The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-02-15

which bad psralyAed his brain. Then the
room seemed 10 be turning around. what
did the lawyer mean by telling him thai
his uncle had lcii him a large sam of fmon.
ey in his willy Ali that was doubtless
part Of the plot, that his disappointment
might be more complete.
Z II was evident enough that the eccentric
and whimsical old gentleman had taken
this method TO punish his nephew for de-
priving him Of his leg This old timber
leg in the box was the long expected less'
cy.
For some minutes Arthur felt himself
crushed TO the earth How his friends
who had envied him his good fortune
would triumph now. He almost imagined
he already heard the serpent hiss OF his
enemies.
At length he began TO recover from his
despair. Augusta had certainly seemed to
love him; her father had money enough
| for them both and so tenderly had the
Young lady bidden him adieu that the
thought struck him that this very misfor.
tune and disappointment might increase
her love for him by exciting her pity.
Il will not despair, cried he. ''for this
event may hasten instead OF defer our
union.
He set ont for the great house early In
the evening. He rang the bell and SER
want appeared. He inquired for Augusta
who was in. He sent up his name, and
the servant very soon returned saying
Miss Augusta is very sorry that she has
an engagement which will prevent her
from seeing Mr. Pease this evening.
The servant at the same time stared in
Arthur's face with a saucy grin on his own
| countenanoe and as he slammed the door
in the youths face the latter heard him
saying to some one in the yestibule; did
Sam Harris tell you bout dat wooden leg
in de box? Guess Miss Augusta heard all
about it. Mind my word, Mr.. Pease has
got do mitten for sartain."
Arthur did not despair; but when he
went the next evening and received the
same answer, he knew that the tidings OF
his uncle's singular legacy had overcome
the love OF Augusta F.. 1t was evil
dently not himself but the legacy with
which Augusta had fallen in love. She
had. in common with others, imagined
that it was hundred thousand dollars in
stead Of wooden leg that Arthur was to
come into possession OF.
| Arthur felt that he was well punished
for the trick which be had. at an early age,
played upon his uncle. That wooden leg
| in the box was sad reminder. That ev.
ening, after his return from the great
house, was the saddest'of his life but just
before nine o'clock Arthnr heard gentle
rap at his outer door. He opened it and
found poorly dressed girl who handed
him letter
From whom could the letter have come?
Had lie still friend?
Arthur opened the letter. 1t read as
follows:
Dear Friend: ! have heard OF your
misfortune 1t is little that can do to
remedy it, but the enclosed check for $1,000
may relieve you from any present distress
beg that you will have no scruples about
accepting it, assure you that can do
without it. / have an aunt living in Mont.
pelier who is old and inirm and she re-
quests me to come and live with her. /
shall wait upon her and she will supply
oil my wants. shall be very unhappy if
you do not accept this money. 1t is, in
deed, but little in comparison with what
you had right to expect, but still it is
better than nothing had hoped at one
time that you and I would share this little
sum together. but ought to have known
that You never could bring yourself to
live with one in my condition. start for
Montpelier tomorrow. Farewell.
LUCINDA W.
!. In penning the last few words Arthur
could could see that Lucindas hand had
!, trembled.
: He did not doubt that the poor girl real.
| ly loved him; but how could he renew
his attentions to her after he had shown
his preference for Augusta? "As Augusta
has discarded me come back to you?"
One thing he was fully resolved upon
, he would not receive the one thousand
dollars OF Lucinda, and without mo
ments hesitation he tore the check into
fragments and threw them into the fire.
Lucinda did not go to Montpelier nex'
morning as she intended, for she wanted
TO make sure that Arthur had taken the
, money from the bank. On learning from
the cashier that her check had not beer
, presented she could think OF no recourse
hut TO obtain an interview with Arthur
veg him TO accept the thousand dol
and w supposing that, after a full ex
lars, ionu.. ar propects, she could pre-
planation Of Il. 'cept the money.
vail upon him to a. 'hurs house. Al
Lucinda called at Arr. -mer love re
soon as he saw her all his 70. ut proc
turned, and innamed by the rece. 'ness
Of her generosity. and disinterestea.
he clasped her in his arms and called he'
an angel, and great many other fine things
too numerous to mention.
II was soon settled that Lucinda, instead
Of going to Montpelier, should go to keep
ING house with Arthur in the village.
On the ensuing week Arthur and LII
cinda were married.
While the happy couple we're making
the best use OF their thousand dollars In
furnishing a small tenement portly and