River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-08-17

to Letty's father, whose heart ached at
the sight Of his daughters sad face.
ga first love disappointment is al
ways hard to bear for a while.
| thought | would have died when Steph-
en- Ford married my cousin; but |
didn't; lived to marry you, and | have
a sealskin cloak, and Mrs. Ford hasn't
even a jacket"
And so Brougham Brown, who was
really a manly, generous, good-hearted
fellow in spite of his beer and wealth,
encouraged by the maternal head OF
the house, began devoting himself in
the most ardent fashion to Lefty; and
she seeing het mothers pleasureithereat
and hearing no word from Rick, re-
ceived his attention in passive, unre-
sponsive way.
Three months went by, and it was
Aunt EmCry's birthday, and that &C.
centric old lady had decided to divide
it among the family, lunching with one
portion, dining,with another, and sup
ping with a third. The lunch party
was given at her sister Letitia's Mrs.
Lounsberry), and some halfa dozen old
friends and some relatives were hidden
to the feast. Lefty in a sea-green gown
(Rick' favorite gown with a spray of
pink hyacinths (Rick's favorite spring
flower) in her hair, went quietly about
welcoming the guest, Brougham Brown
following her like her shadow, until
lunch was announced. Then taking her
place at the table, the young man still
near her, she raised the cover from and
dipped a spoon into the last jar of
grandmama's famous peach marmal-
ade (she had it placed before her,
trusting to be able to hide the mischief
Baby had done) when somebody said,
addressing her mother: Have you
heard that Richard Creighton is going
abroad for his health? He has given
up his situation, and sails in day or
two. They say he has failed fast late
ly."
And the very moment Aunt Emory
fixed her spectacles upon her niece's
poor, pale face, and sharply: " What's
the matter, child? Do you see anything
dreadful in the sweets
No ma'am," answered Lefty, with
a pititul attempt at a smile, when the
spoon struck something harder than
preserved peaches should be.
Let me help you" said Brougham;
and with one turn of his wrist he plac-
ed upon the dainty china shell before
her-a wad OF paper.
"And SO that is the celebrated mar
malade is it?" said Aunt Emory. g l
don't want any. | prefer my sweets
unmixed with foreign substances. Take
it away, Norah."
But Lefty was already slowly unroll-
ing the paper tit proved to be the miss
ing part of the jars original hat)-a
rather difficult thing to accomplish, as
it stuck persistently to her small
fingers. but accomplished at last-when
out rolled the little gold pig. And on
the inside of the paper was scrawled
in Kicks bold had these words:
My DARLING How foolish we are
| mean, l am Here is the charm.
Miss Varian had it about ten minutes
last night-only long enough to show it
to you and tell you a story about it.
Baby will give it to you. Had no pa
per, so | tore piece off one of your
jam pots. Will see you to morrow eve
ming. RICK.
Never did any young lady so sudden
w break through all the convention
alities of society, never did daughter
so quickly forget the wish of her moth
er, never did niece so unflinchingly
brave the displeasure of thirty-thous-
and-dollar aunt, as did Lefty Louns-
berry the instant after she had read this
note.
"Brougham," she cried, looking at
him with beautiful, beseeching eyes,
81 must-I must. You will go and
bring him to me, DEAR"
(Tt was the first time she had ever
called him ''dear," and alas! he felt
that it would be the last For mo-
ment he pulled his long moustache
nervously. ave are not very good
friends, you know" at last he said.
"Yes, / know; but l am to blame for
that, too, said Lefty hurriedly. "For-
give me, Brougham, but | must see
Rick"
and so the good fellow, hesitating no
longer, turned from that imploling
face, and with a tugging at his heart
strings, went off to seek his rival. He
found him and brought him back to
the girl they both loved.
And what do you think Aunt Emory
did Aunt Emory who had declared
over and over again that only as Mrs.
Brougham Brown, Lefty should in
herit any of her money. Left the
house in passion? Not 81 bit of it.
She laughed and laughed till she could
laugh no longer.
''Now | shall have something new to
tell folks" she said "They must be
tired and sick of my old yarns. I'm
sure l am. Love, gold pigs, Jealousy,
and marmaladc all mixed up together.
It's one of the funniest things ever
heard in all my life"
Pm glad you think so, said Mrs.
Lounsberry. sit don't strike me that
way. What are they going to live on?9
"Oh, III look after them," said
Aunt Emory and her remark makes
very good ending to this real sweet
| story.