Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-03-13
aMisfellanu.
Fnther,s and ChIIdren,s Wills.
A., TALE ON BREAKING AND MENDIN,


nosterous but fashionable idea that, be-
cause they were friends, their son ana
Janghter. then infants in their cradles,
must love each other when they grew 10
Il Iva man and woman Consequently, each
s. made will, and matters were SO arran g.
4 al that if either of the young people de-
clined the hand of the Other that
# vounu person would he penniless and his
M or her estate 60 to the other young person
81 who was willing. After some years, the
n gentleman whose child was daughter
left England for America, while the other
a remained in England, SO that the ocean
q rolled between the romantic friends.
The English resident was named Ed
4 muud Harrington. The American Charles
n Seabright Both were rich' and both
broucht their children up carefully. AS
a thev grew older they permitted them to
& correspond with each other, but each de-
tested the task so, that the letters were
actually written by the elders themselves.
4 Once at the age of fourteen, when news
was received that Harold Harrington had
n fallen from tree and broke his leg, Elsie
Seabrght was desired to reply that she felt
great regret, and send her best love and
x wishes for his speedy recovery; but the
name with anything like patience refused
d to write one word of this amiable epistle.
" | wish he had broken his neck, so that |
~ might never hear any more about him, she
4 said with a stamp of her slippered foot {;
4 and l won't write fibs.
n So again mamma wrote the letter, hav-
ing first locked Elsie up in dark pantry
81 by way of punishment.
81 And am sorry to find child of mine
x SO unfeeling. she said. A broken leg
y causes great pain and may make one lame
Z for life.
"a A nice thing for me that would be if
n am to marry him, said Elsie.
N Indeed, if she had been as sympathetic
ms her mother desired her to be, Elsie
G. would have had opportunity enough to
81 exercise these feelings, for her young be-
N trothed was always in some pickle, and
had nearly drowned and shot himself n
q dozen times, to say nothing of ordinary
M tumbles.
~ It was tit for tat, Mt all events, for when
# Elsie had the measles, Master Harold re
"A ceived the news with contemptuous indif-
sN ference amounting to heartlessness, and had
" indeed said that he did not care. He
"a hated girls, and this one worst OF them
n all.
IA So, with the ocean between them, the
q Young people grew to maturity and the
4 year approached in which they were to
meet.
But meanwhile all sorts of things hap
a pened. Elsie lost both her father and heI
mother, and away in England Mr.. Ear.
q rington died suddenly of apoplexy. Sc
n the two men who had looked forward fol
n so many years to meeting when their chill
q dren were married, never met again. Bnt
81 for those obstinate wills the whole matter
"a would have been dropped, for the las
thing the young people desired was tc
n meet each other. But the young man was
"A of age, and the young lady also. and the
~ property must be settled, and could not un
NJ til the match was either on or off The ole
81 LAWYERS, in whose hands the affair rested
# knew the feelings of the wards, but they
judged that n meeting might mend mat
NJ ters. At least it was necessary that they
81 should meet. So Harold, as in duty bound
"A was to cross the ocean TO meet his betroth
a ed and give her i'm opportunity to refuse
him.
The news of his arrival brought into ful
activity those feelings of repugnance tha
Elsie had conceived for Harold in he
childhood. Yet there was enough of world
ly wisdom in her head to teach her how
much better it was to be rich than to b
Door. If he refused her, her fortune an,
his would be her own by law. She woulC
force him to refuse her, and then sh
Il would return him his, and all would b.
N as it should. But how could she do this !?
The girl sat for u while in deep revery
and then arose and clapped her hand
together. a thought had entered he
mind There was in the house a seam
stress-a vulgar girl. rs plain rs it wa
possible to be, and with as much concei
rs any young beauty was ever blessed
with. Her rough manners and ways 0
speech had become proverbial amongst he
own class, the other servants spoke of he
generally as Crusty Betsy. And this Cir
had of late been occupied in the room o
her mistress over some new dresses
Straight 10 this department Elsie flew, ant
locking the door, sat down opposite Betsy
and said:
have something for you to do, and II
pay you well for it.
Just name it then. said Betsy.
When | was little girl, Betsy. sale
Elsie, poor papa promised that | shoulc
marry IL young gentleman who lives il
England when | was grown, and that if
did not should lose my fortune. Nov
the time has come and he is coming, and
can't marry him, Betsy. and | want hin
to refuse. Do you understand
understand, said Betsy, and if l wer,
you I'd huff him off quick enough, ant
make him glad to 60.
And can think how to do it Betsy
said Elsie, and if you can you must do i
for me, While he stays you must pretent
that you are Miss Seabright, you mus
wear my clothes and take all the airs yol
possibly can, and make him us unhappy a
possible, so that he will have to refuse vol
that is, me, you know, Be sharp us yol
can with him Betsy, never the least bi
of nice. You'll try, won't you, Betsyp
| can give any one as good as they sent
Miss, said Betsy I'm no mealy mouth
and you will pay me well, Miss.
Il give you IL hundred dollars, Betsy
said the girl, for you II save my freedom
and my fortune, and you will not refus,
him. you know, else all would be spoilt.
III manage, said Betsy.
Then the two girls left all other work t,
examine EIsie's wardrobe, and soon Betsy
WAS dressed in the most elegant attire
her hair powdered as was the custom, an,
with white gloves on her hands.
And l., said Elsie, will be Your poo
companion, and you must call me Mis-
Smith, and snub me and order me about.
Thus all was arranged when the lltl
note Elsie had been expecting so long ar
rived and baeakng its blue seal, she reat
that Mr.. Harrington would pay his re
spects to Miss Seabright in AN hour. How
Hiss Scabright laughed rs she waited il
the drawing-roOm watching Betsy sail NJ
aud town with all the new assumption o
dignity. Betsy, with the most amiabl,
intentions, would have been sure of offend
in@; but Betsy, bent on being unpleasant
would be grand success.
Just then Betsy herself leaned from tho
window.
Oh Miss! She ,ried there Il carriage
at the door, aud there's gentleman com
in out of il. Bless Us! if that's him
cont wonder you want to be off youI
match. Deary me! OH deary mel
Bu' before she could explain II servant
had brought El,ie card bearing the name
OF Harold Harrington and as she arose,