The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-08-03

tlon. l was charmed. Certainly thii
girl seemed determined 10 please me
she did her work In q faultless, nea
way; she amused and played with tn,
twins; and baby had more quiet night!
than had known her to have for weeks
SO, after months trial I began to sins
Alice's praises and allowed her full con
troll in her department, with a goot
many privileges. Virginia, alone, die
not like her. Virginia had O curiou,
way of looking at new faccs.-a search.
ing, penetrating glance, that always
uiougnt nad sort of mesmerism in 1t
all the stranger becaused her eyes were
go gentle and soft. Alice never met thu
look fairly, as | remembered afterward
1t was in the spring of '65. The clos
ing scenes Of the war were crowdins
thick and fast upon each other. Vir
ginia kept 10 her room q good deal
The warm April weather seemed to en-
ervate her, and she shrank away from
the JOY and enthusiasm we all exhibited
Poor child 1t was hard for her tc
hear OF the soldiers and sailors who
would be coming home now, and to fee
that for her sore heart peace would
bring no balm.
One night Frank had tokon @ hoy n,
the Italian opera in New York W.
lived in Brooklyn. and. as KeIIogo wa.
to sing, begged Virginia to 90 with
us. But she steadily declined. She
would stay at home and keep house
she said. Now, two of my servants
were at fireman's ball that night, leav.
Ing only Alice and the cook at home SC
must say felt rather more easy about
tne children when l found Virginia
would not go. Going from New York
70 brooklyn at night, however, is long
Journey, and 1t was close upon one
O'Clock when we drove up to our door
IN the meantime, Virginia, after our
departure, had sat for some time writ
ing letters In her own room. The twins
were having a noisy romp in the nur-
sery; and, when she looked in to say
GOOD night, Fred fastened himself upon
her neck and begged to como and stay
with auntie; she yielded, aud then Fred
pegan building card houses OH the sofa
until ne got tired, when he curled him.
self IN the corner, and in two seconds
was fast asleep. Being very much in
terested In her books, Virginia let the
little fellow sleep OH, thinking that by.
and-by she would take him up to her
room and put him to bed there, as she
frequently did. At last she fell asleep
herself.
She never knew how long she silent
but had painful nightmare sensation
as If somebody was irving to smother
her, and after struggling with the feel.
ing for some time, She SLOWLY. and with
great effort, opened her ewes. Whv I
what has happened to the room room2 "T Tbe
gas must have gone out--it was totallv
dark, save q flickerino olesm from the
dying fire ON the hearth. and what y
sickening, deadly smell thoro roe . >
With lightning rapiditv which IL maro mors
like instinct than thought, it suddenly
flashed upon her what the strange smell
her frightened breath. and sank bsck
into her chair, low sound of voices
from the dininp-room rescbed Ser or
The door between the room was o;ar
and she saw thread of lipht from NJ,
the voice she heard was a mans:
aye didn't give tho yorn.r ;o,ao .o
much o. that stuff. did vo2, II ostod
rather anxiously. w. " "'"0"'
"I wish / had" returned A,;ce,0 lou,
and stealthy voice: T hatc bcrI 81" sho
suspects me-" ' ''e' '''o
"Ha! ha!'' o,urolcd tho man ..eho
must ha' been inirhtv onc;v;I 10 va ,,o
usually gets on t6e riobt ado oS S ,on,' 10 70
that 'ere pitcher silver or nioto ., 10
"Plate-the silver Is nm 5to;rs- - W.,
ginia shook as She besrd ,bo Yoron, ~
that low voice. s.Sbe waa Mr. Iar0-
ley's lady love until her old nr,nd,no md
stopped It,"
land what WAC Mfr. Iano,av ,o ro,,
nv girl?" said the man e'' " !'"'
"Hush! you'll wake the child snd T
do not want to do him anv harm Mr.
Langley''-here the woman,s voice ooft. of
ened-Hpever said a dozen words to mo
In all his life; but look you Vincent an T 7
fairly worshipped him,
"That's ripht-teII ,ne s)l--oo Tn, ,,o,,r
husband that is to be.D said the o,bar Ia,
with a coarse lauph. '"e o'i''
"Mrs. Kent has snlend;d iewe,s too
l lust picked the Iock m IooL a, 80
You can take as many of thnso az ~ '"vm'
like. Comet ''0'0 ~ W"
AS soon as tho sound of ,h.;r Coo.
steps died away. Virginia snatcSod % iVI. ~
deadly handkerchief of her head and
SldR4creQ 10 her feet. fhOuQh di11sI,,
She was a very spirited girl. and deter.
mined that the pair sbou7d no, 1 escano @vS
But what could she do? II wos ~pu, vain 70
think of getting the cook to alarm oh tho;u H.
neighbors at the corner. for tho the nart ne .lHm 10,
was vacant. and she must cross tbe ho,i
and 90 past the stairs 70 find her '"T Thnro m~,,
would be no use IN throw;no m the
window and screaming-the honse was @
on Clinton Avenns nnito ror "ouso o',s was was
the policeman on tbe % heat Ala M uo,' uo, anu anu
past very often. '"' VI" 'o' oo'iie
Virginia wrnno her bands uho, .
sleepy murmur Of HAunt;s -, stas.i.S %nuI :
her. In a second her raSo,ne % ,,as s.ariieu .aIie
and she was on her knees hv Fraa %aS 'afen a;sa
ING him and whisner;n@ IL u' Aiss'
Erred, nv darling. xnntie m 'i is eao; ao;nr -
do sone,h;ys Sg' Auntie is going 10
how pa Jumped YOU down 't1s from tSs
balcony on Christmas Ssv ~n 10 rrn rrvhi oaas sne
the monkey? am coing ~ ;nnn run a,.er ,.a.,
down now Don;t s,oaIh Ih ~ yu'1P you