into an evelope lying on George
desk, already directed to Maggie, au'
/, sent it OH its ill.omcned message, all un
e conscious Of the mischief he was brewing
' The long winter had passed away
somehow or other, Maggie Carroll hardl
knew how. 1t was enough for her tha
she had been very wretched and unutter
ably miserable since day, months past
: when witout a word or s;go of warning
' she had received from George Waylan
the cross he swore always to wear for he
d sake.
:, Ned Morrison, too, had seemed delight
/. ed when he learned-how such piiifu
facts do leak out-that it was all owe
), with Maggie and George, and full c
r pomposity and self,importanco over hi
inheritance, had tormentcd Maggie ha
J crazy to accept him.
And now, when even his dull head ha
t, been made to know it was impossible, ,au
1t he had transferred his attentions aud affeC
; tious to Amy Harrow, he was to be maj
!, ried, and George Wayland and Jim Cal
Al roll were coming home on the same nigh
n Now it was suudown, and in an heu
m they would meet, for George was obligo
IA IN $40 Marria's f,.h,- nm lusinesS NJ n