The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-08-06

hate everybody and everything in the
world, and lore 70 hate them. But I'll
strike you again II you don't 60 od and
| leave me-"
II you could have sccn her inhamed
visage. her ANAL figure trembling With
passion. and heard the angry words
through grated teeth. you would have
pitied her. ~ most certainly ! did. bu; I
began 10 despair OF snccesa this time.
"well, Miranda. " said, iii you won't
believe me, must leave You; for ! don't
want 10 be struck again. know ! called
you Firebrand just for fun, and I've felt
very sorry about II since, won't you for
give met
The team came into my eyes as asked
her. She looked on them, and an express.
sion Of wonder came into her face; the
angry fush came out from II. Her fea-
tures worked few moments ss though
she was struggling with herself, and then,
with heavy sob. she sank down on the
grasa. I vent up 70 her and put my arms
around her. for knew there was no more
danger. and. TO tell the truth. had stood
. little in fear OF her. How she cried
thersi Sob After sob came up from her
heart and shook her slight frame, and .
Test torrent Of tears rolled through her
fingers. I laid her head in my lap. and
stroke back the hair from her white fore
head.
I'VE will be friends now, Miranda"
whispered.
She clung tighter 10 me and sobbed as
II her heart was breaking.
At last the bell rang.
mo matter" / said. II will tell Miss
Mervin we couldn't get back any sooner,
and she'll excuse us. I'll 20 and get some
water from the brook in one OF these mul.
lein leaves. so that you can wash out your
eyes"
She lifted her head
I'm sorry ! struck you." she said, II
sm sorry said hated you"
l
"Well. We won't ever speak, ever think
Of 1t again. We're friends now, Mirands,
you know"
She smiled, and her eyes shone softly
through her tears; for the first time, /
thought they were pretty. We went back
to the school house arm in arm. The girls
stared at us.
That night. Miranda Grant and walked
home together, for our dwellings lay in
the same direction, and had signiHed to
the girls my wish to accompany her alone.
She was very gentle, and really seemed to
cling to me. We talked all the way and /
found she was quite intelligent
"Don't call me Miranda" she said "do
call me Lena. Mamma used to before she
died" and her eyes brimmsd with tears
"And grandma does sometimes but she is
old, you knew, and forgets when ask
her," a
"Well, Lsns." answered. 'you SEE I'm
your friend now. and l waut the other
girls 10 like you. II we're you I'd curl
my hair. for they lik to see curls; IL would
look SO pretty, you know"
had strucka chord that always yibrates
in the heart OF woman.
"Doyou think so?" she said with q sud
den fiash ont Of her deep eyes, II thought
it was such red, awful hair"
mo, it isn't; it's almost auburn; and il
you would comb 1t out smooth, wet it and
then wind ii just round you fingers, it will
curl beautifully"
"Yes," following my msnipulations
with her eyes, II can do it. Tomorrow
will come TO school with it curled."
We had now reached the point where
our paths diverged. Lena flung her arms
around my neck and kissed me very fond
ly.
II shall love you always" she said, and
went my way home with new song IN
my heart.
After supper that night l was sitting
under our apple tree when Leonard open.
cd the garden gate. He had been passing
the day With Albert Morse. Harriet's
brother, they we're intimate friends, and
expected TO enter college together, Leon
ard came up TO me snd kissed me-
"You are good girl, Maggie.
"How do you know am? Because l
let you kiss me just now? shouldn't il
you weren't my cousin"
Then I'm q lncky fellow" and he flung
himselfon the grass beside me. ''Maggie,
after short pause. "bow many yards does
IL take to make girl dress?"
"Whst An idea, Cousin Leonard. What
in the world has set you to thinking about
girls dressesY'
"Oh. several things! Information on
subjects is valuable, you know. and il !
should ever have any girls dresses TO get
il would he well 10 know how much WAS
needed"
"Well. couldn't you ask the merchant
then9 OF course the quantity would de-
pend upon the fashion and material
He slapped me on the shoulder, and
looked into my eyes with his dark roguisb
ones.
"Sure enough, Maggie, you've Lit the
right idea lconld ask the merchant; why
didn't think Of it before.
80 your mind is relieved at last, is it,
on the subject Of girls dresses?" ] said,
laughing gleefully. and Leonard joined
me. and the echo in the glen caught up
our mirth and rolled II 10 the mountain.
The next day. Miranda Grant came 70
school with complete netsmorphosis ef-
fscted in her appearance. The tangled
mass Of red brown hair now lay in rich,
heavy ringlets round her face and neck;
e.