The Newtown bee., 1879-12-24
slight, graceful figure, then turned away
with long sigh.

Meantime Ethel had hurried to her
home, substantial house just outside
the village, where she knew that the
weary routine of work awaited her.
Far back in her childhood she re-
membered her fair young mother, who
had died when she was but tiny girl;
but for many years past the place of
that gentle creature had been taken by
stepmother, whose rule over poor
Ethel had been hard one from the
first.
So long as her father lived, Ethel had
some comfort in her life. He was
gentle and scholarly man, the principal
of the village school, and had instruct
ed her in branches of learning beyond
what the school routine gave, and in his
study she could always find rest and
refreshment, comfort and sympathy.
Three years ago he, too, had died,
and as with him the chief means of sup.
port had vanished, Mrs. Clinton had
been forced to take boarders as means
of subsistence for the family, and Ethel
had found herself just as she was enter
ing womanhood condemned to life OF
perpetual drudgery.
OF course there was Jack Browning.
Ethel knew that he loved her; but then
he was only a student himself, and now
that he bad acquired his education as
civil engineer, had been waiting weary
months for situation,
AS she drew near the house now, she
was confronted by the tall and angular
form of her stepmother, who angrily
ordered Her to her work.
A year passed away, and all this was
changed. For, during this year the
fairy prince had come-the fairy prince
that could take Ethel from all this
drudgery to life of ease and luxury.
1t had all turned cut as poor Jack had
| foretold. Mr.. Livingston had come to
the cottage to board, and had spent
months there in the elaborate prepare
ton of some laborious book he was
| about to publish, and in these months,
Ethel, whose appointed duty it was to
wait upon the wealthy boarder, had
been thrown into such daily intercourse
with him as had strangely fascinated
this cold and somewhat reserved man.
He had soon discovered that Ethel
had o bright and we'll cultivated intel
lect, and in her companionship he had
found a charm unknown to this mo-
ment,
His attention had speedily become the
theme of village gossip, and matters
stood thus between them when one mild
autumn evening, as she was walking out
with Mr.. Livingston. they met Jack
Browning.
As he saw the two approaching, a
sudden pallor overspread the young
mans face, and Ethel, too, grew white
as she returned his formal saiutation.-
The conversation she had been main
tanning so glibly died on her lips, and
she was glad with great sense OF re-
lief when they reached her home.
A terrible restlessness pervaded her
she would not linger on the piazza with
Mr.. Livingston, but turning away from
the house again, strolled down the
road. Only few steps and then zach
was beside her, coming upon her swift
ly out of the twilight, with pale
troubled face.
"Ethell" he cried, putting out hi
hand, and stopping her IN her Walk
ssWhat is this hear? Are you going
to marry Mr.. Livingston2"
"What right have you to asks" Ethe
demanded, drawing back a pace, bu
trembling as she faced him.
"The right of my lovep' he cried
passionately; s'the right of my own Ions
hope that you would be my wifel--
Ethel, answer me. Are you going T.
marry this manp"
'If he asks me, yes" she replied
with sudden effort.
ooh, EthelI' Jack groaned, Sand d
you love himp"
She shrank away again, and the
burst out impetuously:
''Jaek, you torture me with such cues
l l. - t,svr hint
, think he will ask me to be his wife, an
J / shall marry him. know you thin
me heartless wretch, and l am; but
Jack, have been so horribly poorl AM
1 hate poverty sol Then despise me
/ you will?"
"Despise your" Jack repeated, mourn
fully. "Ah, Ethel, / love you too muc
IA for that"
"And now CO." she said, almos
, fercely. 81 must not see you an
, mere. I-I-can not bear It'll
A few days after this, Jack had gon
away to seek for work, his mother sale
: and the days had como on and on, unit
Mr.. Livingston, at last, had offered b
Q hand and his fortune to the villag
girl.
o Ethel had accepted them, as she ha
said she would, and her life from thu
moment had been changed.
Q Her lover had lavished upon he
!. beautiful gifts, had insisted that stor
/ hired girl should be hired to do tt
a work that had been SO hard for her; an
: Mrs. Clinton, foreseeing the double az
!. vantage of being rid OF her stepdaugl
q ter's support and of winning wealth
J, son-in.law, had acquiesced in every
thing.
!. And then, as the winter days cam
It Mr.. Livingston had gone away to Ne
York to prepare q home for his brid
the wedding being fixed to take place G
q Christmas Day.
vi Weeks of leisure had followed-loni
Q dull weeks--which, it seemed to Ethe
o were the dreariest she had ever know
"a and now Christmas Eve had come agail
and her lover was to arrive that evenin
j, A terrible restlessness had possess
\ her all day; she had wandered about Il
u house until her etepmother had Crit
Q, out in vexation:
ssYou are as troublesome as a ghoi
ID Ethel, and you look as white as one.
at What is the matter with your"
i'd She turned away al this and went I
le to her own room, and sat down in q b
chair before the fire, trying to think.
ne On her finger glittered the splend
- engagement ring; on the table lay
o, books and the jewels the man, she "
az To marry had given to her: on the b