Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-08-14
THE BROKEN SHILLING.

+, was rather cool September even.
:rr I remember, we had lire lighted
i ~ the back parlor. Mr.. Smith was
L ~ package Of letters; Mrs. Smith
io1ad in a corner of the sofa, lulled to
u ,sst I suppose, by the ceaseless thrum.
ZINC of Miss Lizzie on the piano. In
.ll corner by herself, with single lamp
hsside her, Betsy Lake sat sewing
Know that answer to the anti-eupho.
Nous name of Betsy. l was christened
Elizabeth, and up to the time Of my
.oming to live with the Smiths I had
boon called Lizzie Lake. But Mrs.
smith said lit was inconvenient having
two of the same name in the family
and she would have me called Betsy, OF
"Batsy." to give her smooth, drawing
nronunciation. did not like the change.
The name seemed old-fashioned, home
", and quite unsuited to my IA years.
However, custom had rendered the un-
graceful appelation familiar, and now,
after the lapse of six years, l have al
most ceased to remember and regret
the name given me at my christening.
Here is line from Graham" said
Mrs. Smith, Stating that he is coming
to H en- business, and that he in
tends to stop few days with us"
This announcement caused sensa-
ton in our quiet family party. Mrs.
Smith suddenly sat bolt upright, look
ing wide awake. Miss Lizzie left the
piano and ran to look over her fathers
shoulder at the letter.
Even Betsy Lake was guilty of q lit
tie start of surprise, whereby her needle
glanced from the cambria and pene-
trated the forefnger of her left hand.
For three successive seasons the
Smiths had met with Weld Graham and
his mother at Saratoga. The acquaint-
ance thus commenced had ripened into
intimacy, and for some months the two
families had correspondent.
An animated discussion followed the
reading of the letter, the debated point
being whether party should be got up
on the Graham's account. Of course l
had neither interest nor voice in the
question. But 1 had my own busy
thoughts for company, and they led
me back TO certain pleasant reminis-
cences in my somewhat clouded exper-
fence of life. In my 18th summer my
dear father had left me, motherless
child, in charge of friend, while he
went south, in the vain hope that a
change of climate would restore his
failing health.
Weld Graham was then a lad of 16,
preparing for college, and boarder in
the family with myself. Every Incl
dent of that bright and brief summer
was chronicled in my memory; our
manifold quarrels and reconciliations,
the garden where we made some aston
lshing experiments in horticulture, the
swing put up for my especial pleasure,
and our exercise in drawing in which 1
was tutor. Weld my pupil. have de-
clded talent for drawing. l say it with
pride, because it is my one, sole gift
When child l delighted in sketching
5cancatures, and at the instigation Of
Weld Graham l executed numberless
rough but graphic sketches of individu-
ais whom We both knew and who pos
sessed peculiarities Of physiognomy up
on which my pencil could seize and en-
large. Some of these sketches had
been claimed by Weld Graham for
keepsakes and a few of them 1 still re-
tanned.
IN the whole l was glad that Weld
uraham was coming. | remembered
nlm as spirited, active and ambitious
Iad, and l wished to know in what de-
gree his manhood fulfilled the promise
Of his youth.
would he recognize me? thought
not. The staid young woman who did
pam sewing and made herself general
y Useful In MIR. Smiths family was quite
Sulllerent person from the light heart
el Lizzie Lake whom he had known.
Nor did / wish to be recognized. Fate
tau gwen me full measure of harsh
experience. No sparing hand meted to
Le my share Of the worlds rough usage.
II N childhood paternal love planted roses
Y N my path. but they wilted long ago.
NoV fresh leaf or blossom remained
J 4iGfns only for my bleeding feet: but
G!u not faint by the wayside. Resolute-
= 1--WE Went on my allotted pilgrimage,
t %%oEiln q neither to the right hand nor to
. HIe lett: Yet if l Glanced to encounter
S,I whom D! had known in more hope
t ta! 'nnes l instipctively covered my
G lace E saying. 1--WE go on life's journey
W. -: Inverse ways, therefore I know YOU
no' thus it was that l wished for no
r ryIoosnltion on the part of my old
SS"slelIow. To see him, to know that
was v was prosperous, happy, and distin-
1 5Gi.iShed, would give me pleasure; but
"'Sned not to be known in return.
Nr luz morning some three days after
c1oo. uraham came, | was engaged in
,vr!tear-starching Miss Lizzie's myslins,
wen .'p Mrs, Smith came to the door.
,b;a nelsy, you will have to leave those
b ar' she said, "and carry Mr.. Ora