The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-07-13


who never knew or cared for him, devised
q method by which Il part at least should
be the reward of affectionate gratitude" !"
She explained to him then her theory of
the maps, and her instructive construction
Of one particular map which she had
studied at the very last reading in the old
mill
Leonard Manstield's cheek flushed as he
listened. At the close he said, "Your
reasoning is sufficiently plausible to de-
serve to be tested, and so it shall be But
first promise me one thing: promise me
that ifthis miracle OF intuition proves true,
you will be my wife tomorrow. My dar-
ling, you shall not say No." He prevent
ed her, indeed in a lover-like way from
saying any thing. And silence is yes to
love.
The last day Of August the whole village
of Red Cedar Pond was thrown into tor
ment of excited curiosity.
The excitement began i'll one of the
twin houses OF the Meeting house Hill"
at five O'Clock in the morning. Miss Tab
itha Butts stood in her night dress peep
ing through the blinds of Il dormer- Win
dow. She never could tell, as she declared
afterward, what made her peep
She saw the back door of Dick Sea-
mans open, and Louisa Thatcher look
mysteriously out Then she saw Tim. the
miller's boy, creep stealthily around the
porch with pickaxe and a spade, which
he gave to Miss Thatcher, who disappear
ed with them into the house. Then Tim.
stealing back again as tar as the lilac
bushes, and cautiousl Y surveying ali APP
proches, put his hand over his mouth and
gave low whistle. Immediately from The
horse shed by the church man came
very quickly. and, noddng to Tim as he
passed, FASTENED to the high-road Miss
Tabitha was sure, although his cap was
drawn over his face, that this man was
the young stranger to the village who had
been so infatuated with Miss Thatcher.
Then Miss Thatcher came to the door
again and beckoned to Tim, and whis-
pered and he went, around by way of
the church. down the plum orchard 10 the
mill.
a pckaxe and a spade Miss Tabtha
had cold shiyers; she could think of moth
ing but a grave When, two hours after
ward, the coast being clear, she sped
across the garden patch to the "meetn'-
house she'd" her fancy lost none of its
horrors, for there, in the northeast corner,
was a space of fresh-turned mould
Miss Iabitha went home. put on her
sunbonnet, and was "down to the village
in no time"
The next excitement was at the somno-
lent dwelling of old Squire Wells. Mr.
Mansfield had been closeted with him an
hour And when the squire re-appeared
he nearly upset his ancient wife in the
hallway in his haste to get his hat and
coat, and choked till he was scarlet
screaming into her wrong ear that he was
going to u s'on bizuiss,n Off he went
at such Il novel pace that the poor danes
feeble faculties aroused themselves to con-
centrate upon one fatal remembrance ::
"When an old horse that has alters walked
takes to runnin' away, there's no ind o
damage"
Excitement third was sealed letter,
dropped by Mr.. Seaman's Ezri into the
post-otlice at ten o'clock, the hour of gen
eral delivery. directed to the trustees of
the district school, which body, beng in
quorum on the spot opened 1T once the
resignation of Miss Thatcher in favor of
the highly recommended candidate for the
winter term, to whom they had kindly
8lNcu Hcl lHt preference.
Excitement fourth attacked ilaNenhaircu
Nettie's mOthcr,a pleasant-taced little wild
oW, whom lin, who had ridden to u
and back again at break meek speed
brought Il note from the Congregational
minister of u, saying he would sup
with her that evening, IF agreeable" ," as
he was coming to Red Cedar Pond "iu
virtue of his Office, a sentence underlined
like q pleasantly, that SO upset the good
widows brain as to spoil the count OF her
one-two-threc-tour cake.
Last Of all, and the grand excitement Of
the day, was the ringing, at four O'Clock
in the afternoon, of the meeting house
bell .Who il dead ?" every one asked, as
the first few slow strokes were counted !;
but once fairly set going, the old bell trip
ped up ail calculations; fifty, eighty, a
hundred; still on; quickly, jubilantly-
ringing not for the dead, but for the Ily-
ing ringing for a wedding!
Such :; scamperlng as there was up the
Mill-bridge Road There was no lack Of
witnesses to the simple, solemn service,
and Of the coming down the aisle, on the
arm of her proud young husband, Of a del
icate little bride, with mourning laid aside
for purest white. and day-lilies on her
bosom.
Not married in haste to repent at leisure
We're the two loving people who took the
evening train at l. for Il tar CONNER
ciaI city, preceded by their good fortune
ish douboons and English bank notes in
geniously bequeathed by an eccentric mis-
anthrope, and discovered in its hiding
place by 4 woman's wit, kindled by a
woman's sympathy.
In one Of the happiest of homes, set
apart upon Il low embroidery ylraped ped
estal that looks at first glance like a pre-
dieu. lies, yellow with age, the long-neg-
lected diary.
Not in vain had the once homeless OF
phan suffered. Not in vain at one dark
moment Of her lite she accepted as hers
the song that can never more belong to,,he
mo one to love, none to caless.'
THarper's Weekly
A character died in New York the other
day who, in many respects, rcsembled our
own philosophic Haller 1t was "AxHan-
die Smith," and he died at Bellevue Hos
pital poor, Of course The Tribune, speak
ing of Mr. Smith, says that he was too
positive and dogmatic to make friends,
and too scrupulously honest to make mon
ey There was nothing he would not in
his liberality give away except the oppor-
tunlty fer an argument. lie was never
known to decline a discussion or to be
convinced. His great natural ability was
unframed, and it was the love of disputa-
ton, not the search for truth, which gave
him great power. in q rude way, rs a
street-corner, workshop logcian. He was
famous in his time along the docks and
in the ship-yards of the city He earned
his living by making handles for AIDES,
and it is recorded in his honor that he
would not take adequate pay for his work.
His love for argument often led him to
abandon work, and tor hours follow a dis
putant about the streets. He was a hot
advocate Of temperance, and while al
ways a religious man. he was Baptist.
I'nivprcali lief and Matho1iSt nv firms and