Connecticut western news., 1878-05-09

! nm. MISS dltty was one 10 stand by her guns where there was will there was a way, and she followed the only way she knew. If MT. Searle, fumbling about for the reasons of Hitty's conduct toward himself, had at length stumbled upon the clew-having an intimate knowledge of her fathers will already and if he had not been quite heroic enough to forgive her for preferring Toms welfare to his own, he must have found grim satisfaction, in the turn that Fate had ordered, in seeing the Thorne property shrinking day by day, till there was hardly enough to butter thelr bread till 1t was plain that Hitty's sacrifice had been for naught. But when did ever sacrifice prove futile? Though it fail of it's direct purpose, does it not en- rich the soul not only of the one who sacrifices, but of all beholders
 It was near twilight of an autumn day that Miss Hitty put on her worn bonnet and went slowly, with a certain re- luctance, up the hill toward the Searle mansion; she pulled the brazen knocker timidly, and stepped into the house that gar. The dead Searles looked down l from the walls of the oaken hall with cold questionings in their pursuing eyes j; in the great drawing-room the wood fire snapped with good will, and glinted gayly upon bronze and ormolu, upon the quaint mirrors set in garnets, upon the yellow ivory keys of the old piano. Anson Searle rose to receive his guest with flush of surprise.
 els it-you-Hitty ?" he exclaimed. '" You :"
 "Yes. You did not expect me ?''
 "Expect you No. Have I had rea- son to expect you?"
 "We sometimes expect without req son. have come-expecting you to grant me favor"
 A favor?"
 "Yes. It strikes you oddly that I should be brought to beg favor of you, does it not? But there is no other friend upon whom can make even so shadowy claim as upon you. Do you think l would ask any thing of one whom have served so-so ill-if were not in ex- tremity ?''
 "l hope you will ask any thing of me, Miss Hitty--any thing you want.''
 "I have become mercenary, MT. Searle. want money. Libby and have made up our minds to mortgage the place; ve must hare .fve Mousand dollors without delay the place is not worth so much, know, but IT thought perhaps you would take it for security, as far as it would go; and then-Libby and are not too old to work, to earn money and there's Tom and we would all strive to make it up to you, sooner or later, in- terest and principal. I am dreadfuny unbusinesslike, perhaps; but what can I do? And must have the money. I can't live-I can't die-without it. Do I make it clear?"
 "You make it clear that the Thorne fortune has all leaked away. I am glad of it. Pardon, but hold a grudge against that same property it has cheated me out of twenty years of happiness. Yes, Miss Hitty, you shall have the money. I have plenty; 1 am rich in every thing but the one thing coveted. But can not take the mortgage; you shall have the money and welcome, but I can't ac- cept mortgage on the old place, Miss Hitty it is too sacred to me. Think of mortgaging the old apple-tree where we swung in the hammock together, of bring ing the garden where we dreamed in the summer evenings into business trans action But all the same you shall have the money, Miss Hitty-"
 "But, oh you know I can not take the money unless-unless-" "Unless you take the owner with it :? Was that what you meant to say? I'm sure it wasn't; but, for Heavens sake, say it, Hitty. Don't you know 1 vowed never to ask you to marry me twice ? Do you want me to break my word. eh |? Now it is your turn to do the asking"
 should think had asked enough, :" said Hitty, the great tears standing in her eyes. "You are not in earnest, An son Searle. You don't want to marry me, an old maid like me See how faded and gray I am.''
 "And if swear do want to marry you, what will you say?"
 "I shall say, then, Why don't you do so, Mr. Searle D. She smiled through her tears. "What will Libby say when she hears that I've asked you to marry me ?"
 "She will say you have done your duty like man p
 "Well, Mss Hitty Tnorne always had an eye to the main chance,' said her neighbors. ''She tilted Searle when he was poor, and now he is rich, she marries him. What fool a woman can make of 8 sensible man-only it usually takes a young one !i'-Bazor.
 Why He Never Wore a Collar.