The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-02-15

and then to please her and since Sibyl
couldn't get the district school any longer,
cause woman didn't know enough to
teach in the fall, she went out to sewing,
for she had to help herself in those days;
and one day jacks mother sent for her
TO make q gown at the Hall, and she liked
that SO we'll she he'd her to make another
for Mrs. Rhett was master.hand at
gowns. 1t was getting on into November
the trees had turned to flames and burned
themselves away, apd the barberries we're
ripe and red, and Mrs. Rhett had Sibyl
up there to make her silk perlisse, and
they got talking about Thanksgiving beg.
gars, for Thanksgiving had been appoint.
ed.
~ always give 'em something" said
Mrs. Rhett, "whoever they are. A pic
won't hurt any body. Miss Henshaw al.
ways turns 'em away empty.handod, for
you never can tell, says she, whether it's
one Of the neighbor's gurls or a needy
creature; but tell her the neighbors
gurls couldn't deceive me, nor any gurl
that ever was born"
"Oh, Mrs. Rhett," laughed Sibyl, IL
mean to send somebody mere, and SEQ it
you find out who she is.'
$50 do" says Mrs. Rhett; land if l
don't find out, I'll give you as handsome
q wedding gown as gurl need tc put on
her back, when you want one"
Though it was not partick!er pleasant
on Thankgiving.eve, but he'd showed, and
threatened to snow more, and not star
was out, yet parcel Of US hare Drained
gurls got together, and thought it rare
sport to dress up in all the old duds we
could raise and go out begging, and some
of US was fust.rate at imposing on kindly
spinsters, who hedn't nobody but cat to
care for. And then somebody said, Lets
60 and get Sibyl,"
It was some time afore we could per-
suade her to join US, for she want none
of the fooling kind but finally she got
herself up SO you'd died a.laughing. She
blacked her eyebrows With burnt cork. and
clapped on false front Of inky curls her
aunt Libby wore on Sundays, which she
combed out in tag locks, and covered her
head with an old moth.eaten woolen hood,
and put on torn shawl over linsey
gown and a calico apron, and made q
mole out Of putty on the side of her nose,
and altogether you'd never hev guessed
it was Sibyl to your dying day. Her own
ma didn't know her when she went into
the kitchen, but slammed the door in her
face.
II mean to go up to Mrs. Rhetts,"
said Sibyl; for she'd got into the spirit of
it by the time we was in the road. 81
want to see if she'll know me. She thinks
nobody can deceive her," So we separat-
cd and this was what happened, though
/ never heerd the particulars till years
after. You see, she rung the bell at the
Hall, and the men showed her into o
room where fre was burning low on the
hearth and while be went to call the
mistress, Mrs. Rhett she set there wait.
ing by the dim fre.light and watching the
shadders, for the servant hedn't thought
it worth while to light lamp for beg.
gar girl. And presently the door opened,
and in strobe Jack himself, a-whistling Of
"The girl l left behind me-" He hedn't
wrote Sibyl he was coming home for
Thanksgiving; and jest as she was about to
cry out for joy, forgetting all her rags,
somebody in the next room rustled for.
ward, all shining In silk and lace,a puts
her two arms round his neck, and says,
"Dear Jack, I've been watching for you
all day; why didn't you come earlier p
And the two didn't see nobody but each
other in the dim light, but Sibyl sees them
both-sees Jack with his arms about his
cousin Bertha sees him kiss the hand up.
on which he slips shining ring, and
hears him call her his own sweetheart, and
swear that he loves her with all his heart.
And Sibyl sits stunned and bewildered
like a minute after the two lovers hev
gone up the staircase, a.listeniug to the
echo Of their happiness, and then she
creeps out like stricken creature, and
when Mrs. Rhett comes down to see the
Thanksgiving beggar. the place is all dark
e"a ~~PtJ, aua .nN a. I"s I~Ins as"-
to red coal, and it is showing fast out.
side. The way Of it was, poor Sibyl
dragged herself along without seeing the
way she went, without feeling the snow iu
her face, and then she dropped down Of q
sudding on her poor face. and the snow
kept falling, falling, and covering her as
the robins covered the babes in the wood
with leaves and ther'd been no Sibyl
Jones by morning il it hedn't happened
that Matt Morris he'd bin to market, and
fairly stumbled over beggar.woman, as
he thought, lying at one side of the road
be having got off his OK cart to warm his
feet a.walking; and Devor onst guessing
it was Sibyl, he lifted her into the cart
and wrapped the robes about her, and
hurried home for dear life.
"Here's Thanksgiving beggar for you
mother" say he; "where's your campfire
bottle 7"
why, it's Sibyl I" says Mrs. Morris,
when they come 10 put her to bed. RuI
for the doctor" But she was clean oul
Of her head with fever or some " hat ,anl
the doctor wouldn't hear TO her beipj
moved home. And so, you see, wha
with Matt's goodness and Jacks cruelty
It came about that from being Thanks
giving beggar she became Thanksgiving
bride-only that happened matter 0
; ave years lster.-Harper's Bazar.
nsx.>Inc E,.u,%s-. Dox,c.t,