The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-10-26


daughter in the gig beside him. She
was a pretty child, with long curls, and
her eyes were big and brown. She
made pretty picture in her white
dress and bright ribbons, and she came
hold her hands out TO this bov and cry {:
Come here, little boy. Show me
where the -four sifls from
.'For that was what she liked to see
best, the flour sitting through the fine
until the miller sent his boy away to
school. When he came home again
she was n girl of sixteen, prctticr than
cver-and she remembered asking him
to let her see the flour sift, and she
talked to him while her father was at
tending to his business; and the days
when she did not come the boy cared
nothing for, aud the days that brought
her were marked and picked ont as
blessed days.
CATER awhile he got over the shy
ness that kept him from going to sec
her, and went, and she was not displcas-
ed. She was the mistress of the house,
for her mother died young. She used
to make tea for him of Sunday after
Moons; and after tea her father would
put his handkerchief over his head and
fall into nap. Then they used to
whisper together. Long after the poor
boy came 10 be a ghost, he used to re-
member those evenings, when he was
bright-chcckcd young fellow, the son
of n rich miller, and had the hope of
marrying the girl he loved before his
eyes.
"IIe thought the girl loved him as
well as he loved her, and he had no
fears of the future, no thought that
trouble could come to him in any way.
until suddenly ill-luck overlook his
father. The good old man failed
The mill was sold. There was nothing
but anxiety at home. AT last, worse
camc-his father died soon after his
mother. lie was very sad. lie was
poor also; but he had hope, for he was
beloved by one he loved.
zone day he went to her for comfort.
He remembered the day ever after.
The low-built, old-fashioncd house, the
great oaks, the flower garden, the girl
in her white dress and blue ribbons
who came to greet him. lie was full
of life still, but that night, when he
turned away from the house, he was u
ghost-thc miserable ghost of his old
self, for he no longer had any faith in
love.
"Standing before him, pale and sad,
and with tears in her eyes, it is true.
he had heard her who made the world
bright for him, say:
"'lt is my fathers will that we should
part. Icannot disobcy my only parent.
''Thcn she had told him that She low
ed him as well as ever, but he did not
believe her. lie thought his poverty
had turned her heart from him; that
she never had felt tenderly towards
him; and he left her in anger. bclcv-
ing all that had been said and written
about the falsehood of women. Yes,
he was turned into ghost
''IIc might have known she was as
unhappy as he was" said Miss Carney,
from behind her handkerchief; "but
what can n girl do when her father
threatens to curse her, and she the only
child he has? Only nothing could
make her marry anybody else. Moth
ing. That she could do at least
''But the poor ghost did not know
that said the old man. 'It wandered
away broken hearted. 1t found its
way to sea first, and then into battle.
For years il was wrctchcd ghost
greatly to be piticd, and only wishing
to die; but at last it grew content
though never happy, and worked in 4
great city at Il trade it had until il
made II fortune. All the same, il was
a miserable old batchclor ghost. and
never found II mate; and used TO say
often and often, over and over again
to itself, that women were all false
and that the woman he loved had beer
utterly false TO him. lie supposed her
married to some one else, and all thi.
time he grew older and older, and long
years lay between him and the happy
time when he was boy"
'Long, long years." sighed Miss Car
ncy, "Long, long years.
"But one day." proceeded the ole
gentleman, "onc day there came to him
out of the past an old, familiar face, and
amidst the whirl of the great city This
ghost talked to il of the green lanes
and ripping streams of the spot where
he was born. and asked of the house
under the oaks, and the girl who dwell
there once-the girl who had been, n,
he thought, false to him.
"And this old friend told him some
thing that made him feel suddenly tha
he might come TO life again.
''She never married. she said
was woman. 'Shc lives in the oil,
house now. Other men loved her, bu
she never loved any man but you. w,
all know that
"And then the ghost said TO himself
Forty years of life lost and wen
down to the green country place {,
haunt his old love, and hear her say sh
was sorry TO see him."
''Oh, dear!" sighed the little old lad,
in brown. GLOW could she help il
All her beauty gone, all her youth
what could she feel but sorry. and ius
a ghost hcrsclf?"
She arose and turned away. III,
arose and followed her. lie put hi
arm about her waist.
"Priscy," he said, ''you are the onl
woman | ever loved. Is not that some
thing for man 10 say, when il is n
true as gospelF
eyes" said she, "and almost be
licyc you, for-for I've never cared TO
any one else either"
"Then, why not do our best TO b.
happy now, PriscyY he said. "Wh,
not marry each other, and be livin,
people again, not two poor old ghosts?
"Well, because folks would call Il
F two old FOOLS" said she.
"Well, let them," said he.
every well,' said she; II don't care.
Then the old gentleman in gray kiss
ed the old lady in brown, and said
'|What day shall we set. my dcar?"-
IN. Y. Ledger.