News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-02-07

they could regarding the interview be-
tween Orville and Cornelia.
81 had reason to be angry, Mrs.
Spear" said Cornelia, proudly; "gooo
reason, and I took off my ring and gave
it back and went out of the room.
don't know when he went or where.
I thought he wouldn't mind so much
I believed he had stopped caring about
me-"
"He ought to now, at all events" said
grandma
"My boy is dead, I'm sure. shall
have the pond dragged!' p said Mrs
Spear, amidst her tears. "He left all
his money at home. He wouldn't have
gone travelling without a change OF
clothes. Oh, you wicked girl ?"
ST hope," cried the eldest Miss Spear,
''that he'll haunt you !"
ST could kill you, you hateful thing p
cried the youngest Miss Spear.
Cornelia had kept up bravely unit
now; but when her two friends turned
upon her thus, she gave little scream,
and fell over on the sofa. She was in a
dead swoon, and the water they sprin-
kled in her face did not bring her TO.
Grandma grew frightened.
81 hope it isn't an attack of heart dis
ease," she said. "Poor child she looks
as if she were dead"
"Oh, don't say that /" cried the
mother.
They gathered around Cornelia and
did all they could for her, and soon she
recovered and sat up, but all her pride
was gone.
"Oh, dear oh, dearr' she sobbed,
81 wish I had died wish had never
come to! Oh, Orville Orville! what
has become of you?"
"Oh oh !'' moaned the mother.
"Oh oh I" moaned the sisters.
And Cornelia's head fell back again.
"Emma, get the lavender out of the
china-closet, said grandma to her
daughter. "Quick It's on the corner
shelf !"
Mrs. Rashleigh rushed to the closet.
'It won't open," she cried, wildly.
"It's a patent lock-" said grandma;
clocks as it shuts. Here's the key. "
And Mrs. RashIeigh flew back to the
door, opened it and uttered shrek.
There on the floor, huddled up under
the shelf lay poor Orville Spear.
He was white and limp.
Cornelia sat and stared at him in the
most awful way. She thought him
dead, but the more experienced matron
saw that he was yet living.
Sally was sent post-haste for the doc
tor; and there, in Mrs. Rashleigh's
drawing-room, he found Cornelia and Or
vile lying quite unconscious, like
Romeo and Juliet in the scene at the
tomb, and the rest of the party in a
state of bewilderment aud terror past
description.
At last, however, both were conscious
and seated in arm chairs, regarded each
other, while tie observers kept silence,
and Mr.. Orville Spear uttered the first
words.
"Of all confounded fools"
"Who, dear? ?" asked his mother.
"Me," said Orville, regardless of
grammar. "Who shut me IMP"
"What were you in the closet for?''
asked grandma, with a guilty con-
science.
"To pick something up that rolled
there" said Orville.
'The ring?" asked Cornelia, fran,
tically.
eyes, the ring" said Mr.. Spear
'More fool 1! Some one banged the
door to. I shouted and howled ani
kicked, and no one heard me"
"Oh, oh, oh, oh l'' shrieked Cornelia
81 believe you hid there to kill me, fos
no other purpose than out of revenge.
"You banged the door on me-" sait
Mr.. Spear. "a jealous woman would
do anything.
81 banged the door, Orville!" saiC
old Mrs Rashleigh. 81! You'd lef
everything flying. 1 just pushed it as
passed, and you ought to bless you
stars that you are alive, for people don
go into the drawing-room, sometimes fo
fortnight in this small family. w
use the parlor much more, and 1 ar
deaf, and so is old Hepsiba, and yo
might have died there. Yes, and you
have killed him, Cornelia," added th
old lady, Throwing his pretty damon
ring ON the floor p
ooh w moaned Cornelia. ooh !"
at wasn't her fault I was col
founded fool all through !" cried Orvill'
81 knew that closet had a springfield
No: don't blame Cornelia."
'I shall always blame myself
sighed Cornelia. "Oh, how pale yo
are p
"And how pale you are, Cornelia
sighed Orville. ''Did you really cal
when you thought was dead ?''
Ladies'" said Grandma Rashleigl
''now that Orville is getting on, let l
go into the other room and leave the
two young folks to talk things over t
gether."
She led the way the others followe
When the tea-bell rang soon afte
Orville and Cornelia came out of Il
: drawing room aTm-in-arm, and the we
dng-day was fixed.
A Grand Affair.