The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-03-23

4. a y.
suffering my charge to stray while
Iswaiched the sun end stars or sat
l.ppadering over bunch Of field
flowers, In time my love for plants
became u passion. / noticed their
seasons lblossoming, and all the
lcuriosities Of their formation, but al
tthelage oieighteen new ideas began
ito mingle with those that had hith.
lerto occupied me. In my wandering
|lifeI | had became acquainted with
sthe daugher of a peasantwhoseabod
was some distance from mine; lei
beauty as far surpassed that of hei
ccmpanipns as my thoughts were
elevated above those Of the shepherd
lads among whom my lot was cast
] loved her, and Margaret (she bore
the.saine name as your daughtet9 re
turned my affection; but her youth
fand my poverty forbade the hope
that her father would consent to oui
marriage. l proposed to seek my
fortune elsewhere, and with many
tears and sad forebodings she con.
sented to. my departure. I fancied
/
that dreams of enriching her alone
prompted my wish to roam; for ]
have since known that ambition
mingled with my zeal for her welfare,
Even in ourremote mountains stories
were related Of those who, having
visited other lands, had returned
home enriched, and ! believed l had
only to try my fortune to be equally
successful. Margaret promised to be
faithful till my return"
"And you may be sure she has kept
her PROMISE" interrupted the peas
ants daughter.
The stranger looked tenderly at her
as he continued: II shall not dwell
on the hardships that a poor lad with
out friends or money was likely to
encounter. Yet | must not be un-
grateful. l was not quite without
money, for round my neck hung a
small silver coin, Of no great value,
but sufficient to have helped me in
my necessity. 1t had been placed
there by my Margaret, and not for
worlds could l have parted with it.
1t hangs there now" Again he
paused, overcome by some secret emo
tion or interrupted by the violent
storm which had commenced since
his arrival. The rain and sleet beat
Efufiously against the windows, and
the wind blew in gusts that shook
the little tenement to its foundation,
then died away in howls and means
that sounded like the voices Of com.
plaining.spirits.
sit is a fearful night" said he, at
length; "and l ought to be doubly
thankful that l am with you, my
good friends"
Eric paid little attention to what
was said; for avarice, a passion till
then unknown to him, had taken
possession Of his mind. Seeing that
while recounting his history, his
guest discontinued dropping the
pearls, he said;
"Surely you have given me all
your treasures?"
"You have the last, my friends" !"
said the traveller, "This, indeed, l
have still" added he, opening a small
red case, and showing string of the
same costly materials; "but it is a
necklace of my betrothed,"
The old peasant seemed each mo.
ment to become uneasy. "Itis hard
ly safe" he muttered, "to travel with
such valuable property, but Of course
you are armed?"
"Not L." returned the other
against whom should | arm myself
against our good Norwegian peas.
ants?"
"And yet those pearls, said the old
man.
"Those pearls" returned the other,
"are the least part Of my riches; the
contents Of my pocketbook are hun
dred times more valuable"
"a hundred times!" repeated Eric,
looking around, and he unconscious.
ly grasped his long knife. He ap.
preached the easement, and in trying
to open it broke one of the small
panes of glass. The wind rushed
through the aperture with a shrill
which startled the traveller and Mar.