Middletown transcript., 1877-10-27

Carrie closed her fingers over th'
gold in her hand, and glanced towarC
the blue silk with swelling heart.
Seeing her hesitation, the clerk came
around and took the child by tht
shoulder.
go out" he said roughly, "and
don't let me catch you in here again
Don't heed her, miss" he added, clos
ing the door; cts all lies they tell
Shall wrap the silk up ?"
For an instant self was predominant
She must have the blue silk +; she must
go to the ball and dance with Fred
but in little while something noblel
got the supremacy.
NO." she replied, resolutely, "not
now. l must look after that poor child
first"
Half an hour later poor woman
wept tears Of gratitude and joy over
her dying husband in the cherries
garret she called her home; and Car
rie went back to the old farmhouse
with step slow and sober enough.
"Well, pet" said her father, fondly,
II s'pose you've got the blue silk at
last ?"
No, papa, mop faltered Carrie,
with a gush of tears that she tried in
vain to repress, "I-I gave the money
away to poor little girl"
x x y x +
It was Christmas day. The snow
lay white and crisp on the chain of
hills that shut in the old New Eng
land farmhouse, and the sun, just
dropping out of sight, tinged their
SUBMITS with soft glow, and gave the
strip of wintry sky beyond a rosy
warmth, so suggestive of summer tWi-
light, that one forgot the keen winds
and biting frost, and fancied the notes
of the cuckoo in the wood and the
breath of violets in the air.
But carrie was not indulging in any
such reveries as she stood on the front
steps hearing the sIeighs glide by, with
their merry peal of bells, bearing a
freight of happy girls to the ball.
"Ohl did want to go SO badly"
she murmured, "but I can't wear my
faded merino. All the girls will be
there, dressed so nice, and so happy.
Oh, dear! oh dear!" and little sob
choked her, and the tears brimmed
over and stained her pretty cheeks
just as another sleigh dashed up, and
Mr.. Cameron jumped out and ran up
the steps.
"Why, Carried" he called out, "not
dressed yet? l thought you would be
all ready. Come, hurry, it is getting
late"
"I-Pm not going" she faltered.
"NOt going CarrieH Why, you said
you would on Sunday"
II know but I've changed my
mind. I can't CO."
'Pshaw! this is nonsense. Go and
get ready; it's no use to pretend that.
His tone irritated her, and she re-
'lied sharply:
"I'm not pretending anything, Mr..
cameron. I'm not going, and you
leedn't wait"
"All right won't. Some one else
Till go, ! dare say" and he sprang
nto his sleigh and drove of:
Poor Carrie! This was the cruelest
low of all. She could not bear it any
'nger, so she ran into the old kitchen
nd laid her head down on her fathers
Id leather-cushioned chair for a good,
hildish cry. /
The old clock ticked on the mantle $
lelf; her father and mother dozed I
YER the "keeping-room fire. Christ I
las night was going by. Carrie cried I
Il her head ached thinking of the gay s
arty and how triumphant Lu looked Q
lncing with Fred /; but another u
lought-that of the poverty-stricken n
mily she had saved from the streets I
brought such a delightful memory
her weary mind that she soon fell .
to deep slumber. 1C
A soft touch on her brow awakened n
r just as she was dreaming of the a
II and the blue silk and starting Z
she saw loving face bending over
r, as
"Oh, FredT she exclaimed, scramb- hc
g to her feet; chow you frightened th
)! What's the matterf What have" ca
Nothing, Carrie; only I've come to en-
md my Christmas night with you, as
you'll let me-" al