The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-02-14
THE STOLEN BRACELET.
A Sunshine Lover.


The position of farm laborer in
some of our English counties is any
thing but enviable,
Hard work, from morning till night,
scanty food, small cottages, with insult
ficient accommodation, and large fam
lily TO maintain, make the lot of labor
ing man anything but the realization of
bliss upon earth.
Peter Tillson was one of the said sons
of Che soil, who rise with the lark, and
labor to make the earth bring forth its
fruits.
He had several children, amongst
whom his eldest daughter, Sarah, was
the most promising.
She distinguished herself in the par
ash school, and won the favorable re-
gard of Mrs. Rutherford, the rector's
wife.
When she reached the age of 16, she
was pronounced old enough to get her
own living; and her father and mother
any longer at school, though under the
fostering care of Mrs Rutherford.
That good lady received the intelli
gence of her intended departure with
great regret.
"What do you propose to do, my dear
child?" she inquired.
$50 to service, ma'am," was the reply.
~Ah, well, that is usual resource of
country girls" said Mrs. rutherford.
Its pity, for you are worthy of some
thing better"
al shall be sorry to leave you,
ma'am," exclaimed Sarah, in tone of
genuine regret.
Mrs. Rutherford thought for little
while, and then said: eff you are not
In any immediate hurry to leave home,
4 think / should be able to employ you
myself at Michaemas."
The look of delight which stole over
the girls countenance sufficiently in
formed Mrs. Rutherford how welcome
her communication was.
"You must know" she continued,
that my housemaid leaves me at tho
end of the quarter, and shall be glad
to give you trial If you do not like
the place at Christmas, let il be fully
understood between us that you are
perfectly ut liberty to leave and do any
thing else you imagine will be for your
benefit"
should be pleased to come at any
time, and on any terms" responded
Sarah. my chief regret, ma'am, has
been through the thought of leaving all
my kind friends in Barsley."
"Go to your father. Consult him. 1
have heard him spoken of as sensible
man; be guided by him, and let me
shortly know your decision"
will, ma'am, and many thanks"
Sarah exclaimed.
Curtseying to Mrs. Rutherford, Sarah
wendell her way to her fathers cottage,
which lay at the end of prettily
wooded lane some distance from the
village.
Sac had not proceeded far before she
heard cries, as of some animal in pain.
Quickening her pace. she, on round
ing corner, perceived young man
holding a lad with one arm and belabor-
ing him with the other.
With heightened color she recog-
snized in the first John Aitken, the son
of a well-to-do farmer in the vicinity,
who on several occasions had done
Sarah the honor to walk home from
church with her. and look at her in such
a way as to lead her to believe that he
either loved her or regarded her with
anything but indifference.
An the person he was violently as
rsauiting she distinguished half-witted
fellow, much older than he looked, who
went by the name of Nollykins.
He was a mischievous, malignant elf,
who frequently committed reprehensi-
BILE actions, escaping from the conse-
quences of them through his natural
infirmities.
Continued impunity made him bold.
John Aitken relinquished his grasp
as Sarah approached, and seemed half
ashamed of being detected in admins
tering corporal punishment to one 80
much inferior in every respect.
Il really couldn't help it," he ex-
Manned, apologetically, as she came up.
What has he done to deserve such
severity?" asked Sarah.
"Why, the provoking rascal / can
hardly keep my temper when l think
>of it."
~But You must" she replied, with
smile; " that is the first requisite when
telling a story"
d Well, / was coming by here, just
now, and had no sooner entered this
field of my fathers before saw Molly
kins cutting of the tail of our finest
brood mare"
Nollykins withdrew short distance,
aud, thinking himself cut of immediate
danger, gave vent to burst of 1emoniac
laughter.
But, seeing threatening movement
ON the part of Aitken, he removed to a
further spot, and kept gradually retir-
ing. while his peculiar shouts and
.aoises were heard weirdly at intervals.
He should be put under some re-