Connecticut western news., 1886-11-10

round."
 There seemed nothing more to be said, so he took light and proceeded to make everything safe for the night but long after his good wife was asleep he lay awake thinking of the pale face hls daughter had lifted for the good night kiss.
 Elizabeth was not likely to get the strength her mother thought from a nights rest. Until the first rays of morning lighted up the east, she lay thinking of the old days and living them over again. She could not remember the time when she and Will had not seemed to belong to each other. When they were children he had drawn her to and from school on his sled, saved her the largest half of his apple or orange, and fought all her bat ties with vigor worthy of au olden knight. When the years in their flight made them no longer children, 1t was always Will who, at the close of meeting or singing school, drew her arm through his with an air of proprictorship and started for the Alien farm. After his mothers death he had not chosen his associates wisely, but in spite of scorn and opposition, without diso- bedien ce, she had clung to him and trusted.
 | Then came the affair at the village. One dark nights party of roughs had broken into Squire neasley's barn, tied together the legs of all his hens, nailed up Whitefoot's stall, and then climbing the roof of the ell had placed board soaked in salt water over tho chimney. The old gentleman, who lived alone, was obliged to travel on a slippery ground to the nearest neighbor for help. The villagers were justly indignant, and for punishing the miscreants, but no clew to them could be found.
 Will was away from homo that night, and suspicion rested on him as one of the party until he could bear it no longer and decided to go away.
 It seemed but yestcrday-theig parting in the old trysting place.
 Will had slipped the tiny gold band he wore upon her finger it seemed but a thread of gold now-asking her to wear it until he came back.
 ''For," said he, 'Tll never come back till can offer you name and a home. Somehow the devil has had possession of me lately, but bad as am, would scorn to do what they accure me off torture feeble old man. While you believe and trust me, there arc plenty who do not" Aud with last Good bye, my Bcth," he was gone.
 When the first letter came addressed to Miss Beth Allen, in Wills round, boy ish hand, Mir. Allen frowned and his wife scolded, but when she was fol stopping the correspondence at once, he said:
 "There, there, mother, let the gir write to him if she wants to; she wont do him any harm, and can trust her for Q true Allen not to go far out oi the way"
 So the matter had dropped, and fol five years 'L;zabeth's letters were received without comment; then they ceased sud. denly and unexpectedly. For month: Elizabeth watched the mails with anxious face. Mrs. Allen shook her head witl an "I told you he didn't amount to any } thing" whe never there was no one bu her husband to hear, and MT. Allen wait ed in silence.
 , Time docs much toward healing sucl
 wounds, and five years had made seem more like an unpleasant dream tha, reality, when the news of Wills returl [ came, awakening memories of othe
 days.
 For once MT. Allen was weatherwise
 The snow had fallen through the night |, covering the earth as with mantle, tn feathery flakes continued to come lazil down until just before 12 o'clock, the there was rift in the western sky, an
 when the old yellow sleigh stood c
 the door the sun shone as bright Q
 ever.
 "Be careful, father, and don't le Elizabeth get cold waiting for you, was Mrs. Aliens parting injunc
 tion as she came to the door to see thel
 off.
 There was just wind enough to lift th newly fallen snow aud send it in littl
 whirs to lie sparkling and glistcning
 few yards from where it had faller n Robin was in excellent spirits, and NJ s Allen declared, as he drew up in front ( n the village postotfice, that the distanc q never seemed SO short. e 'Draw the robe close around you, dal D ter, and don't get tired waiting. r,
 got to bargain with Sam Chase abo, B. that stove, but I'll be quick as I car d then we'll drive down to Burnham's an l, get the book you mentioned" With tn }, and an extra pull to Robins blanket, M 't Allen was gone.
 "Father was right, the old sleigh n more comfortable than the new one '. Elizabeth thought as she nestled down 'e one corner, drawing the robe more clos
 ly to keep out the puffs of wind tn h tried to find entrance at all corner n While tucking the robe between u IS cushion and the side of the sleigh, h
 fingers touched something smooth lii s paper.
 a1 cone of fathers old receipts; he's