The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-03-23

its hiding place, if, in the spirit of prac-
tical joking which those young gentle
men often indulged in, they had secreted
it; but questions, complaints, threats,
were all in vain; the turquois was
gone.
Something over week had passed
away, and Edward Montague, in order
to redeem his promise to his cousin, had
run up to town, and was returning in
the late evening, carrying i'll his breast
pocket O small velvet case, inside of
which reposed lovely turquois ring,
having on it Helen's initial in tiny dia-
monds. 1t was such q lovely ring that
the salesman had smiled and given Ed
ward knowing look, ss if to intimate
that he knew it was intended as an en-
gagement ring; and Edward, smiling t }
himself as he walked up the garden
path round by the summer house and
toward the side door, half determined
to ask his cousin, as he slipped it on her
fiuger, to wear it there in token of q
promise to give him not only that fip-
ger, but her whole hand and heart. As
he passed by the summer house the
sound of smothered weeping from with
in smote painfully on his ear. Gould it
be Heleni He rushed in, and nearly
stumbled over a little black bundle of
something that crouched on the floor,
with his head bent over its arms, crying
and sobbiDg in a perfect tempest of
tears.
Edward nearly fell, and did, in fact,
stumble, so that he caught the crouching
bundle of black, and as he steadied him
self he also picked it up and set it on its
feet. And then, with the moonlight
shining on its little flushed, tear-wet
face, and its luxuriant brown hair all
hanging about it's shoulders, it proved
to be little Hattie Thorpe.
Miss Thorpe! Why, I'm so sorry |!
Is any thing the matterp" Edward
asked, gently, fearing some misfortune
to the girl, or that she had lost some
relative for he was not aware that the
little governess was fatherless and moth
erless, and without blood relation in
the wide world.
Hattie's tears and sobs redoubled
she placed her two hands before her
titude of shame and despair.
"Do tell me what is the trouble" he
said, kindly.
"Oh, Mr.. Edward," sobbed the poor
child, chow can say it Miss Helen
thinks have stolen her turquois ring. Z"
Impossible |" exclaimed Edward,
shocked.
"Oh, yes, sir. Thank you, sir. IT
is impossible, but she thinks so."
"Helen can't think anything SO cruel.
I'm sure you must be mistaken"
I'm not mistaken, sir. She said SO,
plain, two or three times-that l stole
her ring because you gave it to her, Mr..
Edward, and that would like to steal
you too"
Edward laughed, but warm blush
stole over his cheek. The silence be-
came trife awkward, and too break it
he said
"That's worse nonsense than the
other. You wouldn't steal me either,
would you!"
II wouldn't steal anything, Mr.. Ed
ward, of course and besides"-
"I'm not worth stealing" Edward
interrupted.
You are worth anything" cried lit
tie Hattie, with unnecessary fervor.
"But still you wouldn't steal me, !"
said Edward, laughing.
81 couldn't, you know" aud the
large innocent eyes were raised appeal
ingly.
"I'm not so sure of that" thought
Edward, unconsciously pressing the
soft little hands he still held between
his own. He bent over her in gentle,
protecting way, and whispered
"You are dear little thing, and I'm
sure you could do nothing in the world
but what is good and sweet like your
self" And then, what with the moon
light, which made the girl more child
like than ever, and the wet eyelashes
and pretty quivering mouth that
trembled like baby's, and the two
faces being so close together, Edward
kissed little Hattie, and bade her not
cry any more, and he would see her put
right in every way.
Hattie wasn't angry. He was Just
like nice big brother; but she thrilled
and trembled under his kiss, and she
dreamed all night of fair young prince
with beautiful torquois ring, and he
could find no finger that fitted it till he
tried it on hers-just like Cinderella and
the little glass slipper. Edward was as
good as his word, and spoke to Helen
very seriously about the accusation she
had made against Miss Thorpe; but that
didn't mend matters, for Helen really
believed that Hattie had stolen the ring,
and was very indignant with her cousin
for asserting the contrary. A lovers
quarrel was the result, and Edward
kept the new ring in his pocket, and de-
layed the important question he had in
tended to put when presenting it.
Miss Langley had a scene with NAM
ma, and insisted that the little chit of a
governess, with her make-believe child
like ways, and her deceit and hypocrisy,
should be turned out of doors; but
mamma chose to take time to think
about that-she knew she had treasure,
and she wasn't going to throw it away
for the sake of mere suspicion, posi-
bly, unfounded. Besides, she had con-
scientious scruples about discharging
Miss Thorpe without character, and
perhaps running her prospects in life.
Mrs. Langley very soon saw that
Helen was right, and that Edward was
quite too much interested in the little
governess; and Hattie received her dis
charge on the following day, being per-
mitted to finish her week, to allow her
the opportunity of finding another roof
to shelter her poor, homeless head.
But we all know the fate of "vaulting
ambition" and even the cleverest nam
mas do at times o'erleap discretion, and
suffer in a similar way; and it happened
SO on this occasion. If, as Mrs. Langley
and Helen declared, Hattie was playing
deep game, these ladies threw her a
trump card and played it for her. Ed,
ward found the little governess crying