The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-01-09


opened wound which time had not
quite healed-a wound which caused
her to shiver and noan--yet there were
threads of joy and happiness which she
could gather up and weave backward
and forward until the old days, when
she lived in sunshine and clover, were
made whole again; and she lived them
over in her memory till she grew calm
and quiet, and the old pain deadened
somewhat.
There had been such happy Christ
mas times for her long ago, when she
was the idolized daughter of her
wealthy parentsl And there had been
true and noble hearts laid at her feet
ere she had seen her twenty-first birth.
day; but her woman's heart had chosen
only to yield itself and its love to How
ard Winthrop, young bookkeeper in
her fathers firm. Without the means
sufficient to marry, he yet dared
to tall in love with his EMPLOYERS
daughter, and, despite the amazement
of friends and relatives, Mr.. Arnold
had chosen to sancti IN the engagement.
and ask only that Howard would wall
i few years ere he claimed Margaret as
his bride.
"a fine young fellow" he said pri-
vately to his wife; "and If the child
chooses TO marry him, when she might
have choice of dozen rich fellows,
why, shan'f hinder, so long as he is q
gooG fellow and honorable"
So they were engaged, and everything
was going on well, until one norning q
letter addressed TO Margaret in the
well-known handwriting of Winthrop
was found to contain the following
lines, evidently inclosed by mistake ia
the wrong envelope:
"Wait awhile, Jack, my boy; the
money will be mine in good time, and
then you will see how much love counts
for in my opinion. A fellow can't live
without money, and if a pretty girl
mnst be thrown in to boot, whv, 81
much the better, maybeI | can steer
my boat as well rs the next one, YOU
know. Keep dark about this. Don't
keep this letter minute; burn it, and
wait patiently. I'll pay all owe in
good time.
Yours, WINTHROP"
Margaret had loved we'll and truly |;
but high spirited as she was by nature,
and scorning deceit and unworthipess
from the bottom of her soul, her pride
could not brook the insult of this letter.
She well understood how easily the
mistake had happened. Doubtless the
letter which had been intended for her
had been inclosed in an envelope to
this "Jack," whoever he might be; and
in the hurry of sending the letters,
Howard Winthrop had not discovered
his error.
For one moment the girl stood like
stone, with dry eyes and pale, set face
then straight to-. her father she went
and laid the letter before him.
In less than an hour Howard Win.
thrOp received letter from Mr.. Ar.
mold, inclosing one from Margaret, I'm
which he received his dismissal, both
from his situation in the firm and from
Margarets presence.
There were no words of explanation
sought by Margaret ami her family
Impulse had ruled things with higf
and, and pride kept the girl from 6
broken heart although she quivered ant
moancd with pain and grief for months
after.
Several letters from young Winthrop
received at the time Of the affair, wrrt
promptly returned unopened, and soor
he left the city, and was seen no more
by his former friends.
Since then, Mr.. Arnold's failure ant
death had left his wife and daughter il
circumstances so different from forme
days, that they withdrew from society
Mrs. Arnold settled herself in one O
Connecticut's small villages, and Mar
garet had drifted, after many wear,
days, into Mrs. Grangcr's family as gov
erness. With the children she wa
peacefully happy; with Mr.. and Mrs
Granger on terms of simple good-feel
ing. With Isabel she was a stranger
save for the formal morning and even
ing salutation.
The young lady, who possessed onl
the riches which her fathers daily toi
had accumulated for her, as her sole al
traction, could moi well conceal he
envy of her little brother and sister
governess, since the latter was beautiful
In face and figure, and attractive, eve
in her poverty and dependence, for th
refnment and delicacy of her nature.
Whatever Margaret Arnold wore :
whether simple flower in her hail
brought her from the conservatory b
the loving hands of her little pupils, O
the plain white collar round her perfet
throat, or though she threw carelessl
about her shoulders the worsted sha v
which Isabel had cast aside as unfit fl
wear and untashionable--still The col
trast between the governess and tn
Young lady of the house was bv heav
odds In favor of the former, and Isab,
grew sick at heart with envy. Nothin
that young damsel might don, whetht
jewelry rich and rare, or robes of sill
and velvet, could cause or help her gu
shine the perfect lOveliness of quie
gentle Margaret, who daily clothed he
leelf in black, and wore no Jewels say
the pearl pin which inclosed her father
hair.
II II had not been for fear of ammo
ance from the children, Isabel won
gladly have sent Margaret home at Il
time when she expected so much cor
pany, lest by chance some admiring e,
should discover her.
"Aliss Arnold, can YOU put the chi
dren to bed tonight? have sent nur
on an errand and she is detained; and
thought you wouldn't mind takin
charge of them tonight, you kno,
And afterward would YOU mind con
ing down to help Isabel and h,
friend dress for the party at Mi
Howe's2 Your taste is so good. y6
see, and really I'll be very much obIige
/ know but maybe"
; am oblige you, certainly, madam.
yon think me competent to suggest
the matter of DRESS" replied Margare
And she put the little ones to bed, 7
, warded for her care by hearing Harry
/ loud whisper 10 Elsie that she thong
: Miss Arnold the pretticst lady In Il
r world, and he wished she was his ov
, sister, stead of Isabel" and went dow
, TO the dressing-rooms to help Isabel al
; her friend.
= There she learned more of their pi
vate affairs than interested her; b
they talked to each other of this al
. that, quite ignoring Margaret'spresenc