Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-09-12

of boys heart. Caroline was aware
of the hidden sentiment, and imposed
upon the homage egregiously.
Joe having satisfied himself that the
coast was clear, received the basket
which Caroline dropped from her win
dow with a cord. The basket contained
a ee-eornered note.
} "DEAR JoE-It's perfectly shameful
I that I'm locked up. should starve if
it were not for you. All / did was
to go up in the cupola last night with
Charlie Evans to see his Gagged eagle
Poor thing, it pines. And it was so nice
up there, we staid an hour. Mamma
was awfully angry. So was Ben, for
was engaged two dances with him, and
missed both. Oh, Joe, you ought to
have been there it was very pOky in
you not to come late, as you promised.
Tell Nan to send minced veil if she
has any-I think she must-and plenty
of bread and butter (and some brown
sugar to spread), and some pickles, and
a, piece of cold chicken, and anything
else that is nice. CBRoLINE."
A quick, sharp flush crossed Joe's face
as he read this note, not in disgust, as
one might imagine, at the mundane ap-
petite of his fair goddess, but at the one
sentence of the note not marked emphati-
cally with underline: "Up in the
cupola last night with Charlie Evans"
Joe smothered his jealous pang, bribed
Nan the cook literally, and sent the
basket up to Caroline so heavily loaded
that one ounce more would have broken
the cord.
Mamma, from a recess of the library
window caught glimpse of this trans
action, but by the time she reached the
third story, unlocked the door, and con-
fronted her prisoner, basket and contents
had alike vanished. Caroline's lips were
extremely red, but otherwise there was
no sign that anything had been de-
voured. She sat in the window-space
breaking bread into crumbs; flock of
wood birds lowered around her.
:" | cannot eat dry bread, mamma" !"
she said; g but my birds do; they seem
to love it,"
Carrie, Carrie, what girl you are!"
said mamma. She meant to be re.
proachful, but her voice was not stern !;
she was viewing her daughter in one of
those winning traits that offset her
holden ways. Caroline, often unkind TO
people, to animals was always kind.
Every dumb beast at Deersield loved
her, from the Alderney COW, whose
affectionate face she stroked every morn
ing, to the last little golden-down
chicken of tie white hens brood. She
had broken to saddle more than one
spirited colt, and her pack of pet dogs
numbered many Of formidable breed
one Il bloodhound.
The rosy-cheeked, bright-eyed Carrie
| q antt W Al, nc clio ~
the sunlight feeding the birds, which,
answering her call, sped from the grove,
and alighted fearlessly on her head, her
hands and her shoulders. Mammals for
giveness was won by thu. picture.
As years passed on, the three pretty
schoolgirls became winning and won
young ladies. Belle married first, then
Jane, anti now Caroline was engaged to
be married to Charlie Evans, in spite of
the remonstrance of many of her friends,
who knew the young man to be as un-
principled in morals as he was handsome
in person.
Willful Caroline answered, to all re-
monstrance: 81 have loved him all my
life; l like him; and l have promised to
be his wife"
On the day this engagement was an
nounced, Joe sailed from America to
study in Italy his art.
There had been stormy scene the
night before. When Caroline deliber-
ately told Joe that her hand was irrevoc-
ably promised to his long dreaded rival,
Joe's anguish was something too COM
plete to be hidden; its intensity and force
shocked Caroline. She knew not what
to say to this faithful lover of years tc
alleviate his pain. She boldly sprang tc
the defensive, and then to an aggressive
course. She sharply, almost coarsely
reproved him for having lavished Lis
heart upon one who could not by any
possibility return his affection.
They parted more in anger than il
sorrow. Such was Carolines caprice
and Joe, renouncing all hopes of happi
ness, tried to draw consolation from the
sole reelection: ~ have my art
One August night, q month before thu
time fixed for Caroline's marriage,
: message was brought to her from TIN
village that lay in the beautiful valley a
the foot of the rolling uplands of Deels
field. Close under the gateways ther
lived young woman who had been fo
sion," and who, gathering together al
her earnings, established herself with he
aged mother in the modest cottage whicl
she hoped to call home ior a happy life
; time. But ceaseless toll with the needl
: told upon her strength, and she had .fal
len victim to consumption. Her day
were nearly numbered, and she had sen
} the message to her "dear Miss Caroline
~ h. oI n1 1xrya yC hoa,, CO ind,,lroc4 =
$ please to come soon as possible to re
ceive dying woman's request.
l Caroline, although the hour was late
said, 81 will go at once" AS was he
Y independent way, she started forth o.
r. her errand unattended, and bidding he
mother goodnight" added, "Do no
be alarmed if remain until daybreak
r The moon was full and the Angus
e night was almost as light as day. Blu
e day never casts such tender entrancin
t glances upon its busy world as the shin
}. ing night gives to its spell-bound king
4 dom.
f Caroline's pathway lay along u tel
n race bordering a grove of locust trees O
r great height, and so foliaged that til
: arches of their branches opened PEI
a spective that seemed, this enchante
s night, more like temple than grove
If Beyond this grove lay the adjoinin
>, country-seat where dwelt Charlie Evans
l. and as Caroline went slowly along I'll
e path her gaze penetrated the recesses
e the great trees, as if to rest upon SOM
e thing dear beyond.
II Below the terrace lay the fair map
a widely-spreading landscape; but Car,
O. line had no thought for this scene an
>, did not even glance at it until 81
j. reached the gate. Then she entered
is village lane and the dreamy look val
p, ished from her face as she considert
her errand.
na The house she entered was cottape