Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-08-17
"a Happy Escape"


beauty into sweetness which quite subdues
the heart of young man in the garb Of a
carpenter. They are conversing beneath the
shelter of a wall beside handsome man
sion.
ain that hand which you have in your
pocket, Sue, is letter, as | live. Let me
see it. You will not Then | suppose it is
to some fellow, but | as your future hus-
band demand to see it,"
"Demand, indeed y answered the girl
saucily. otis early times, | think, to be
so masterful. If you talk like that now,
what will you do when we are married, |
wonder 2"
"Will you let me see the letter, Sue ?"
"No, | won't"
"Well, then, goodnight. You'll be sorry
for this | expect"
And with rough but sincere affection he
snatched the girl to his arms, and in a Sec
ond was gone.
"a Jealous, silly fellow" cried Sue, set
ting her dainty cap afresh and hurrying off
to buster road, where handsome shops
glowed with light and life. She entered
first one and then another giving orders at
each with merry smile and saucy words for
all. The last she entered was that of
chemist and post-ofiice combined. Here she
asked for stamp. As she came out of the
shop she felt for the letter to post, and 10
it was gone. She turned hot and cold by
turns, then hurriedly retraced her steps,
looking anxiously for the lost letter, but
without success. Then she went to the
house with burning face and heavy heart.
A few days later alady entered one of the
many rooms of the mansion-a room the
proud, idle lady scarcely visited, for it was
the school-room, where troop of noisy
spoiled children daily made life torture to
the pale, sweet-faced girl who now looked
up at the lady's entrance nervously.
The lady with the rustling robes pecked
at the upturned faces OF her offsprings, then
seating herself in the only easy chair in the
room, saying, as she threw the Times on the
table, with an exulting sneer:
"You see your noble lover like the rest of
his kind, has loved and rode away. told
you how it would be long ago. A man in
stoop so low as to marry mere governess.
| knew how his disgraceful attentions would
end and warned you against him yet you
would continue to make such an exhibition
of yourself. You see your devoted slave has
broken his letters and flown off to the east
has, in fact, accepted an important post
under the government. ! think this ought
to be lesson to you not to allow your van
ity to run away with your discretion"
The young girl had taken up the paper
and read the notice referred to with dry,
agonizing eyes.
1t was as though she read her death war
rant, for the man whom it referred to had
for months, to the chagrin Of the lady of the
house, paid the poor, despised governess all
the attention of lover. He was many
years her senior-in fact had been her dead
fathers friend in their prosperous days
when no idea of her present dependent pc
sition had come to mar his content.
The little hands which held the paper
shook as with an ague but with gentle dig
nifty she raised her head to its just level
saving, as she pointed to the nursemaid
Susie, who stood by busiy busting the fur
niture:
al think, madam, it would have been
kinder to have reproached me when we were
alone. 1t is not often that l ask you TO re
member the bond of blood between us, but
in so delicate matter as this / should i'm
agine that even stranger would merit con
sideration at your hands"
"Indeed, Miss Prengill, since how long
have | appointed you my mentor? l trust
time may bring you a more humble spirit
or you will find few employers patient with
you"
With this parting shaft the lady left hel
TO resume her interrupted duties. Wher
she had gone the poor girl paused ont
weary moment from her work to struggle tc
conceal her emotion but it was of no avail
and with an excuse to the astonished chill
dren, she fastened to her own room to figh
out the hard fight alone, unseen and un
marked save by the One who heals al
wounds.
Maggie Prengill was not one to lie dow
despairing beneath burden she had
heart for any fate, and soon went abou
serene and sweet as usual, but the peach
like bloom died from her gentle face ant
the soft, golden-brown eyes, whose long
brown lashes seemed tipped by sunlight, hal
a sad, panied look the sensitive mouth, toe
showed signs of sorrow, melancholy to Sc
in one so young.
Thus weary months rolled on in the house
hold, of whom one was about to depart
pretty Susie. The girl was greatly attaches
to Maggie, who had once nursed her throug
severe illness. Happy Sue was to be MAJ
ried to the young carpenter who detaine
her while we opened our story. He was en-
ployed on one OF the railways, and had sine
that night been away on important an
profitable work.
Maggie, woman-like, took great interes
in wedding, and it was to her Susie cam
for advice in many matters of millinery an
such like. She received so many usefl
presents from the governess, who reall
liked the girl and greved to lose even tn,
one humble friend out of that unfriendl
household, where she felt so utterly alone.
A few nights before Susie was to leay
she sat with her sweetheart alone in I'll
pleasant kitchen talking much happy MOI
sense with her lover when suddenly 81
thought of the last time she saw him befol
he left London, and, remembering h
groundless jealousy, rated him soundly fC
his absurdity in her sauciest manner, right
believing that
Little quarrels often prove
To be new recruits OF love-"
Then, when she had scolded him into
most humble spirit, she, woman.like, veer'
round, declaring she liked him the bett
for showing SO much spirit Among 9th
things she said
"Do you know, doe, through chattil
with you, / lost that letter. 1t was o.
that Miss Prengill gave me to post for h,
hope it was not anything important, for
never found courage to confess to her Il
carelessness."
Joe looked grave, saying
"That was not right, lass that was
like my own brave girl; yet do you kno
dear, | am TO blame for that, for pick
your pocket of the letter. thinking it was
some other sweetheart OF yours, and tn
the gaffer met me, and was hurried off
new job, and ! expect that / threw
letter aside in the pocket of my dirty CO
and so forgot all about it from that time
this but you must help me to rectify
fault, love, by going at once TO the you
lady and telling her truly all the circu
stances, while / go home and try to find |
letter."
Susie did not like the Office but she
lowed her lovers sterner sense of honor
compel her TO do his will.
When she had told Maggie and implo
her forgiveness, she was frightened at
work, for, after a severe fainting fit, Mag
talked so wildly about the injury they
done her, that Susie ran to Joe for coun
telling him that from what she could gl
from Magges wild talk the letter was
Sir Jasper Deering, accepting with love
gratitude his proposal for her hand. Joe
hearing this, turned the letter over and
in his hands, celebrating long in his II
how TO restore To the lonely girl the ha
ness OF which they had deprived her.