Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1878-01-17
~ WINSTON; NJ G., THURsDAY.3 JANUARY II, 1875

/ Icmust be free agent OF / lisheuld
cut my throat1!"o "oIj D. gei sGl 61e
"Oh, my dear laaaid Aunt Elma.
sand Re's SO riclpis J i0;f'f ~
o 's1lha cage won1d be just as in
tIelsrsble, sFa ! -, aunt, dear, if it was
9fsAnd so nice p J...... .a .i'1't
~ s"sNo one is nice, who would make
a despot of limself. Come, Aunt
Elma, give inc some mullins, and
let's forget this. Grand Mogul who
would cut every Human soul down
to the measure Of his own pattcrn!"
..,i.f :, thought you loved bin, my
diic,ar-;s on bSl' - $50 50 2 ,'-t5.it8
so I do4I uiesap-so / afdt,
corrected Rosalind. "But don't You
see, Aunt. Elma, that we've wiped
ont all that account on our slate, and
we're going to begin again.
The next day Rosalind Shirley
accepted an invitation from an old
schoolmatc to spend month with
her in Devonshire, and by the time
she returned the wheel of Fate had
accomplished new revolution.
''Lost everything !" said Aunt
Elma, lifting up both her white.
wrinkled hands. cat least, every
thing but that farm in Cambridge
shire. And he brought up as if he
owned Alladin's lamp. Isn't it a
blessing, Rosalind, that you broke
the engagement when you did ~
'sThat he broke it, you mcan,"
said Miss Shirley, quietly, s,if it is
Mr.. Alcott you are talking Of"
"Of course it is Mr.. Alcott,'
said Aunt Elina with an injured
air. "Jenkyns & Co., have failed
with all his property in their hands.
Dear, dear, what an uncertain world
this IS, to he sure"
Rosalind went on arranging
flo wcrs in slender necked Bohe>
mlan glass, bnt her hands tremb.ed, 3,
and presently she pushed the glass
away.
ST am only spelling these rose
buds,'' said she. II think I'll go
out into the fresh open air a little. :
1t was dreary March twilight,
with snowfiakes eddying vaguely
through tho air, and a sad voiced
wind signing. All day long Fer
dinand Alcott had been working at
his accounts, trying to-see if some
little could not be secured from The
vanished wealth that had once
been his. But all the long column
of figures answered with The same
story-he must be content with the
portion of the poor man all the
rest of his days.
He pushed back his chair, look
ing sadly into the room. Stop !
A voice Was it his fancy, wan
dering back into what was past
forever, or was it in reality the soft
musical ring of Rosalind Shirley s
accents ? He was not long in sus,
pense, for the next instant a tap
came to the door. and the farmer s
wife presented herself.
Company for Mr.. Alcott," said
she. ga lady"
And Rosalind Shirley, in violet
cashmere and silver-gray iurs
walked into the room with very
red cheeks aud laughing lips that
belied the moisture in her eyes.
"Ferdinand,' she said, "I've
been a yery naughty girl. and I'll
promise never to do so again. -
Dear Ferdinand, only take me
back into your heart, and promise
I'll never waltz again, nor go near
private theatrical p
He smiled but there was rigid
look of pain ali around his lips.
"That is all past, Rosaiind,' >
said he, with a sob in his throat,
Heaven knows how dearly I love
you, sweet heart, but am a beg
gar now and all must be over be,
tween u.s."
"Must it ?" said Rosalind, sitting
down beside his chair 'but l say
it must not be Here I am and
here I intend to stay, so you may
as we'll seEd for a clergyman al
once"
"Rosalind T.
But she cnly answered with
tears and sobs.
"My love My lovel Let me
stay! Don't send me away from
you again !" 's.s@
So it was all arranged and there
was a simple welding from TIE old
farmhouse a. the village church
Remember, love-" said Ferdi-
nand Alcott, as they went back to
the farm, 'syou have cast your lot
with poor man.
"It's my own choice" said Rosa,
lind, saucily. 81 always did make
a point of having my own way, i
| you remember. Mr.. tAIcott yor
shall write books and paint pic
lures, and I'll be housekeeper il
this delightful. old'fashionec
place.
Then it came to pass that sta
vanished ont of the world O