The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1883-05-31

feared, and almost disliked, because
they were so airy" as she called it,
were right in her path; but she
went after the stage as II her
life depended on it. "Whoa"
she cried. stop! Whoa! Driver!
Driver! Stop!' ooh, dearT'-under
her breath-"I can never make him
hear. / can; 1 willrO "Stop" she
screamed. this time with all her little
might, and, as she had almost reached
the stage. the driver heard, and brought
his horses to a standstill.
(Which is the girl?' said Peggy,
breathlessly, adding, as she caught sight
of the poor maid: Here's the ring!
You must get out and 90 back! You
mustl | found it. I'll tell them.
Conner
The girl gave a cry of joy, and imme-
diately got out of the stage.
YES said she TO the astonished
driver, "you must put my trunk down,
for shall not go. They will all see L
did noe steal the ring nowr' and, as he
complied with her order. she clasped
Peggy to her heart, and said: "You
dear little girl! How good of you to
run so! How glad l am you found it! |
can never thank you enough"
Peggy was painting and half-sobbing,
but she went with the happy maid to the
house, and handed the ring to the de-
lighted Miss Dulcimer.
"Where did YOU find it, you
splendid child?" said that gushing per-
son, who had not been kind and just
enough to make sure before she had
had the unoffending maid discharged.
II want to make you little present,
to show my gratitude. Here are ten
dollars, and can not say how very
thankful | am to you for being so
honest and good"
Il was not honest at ALL" said
Peggy, whose flaming cheeks and ex-
cited eyes made her look very pretty,
indeed. II thank you very much, but
| don't want any present. | don't
deserve it. Yes, | will take it,
though" she added; and, having taken
the bill in her hand, said to the maid, who
was standing by, silent witness of the
scene: You deserve it much more than
l: keep it," and with half laugh, half
sob, she put the bill into the maids
hand, and fled out of the room and
down the lane without another word.
1t was not very polite, but she really
couldn't stay there another minute.
She wanted to get to her dear grandma,
and be comforted and forgiven. She
ran down home almost as fast as she
had come up the hill; but this time she
was not anxious or unhappy. She no.
ticed the sweet smell of bed of mign-
onettes in the door-yard, and heard one
of her doves "co-roo, co-rOo" on the
roof as she went in. Grandma met her,
looking worried and troubled. peg
gy," said she, rather severely, chow
strangely you act this morning. What
is the matter with you?n
Then Peggy put her arms around her
grandma's neck. and told her every
thing about it-how she had found the
ring and was bound to keep it, and felt
so wicked, and then was so frightened
for fear she should not be able to save
the poor, wronged girl; and how she
ran and how she made the driver hear,
and all about it from beginning to end;
and even how she could not sing as she
stood by the window that morning.
"But l can sing now, Grandma she
exclaimed, and broke into little trill
as happy and free as any birds.
"Yes, dear said Grandma, with q
smile, "you can sing even more hap
PLY than ever, for you have learned
to-day what a terrible thingit is to cara
~, even for one moment the sense that
you are doing wrong, and also the
peace that comes from resisting temp
tation and obeying the voice of con-
science"
And when, next morning, Peggy
went out into the orchard to pick up
some more apples, she sang as blithely
as ever, and had not sad thought in
her mind.-iSt Nicholas.