The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-05
Eme's Dollar Bill.
"Stella is it you P

"Stella is 1t your
1t was bitter cold night, the full moon
shining with freezing light over cold ex-
panse of glittering snow, the branches of
the glen tinkling and cracking under their
weight of icicles, the stars glistening afar
off. had to run across the beaten path
that led from the house to the barn, to get
some of the red Baldwin apples that were
packed so snugly in the oat bin, for old Mr..
Cornell had come to spend the evening,
and my mother took pride in her unpre-
tending hospitality. But just as stopped
to lift the lid of the bin, rustling noise in
the hay startled me. Before could utter
low cry that trembled on my lips, | saw
that it was Stella Severn.
Stella Severn, Mr.. Lockwood's "bound
girl" wild, reckless thing, who received
bad name at every ones hand, and con-
trived, somehow, to get blamed for every
scrape that was going. Whether Stella
was really bad or not, no one could tell
but somehow she was perpetually under
the ban. Mrs. Lockwood, stiff, rigid
dame, of the Puritanic type, knew no more
how to manage Stella Severn, than the
matronly hen comprehends the rowing ma
ture of the wilful duckling that takes to
water in spite of everythiug-and for some
recent escapade, the full details of which
did not know, / had been forbidden by
my mother even to speak to Stella.
eyes, it is l." said Stella, slowly rear
ing herself out of the recesses of the hay,
eyes. "And am oh-so cold"
"What are you doing here?' asked,
holding up my lantern in sore perplexty.
81 am trying to Sleep" said Stella. 81
have run away"
"Run away! What for?"
"Because l couldn't stand it any longer.
Mrs. Lockwood accused me of being a
thef-she had lost some miserable old tea
spoon or other-and / won't be called a
theft"
"But, Stella" cried, my conservative
nature thrilling with vague terror at the
mere idea of such bold measures as these,
"what are you going to dor"
"The Lord only knows" Stell answered,
with more reckless truth than reverence.
"Perhaps mother would let you sleep in
our spare room," 1 said.
"Perhaps she Wouldn't scornfully re-
torted Stella. ''No decent person let's me
in!"
~ mean to ask her."
"Ask, then, and get scolding for your
pains T. laughed Stella, bitterly.
"But it's SO cruelty cold, and mother
wouldn't shut out even dog in such wealth
er as this.
You mean kindly, Effie Heartt, but you'll
find out the folly of it."
l made no answer, but ran as fast could
back to the house, where, breathless and
painting, preferred my request
"a thief! A runaway! In my house %
cried my mother.
"a lazy, good-for- nothing, who would
rather lie in the sunshine than work, any
time" echoed Deacon Cornell.
$50 and warn her off the premises i'm
medately," said my mother.
81 dunno but I'd ought to go for the con-
STABLE" obviously remarked the deacon,
feeling his stubby beard.
skunk away disheartened. Stella's
prophecy had been correct. But was de.
termined not TO desert my old PLAYMATE
thus. Creeping up to my room, took q
solitary dollar-bill, treasured toward new
blue sash for spring muslin, and wrote Il
short note to Hubert Leslie, the young ar.
fist, who had boarded with us the lnmmer
previous, asking him to befiend the friend
less. ! believed he would do as much as
that for my sake, and then hurrying once
more to the barn, l crept up to Stella's
side.
Otcliu, oaiu ~ fOu huo' 81 away ii'h
here"
81 thought so, responded Stella, calmly
'But here is dollar-all the money
have got. 1t will take you to New York
If you walk fast and reach the depot in
time for the midnight express And here
is note to gentleman who may, perhaps
help you to find something to do.
Stella threw her arms about my neck
and could feel her tears wet and warm
upon my cheek"
"Efiie Heartt," sobbed she, "if all the
world was like you, perhaps l shouldn't be
as bad as ! am. Yet III do my best. Give
me the money and let me CO."
! watched her dark form plodding away
over the snow until the black speck van.
ished under the wall of trees that lined the
road, and then came back into the house
where my mother and the deacon were dis.
cussing their cider and apples.
elias she gone ?" asked the former.
eyes, she has gone," | answered.
Il am glad of that said my mother
'I've no faith in that Stella Severn. She
might have had good home with Mrs
Lockwood, if only she had behaved her
self"
And II was not until some time afterwarC