The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-12-30


this small sum, and Grace left the es-
tablishment a sadder and wiser girl,
with exactly ninety-six cents in her
pocket-book.
They might have lunched OH home
made apple-pie and cheese at grandpa's,
but Grace, conscious of her own deficien-
cies in purse and polish, was all the
more jealous of her social duties, and so
insisted on the "bite" and ordered it at
random-things she had heard were good,
mere trifles, easily demolished, but dear
enough to her.
The upshot was that George must go
without his present, and she had actually
promised him one. Although she would
not have spoken of it openly, she knew
that he had understood her.
Not 50 much as pincushion or book
mark could she find for him. Nothing,
absolutely nothing, could be had for less
than dollar.
The Christmas Eve was a grand gala
time. and there was fun and frolic and
uprorious laughter that would have pro-
duced headache and iault-fnding any
other day Of the year, until the hand of
the tall clock pointed warningly TO
midnight; but through it all Grace was
troubled with an uneasy sensation, for
her unful6lled promise haunted her.
Something had come between George
and his country cousin, The old folks
were sure that Adelaide was Georges
favorite, and Grace, though she carried
herself bravely, was very wretched.
1t could not be that George would re-
sent her neglect of him. That would be
unlike him, indeed but certainly the
GOODNESS dated from Christmas morning,
when he, diseh,boweling monstrosity of
white sock, had stopped short in the
midst of his hilarious fun, and walked
out of the room with face as red as a
pippin.
From that moment grandfather's de-
light over his backgammon board and
Frankie's over his velocipede were alike
Indifferent to her; so were the milder
praises bestowed upon her Maltt sc crosses
in bead-work and carved bristol-board
book-marks. So were her own treasures,
not excepting the blue and gold Tenny-
son of Georges own bestowal.
Not a word did he have for her all that
miserable holiday-time, but whispered
and danced and walked with Adelaide
instead. Only when they were parting
he drew himself up stiffly and said:
=" forgot to thank you for your little
present, Grace-a quite unnecessary one,
however"
Sarcastic !" thought Grace; but she
puzzled over the words all the way home.
Unnecessary Could it be that George
had received something he supposed to
be fiom her? A forged letter, "a
Grace suddenly remembered little
conversation at the breakfast table the
day before Christmas, and how Adelaide
had blushed after her suggestion, and
then it rushed upon her that Frankie's
red mitten had been lost on Christmas
Day.
She saw it all. Who had profted by
their quarrel7 Who had angled fol
Georges attentions? Who had been sc
cold and distant as soon as she secured
her triumph?
Grace thought that she could have for
given all this treachery better if Adelaide
had really liked Gorge; but it wa!
plain she did not. L. was mere vanity
on her part, and this last meanest, shah
biest trick was beyond forgiveness.
She was angry with George for sus
pecting her, as he evidently did; yet h,
was not to blame, dear fellow! If sh'
had only known what was going oil
sooner! She thought of a hundred
things she could have said to make al
right, but now the time was past. Wha
a sweet happiness Adelaide had destroyed
| Co. ;lIa d,r{of;nn
Grace meditated day and night how t
end the quarrel-how to restore tn
! friendship that had been broken. Blu
what was she to do in her country home
: George, thinking she had insulted him
would not come near her. And, if sh
Z wrote, what could she say? There ha
I been no promise between them, and,
be chose TO transfer his affections TO AIDE
laide, she really had no right to interfere
If she betrayed her knowledge of wha
, had happened, he would have doubl
reason to suspect her. If he really ha
E ceased to love her. she was too proud
= seem to wish him back. Altogether
i was great dilemma and intolerable.
u $50 the year passed, and Grace gre
!, cynical and morose. She was sure of
: hundred disagreeable things-sure ths
u if she were an heiress like Adelaid
: George would not have taken her offens
q for granted so readily-sure that col
!, stancy was thing of past romance-sul
Is that female friendship had no existenc
George and Adelaide were much t
e gether, she learned through other cousin
L and when December came again, Deith
n of them had been near her, nor write
J. even a line. The poor girl longed
7, refuse grandpapa's invitation; but pri'
le prevailed, and perhaps wish to S
= George again.
ID 1t was just as she had anticipate
D, Those two together, always togetht
Of distant to her, and friendly with ca
ID other; and nursing her pride and wrat
le Grace almost forgot Georges real at
tude in the affair, and wished herself
Id home sincerely.
's, Accident had thrown the two girls
ed gether in a room where the childr
y. were playing, when pertinent questi
ck arose among the greup-a question tt
On made Grace and Adelaide each lock
g, from an unsocial book, which had be
Ia used merely to cover the awkwardness
the situation.
re "Do you know what Cousin Geo.
ly. found in his stocking last Christmas
asked frankie, in high glee.
nd "What~ cried chorus of little voic
ng GA red mitten," piped frankie.
es, Adelaide's face turned crimson, q
to Grace caught her guilty eyes as she b
ried from the room, dragging the lii
y" boy by the hand.
4ir,. Grace hurried out herself, to hide
of tears, and once alone in the great e
chair in the library, all the pent
for trouble of the past year burst forth, !
nd she fell to sobbing bitterly.
hy- 1t was of no use now, for George
entirely weaned from her; but she fel
l| her duty to free herself from the vile
Ity, picion which had been fastened upon
To have offered George the mite
when she wouldn't for the world b
hid had him know that she understood
aid delicate attentionsl 1t was very, '
of dreadful! 1t was tragic, for did not