The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-09-05

I" dreampt of gold rings and bunch
of white roses on Christmas eve" cried
grannie. 81 knew tho lass would BIO
lucky"
But put my head on grandfather's
shoulder and hid my face. The truth
must come ont
"Wilt have him, and be rich lady~
said grandpa.
And when he had waited for an an
swer, burst out with No." and a sob
together,
"She'sirightened," said grandmamma.
"Nay, we must all wed once in our
lives, my child"
Then grandpa talked TO me. He told
me how poor they had grown, and how
kind the squire was, and | had but to
marry him to make my grandparents
free from debt and poverty their lives
through. II / refused and vexed the
squire, heaven only knew what might
happen;
"She'll never ruin her poor grand
papa sobbed grandmamma
All it was hard to bear-bitter hard;
but now there was no help for it. ! took
the ring from my bosom and laid it in
my palm, and told them that it was
Evan Locke's, and that had plighted
my troth to him. And grandmamma
called me deceitful wench, and grand
father looked as though his heart would
break.
Oil | would have done anything for
them-anything but give up my true
love.
That night I kissed his ring and pray.
ed heaven that he might love me al.
ways. In the morning it was gone, rib.
bon and all, from my neck. | looked
for it high and low but found no signs
of it. And | began to fear tho loss of
the dear ring was sign that would
never marry Evan Locke. The days
passed on and he never came near me.
"Oh, it was cruel in him." thought,
"to hold such anger for hasty word he
had provoked, when / spoke it that he
must know loved him 81"
And grandma would scarcely look at
me Q know why now, and grandpa
sighed and moaned, and talked of the
workhouse. And | thought | should
die of griet among them.
One day grandma said to me, 1T
seems that your sweetheart is not over
fond of you, nor over anxious to see
you"
Why not ?" said |
Where has he been this month
back ?"
Busy, doubtless" said !, with a
smile, though | thought my heart world
burst.
Perhaps you know all about it," said
grandma. " You are going with him,
maybe"
"Where ?" said |.
She went to the kitchen door and
beckoned i'll woman who sat there
Dame Coombs, who had come over with
eggs.
Il heard you rightly" she said
"You told me Evan Locke and his
mother were making ready tor voy'
age"
"They are going to Canada. My son
a carpenter and good one, though
say it--made the doctor box for his
things. The old lady breads the new
country, but she goes for the doctors
sake. There's money to be made there,
they say That's what takes him"
Il told you So" said grandmother.
81 don't believe it," said |.
"They've sold the house and gone to
Liverpool to take ship; and you may
find the truth yourself, ii you choose to
take the trouble" said dame Coombs.
"I'm no chatterbox, to tell talsehoods
about my neighbors " And she went
away in wrath,
And still would not believe it till !
had walked across the moor and lad seen
the shutters fast closed and the door
barred, aud not sign Of life about the
place. Then | gave up hope. | went
home all pale and trembling, and sat
down at'grandmamma's knee.
"And for the sake OF so false lad
you'll see your grandfather ruined, and
break his heart, and leave me that
have nursed you from q babe, a widow"
looked at her as she sobbed, and !
found strength to say:
"Give me to whom you will, then,
since my own love does not want me-"
And then | crept up stairs and sat
down on my bedside, weak as though |
mad tainted. | would have thanked
heaven Tor torgetiulness just then, but ii
wOuldn' come.
The next day Squire Turner WAS in
the parlOr IA my accepted lover. How
pleased he was, and how the coler came
back into grandfather's old face! And
grannie grew SO proud and kind, and all
the house was aglow, and only sad
But / couldn't forget Evan-Evan whom
| had loved so sailing away from me
without word.
suppose they all saw looked sad
The squire talked of my health, ant
would make me ride with him over the
moors for strength.
The old folks said nothing. They kne9
what allied me; only our little Scotch
maid seemed to think there was aught
wrong. Once she said to me-
What all ye, miss Your eye il
dull and your cheek is pale, and you
DitW Siduu iOFcI CduDd Hldhc yc bi1lit
We are na that ill, eithe."
No; I'm well enough" said /.
she looked at me wistfully.
"Gin yed tell me your all, / nigh
tel ye Il cure she said.
But there was no cure for me in thi
world, and l couldn't open my heart t.
simple Jennie, So the days rolled by
aud ! was close on my marriage eve, anc
grannie and Dorothy Plume were bus!
with my wedding robes. / wished it wal
my shroud they were working at, instead
And one night the pain sn my hear
grew too great, and / went out anon,
the purple heather on the moor, anC
there knelt down under the stars aut
prayed to be taken from the world; "fo
how can live without Evanp ] said
! [ spoke the words aloud, and ther
] II