Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-02-16

immediately made up her NINA ina
it was a ''trick.'
She crept softly toward 1t and rea(
the inscription-"Miss Belinda Bel
lows" - and retired to her pillow
again.
"What fiat trick !" she said tc
herself, "Why, Bell will guess at once
unless she forgets that it is the lst o
April. Mas tricks are always st
smart, its queer she should do such
foolish thing
Then thought struck her. Sh'
crept tiptoe out of the room and dow
stairs to the parlor, where Bridget wa
making the fire, taking the letter will
her.
"Biddy," she said, in a whisper
"come upstairs and awaken my sister
and tell her Mr.. Soltheart brough
this this morning. Tell it as if it wa'
the truth, remember, and there's shil
ling for YOU
And Angelina tiptoed with barefoot
sottness back to bed. But Behind;
was awake this time.
She's going to try to fool me,
know" said she to herself, with he
eyes shut and in Il very cross mood
and awaited the denonement with any
thing but her usual good nature
Biddy, meanwhile, had recognized
the letter.
"It's u lucky one for me- she said
to herself. "a crown over night an(
. shilling in the morning" And up
stairs she stumped and knocked at
Belindas door.
"Misther Softheart bade me give
YOU this, MISS she said.
"I'll teach you to tell stories" sale
Belinda. "You know Miss Angelins
gave it to YOU
Biddy was confounded.
ale gave 1t to me last night, miss,
as true as hope to so to heaven,
she said.
Last night !" said Angelina, witt
a warning glance, suppoSlng Blddy to
have forgotten her lesson.
Il name this morning." said Biddy,
taking the hint
"Give me the letter" SAID Belinda
then, snatching it, she tore IL dellb-
erately into four pieces and thre"
them on the tloor. "Do you suppose
l mean to he called an April fool ?
she sobbed "You might have more
con-sid-eration- for - my - feel
ings, when he's tritled So" And
went off into Mysteries.
Mamma rushed in. Biddy scream
ed 'murther.' Sal volatile was ap
piled, and, in the confusion, no eXpla
nation was made. Biddy swept th'
room and put the letter in the dust
pan. And MIR. Soitheart watched al
day for the posln,an and watched il
vain.
That afternoon Mr.. Spooney calle(
to inquire after Miss Belinda's health
and found her well enough TO wall
out with him and Angelina and heI
mamma began to compare notes
Then, and not until then, the letter be
gan to be a mystery, and Biddy being
sent for explained that, to the best o
her belief, Mr.. Sottheart gave it to he
to put in Miss Belinda's room th'
night before. Then, in dlsmay th'
ladies rummaged the dust-bin, and, af
ter an hours search, reappeared IN thu
parlor with dusty tresses and soile(
hands and nine little pieces of paper
These, deftly pieced together, made
whole note, which, being perused, re
vealed proposition.
Belinda returned rather late with ;
very conscious look upon her face, anC
stared in astonishment at the dusty
objects, who met her with excitemen
on their countenances. 1t was a goo(
while before the truth could be eX
tracted from the interjections anc
calculations with which she was greet
ed but when, at last, it was made
manifest, Belinda listened like one il
trance She had indeed been made
an April fool of: Mr. Softheart ha'
really proposed. The mansion ha(
been offered to her, the bank stock
and all that made the bachelor an eli
gible match and she that very even
ing had accepted Spooney, for whom
she cared very little, and who haC
only tl50 year to live upon.
1t was not complimentary to he1
bethrothed, but she went into he
second fit of Mysteries at once.
AS for Mr.. Softheart, he never pro