St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-11-05
Lomdon, Sept, lN15.
The Lost Wager.

The trunks We're all packed and cord
ed, and the carpet bags were piled up
III the corner of the c.Ipacious old fash
ioncd hall.
How melancholy they looked. those
cmhlenIS of parlings and adicuN. Not
even the merry laughter of the tw" ur
three Young girls, who gathered around
a.stalwaIt. handsome Young fellow of
about twenty-five, could entirely ban
i>h am impalpahlc something of sadness
from the scene. Cousin Jack w;s going
AWAY, the general mischief maker. tor
mcnt and tease of the whole family .
and Mr. Chester. sitting hN the distant
window. wiped his >pectaclc> every five
minutes. and declared. prtt!>hlN that
the type of the evening paper WAS Il
terrible trial to old eyes.
AYE. You may laugh. girls" said
Jack, apply ing himself vigorously tu
the refractory lock OF IL purtmantrau.
''PcIlap> Nou may one day discover
that it isn't such Il llughin" matter.
| Think OF the loss the family is going tu
sustain in my cNccllcncN."
But you'll come back soon. Jack
dear. coaNcd Minnie Chester. the prct
tic>t and most r"gui>h of all his cousins
and the one wlIo kept up Il perfect iii,
of practical jokes and giIli>h tricks at
his expense.
There she sat on the biggest trunk ot
the collection. her brown curlS hanging
about her face, and her eyes spark lin.
with Il curious mixture of fun and
| tears.
I'm not at all certain of that, Mis-,
! Minnie" said Jack, drcisi\cly IF
succeed III finding Il location to suit III,
| | shall prohahlN decide to settle per
mamcntIy at Th"rnNillc, and turn land
ed proprietor on my own account.
"Only imagine our Jack IL gentleman
of property ~ laughed Minnie. appeal
ing to her sisters.
Il don't see anything So very ridicu-
lous in the idea. remarked the Young
man, rather piqucd ut the amusement
of his relatives. AT all events thcrc'>
one incalculahle advantage that vii
result from my departure.
"And what is that, Mr.. Oracle p
The fact that you have played your
last freak on me, Nou tormcnting litIl,
mink ="
''Don't hc 81 certain of that. Cousin
Jack =" said Minnie. shaking her curl>
w Ildl VIII wa NfHluIt 'itIl lNSl'N
IL parting trick on you Vet All.
haven't settled with You yet for Sevcra
little pieces of ImpeItimencc but
pray YOU, don't imagine they are for
gotten, sir ).
"My diamond sleeve buttons to you
coral necklace that you don't impoS
on me within the next three months.
.Girls," rctorlcd Minnie, ''you al
hear the wager, don't youP | alway
GOV cted Jacks diamonds"
but you won't have them. mademOi
sellc. How dark it is getting in thi
cavrrnous old hall. uncle Chester; ali,
by the way, have you written the lette
of introduction to Mr.. Thorne p
.'All in good time, my boy-all il
good time" said the old gentleman
depositing his huge, silverbowed spec
tacleS in their case. "Iou Young mel
are all in such hurry. Tell Betsc,
to carry light into the library, girls
And, Minnie, where is my gold pen?
wont be very long about it, and the
we will have il long evening to gossl
ovel Jacks prospects,"
While Mr.. Chester sat in his coy
red-curtained library, revising the let
ter which he had been writing to hi
old friend, Jabcz Thorne of Thorneville
To the effect that his nephew, John La
cy, was in search of I'M eligible piece a
land, and wished to settle down in tha
vicinity. and requested Mr.. Thorne'
aid and cooperation in the selection q
the same, Minnie opened the door.
! Papa. there is some one down stair
, who wishes To see you Immediately fn
one minute"
VERY annoying" said the old gen
: tleman, 'JuSt as | was finishing th;'
L letter of Jacks. However, can Sc;
:. it atterward. Minnie, suppose yo
glance over it, and dot the is and eros
> the is; I'm not so much of Il penna
: as | used to he"
t And old Mr.. Chester pushed back tll
h chair and rose flom the antique table
:, to attend the claims of his urgel
guest.
: Olive Chester was brushing out til
+ heavy braids of her luXuriant hair bt
u fore the dressing mirror of her ow
=. apartment two hours later, when Mil
ME ran in, with Il countenance con
ically divided between dismay and d,
II light.
y ..My dear Minnie, what has hal