Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-03-19

Gilbert Falconer sat in his library,
surrounded by all the appurtenances of
wealth-he was the wealthiest man in
Brinsley-but his attitude was listless,
his brows were drawn; a sharp strug-
gle was going on between his heart and
pride.
"What has come over mep" he NUT
tered. 81 am as infatuated as any old
fool, thinking, worrying, fretting, and
for what? A beggar maid with pair
of winsome eyes-a beggar, low-born
most likely. What am l thinking of"
starting up vehemently-"I, /, Gilbert
Falconer. who could mate with the
proudest in the county, to have fallen so
low? What would my proud mother
sayp How naughty Beatrix Lenox
would sneer! I'll crush it out-I will!
I'm no love-sick boy"
But some things are easier said than
done and this was one of them, as Mr..
Falconer found to his cost, though she
was only an operator in one of his mills
a slender, dark-eyed maiden, who,
though "beggar maid" carried her
small head with the grace and pride of
a queen.
He could never forget the first time he
saw her. Some orders had been dis
obeyed, but the consequences were
scarcely serious enough to deserve the
sharp rebuke the irate master gave; and,
upon an attempt at defense, Mr.. Falco-
ner laid his riding-whip several times
over the mans shoulders.
"Go!" he shouted, with an oath,
"and never show your face in this yard
again!'
1t was a hard sentence, for the man
had wife and children, and the master
never broke his word or commuted
sentence.
AS Mr.. Falconer turned away, still
flushed with anger, slender figure
passed him, pair of dark eyes gazed
full into his-eyes that were posi-
lively blazing with anger; arapid glance
at the unfortunate culprit sku!king out
of the gates, then at him, showed which
way her sympathy lay.
"Do you know" she cried, suddenly
pausing, "that that man has a wife and
five children, all dependent on what he
earns here? Surely you did not mean
what you said. The offense scarcely
deserved such severe punishment"
Mr.. Falconer was fairly aghast at
such unparalleled audacity. Never in
his life had any one dared to call him to
account for any of his actions.
I" am not in the habit of consulting
the opinions of my employees when |
The small head went up in the air
credit to Miss Lenox.
No she answered, proudly; 4" but
Mr.. Falconer may have something to
| Lo,, ho 1no,@,c hot
titute condition that man is in
81 am Mr.. Falconer," he answered.
81 am master of this mill, and punish
as please"
"You-Mr. Falconer." Anger, sur
prise and contempt were pietured on
her face as plainly as on mirror.
"Then have nothing more to say
And, with q slight inclination of the
head, she passed on her way, Gilbert
noting vaguely that her dress was oi
the humblest make.
Who was she! Such impertinence
bending his brows at the recollection
that she had not asked his pardon fol
her first hasty word.
"A mill-hand with that naughty
style! Bahp' he cried, striding into hi
office; "she is not worth noticing
one may De GnanKlul uon senu nel
away"
For several days it happened tha
Mr.. Falconer was in his office when tht
big bell sounded release for all the tireC
souls and bodies in his employ, and HI
caught himself looking for slende
figure in worn dress; then, meetin!
her one morning coming in the gate
was enraged at himself for having
bowed, particularly as the dark eye
were Immediately averted. He angril,
= asked the manager who she was.
Eleanor Eliot is the name she gave,
? was the answer. "She seems abov
: her position, however, and she does he
work very we'll"
: Mr.. Falconer almost said, Il don
wish her here any longer" then some
t thing-an undefnable feeling -checke
the words on his lips; he had 10 DIRE
r his weird"
q After a while he took to coming t
: the mill every day, and occasionall
: walked through the long rooms full {
l busy men and women.
b Once he stopped at Eleanor Eliot's sid
= and gravely discussed some fabric wit
the manager, noticing absently I'll