The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-11-04

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 ho 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 an 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 DISC
bediencc, she had clung to him and
trusted.
Then came the affair at the village.
One dark night party of roughs had
broken into Squire Pcaslcy's barn, tied
together the legs of all his hens, nailed
up Whtcfoot's stall, and then climbing
the roof of the ell had placed board
soaked in salt water over the chimney.
The old gentleman, who lived alone, was
obliged TO travel on a slippery ground
TO the nearest ncighbor for help. The
villagers were justly indignant, and for
furnishing the miscreants, but no clew TO
them could be found
Will was away IRON home that night,
and suspicion rested on him as one of the
party until he could bear it no longer and
decided to go away.
1t seemed but yesterday-thcir 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, "l'll never como back
till l can offer you name and a home.
Somehow the devil has had possession
of me lately, but bad as l am, would
scorn to do what they accurc me Of
torture feeble old man. While you
believe and trust me, there are plenty
who do not" And with last "Good-
bye, my Bcth," he was gone.
When the first letter came addressed
to Miss Beth Allen, in Will'sround, boy
ish hand, Mr.. Allen frowned and his
wife scoldcd, but when she was for
stopping the correspondence at once, he
said:
"Thcrc, there, mother, let the girl
write to him if she wants to; she won't
do him any harm, and can trust her
for true Allen not to go far out of
the way"
So the matter had dropped, and for
five years 'Lizabcth's letters were received
without comment; then they ceased sud-
denly and unexpectedly. For months
'Lizabcth watched the mails with anxious
face. Mrs. Allen shook her head with
an "I told you he didn't amount to any.
thing" whe never there was no one but
her husband to hear, and Mr. Allen wait.
ed in silence.
Time does much toward healing such
wounds, and five years had made il
seem more like an unpleasant dream than
a reality, when the news of Wills return
came, awakening memories of Other
days.
For once Mr.. Allen was weatherwise.
The snow had fallen through the night,
covering the earth as with mantle, the
feathcry flakes continued to come lazily
down until just before 12 O'Clock, ther
there was rift in the western sky, ant
when the old yellow sleigh stood a
the door the sun shonc as bright as
ever.
'Bc careful, father, and don't lc
Elizabeth get cold waiting for you,
was Mrs. Aliens parting injunc-
tion as she came to the door to see then
off.
There was just wind enough to lift tn
newly fallen snow aud send it in littl,
whirls to lie sparkling and glistcning
few yards from where it had fallen
Robin was in excellent spirits, and Mr.
Allen declared, as he drew up in front o
the village post totlice, that the distance
never seemed so short.
"Draw the robe close around you, dar
ter, and don't get tired waiting. rv
got to bargain with Sam Chase abou
that stove, but I'll be quick as l can
then wen drive down to Burnham's ant
get the book you mentioned" With thi
and an extra pull to Robins blanket, MI
Allen was gone.
"Fathcr was right, the old sleigh
| more comfortable than the new one,
'L'zabeth thought as she nestled down i
one corner, drawing the robe more close
ly to keep out the puffs of wind tina
| tried to find entrance at all corners
While tucking the robe between tb
cushion and the side of the sleigh, he
fingers touched something smooth lik
: paper.
"Onc of fathers old receipts; he's s
careless" she thought, with fond smilc
as she drew it forth for inspection. Br
t glance was needed to show her mis-
i take.
h 1t was letter yellow with age, III
opened and addressed to herself in til
i handwriting she knew SO well. 81
+. could scarcely trust her eyes, but thel
- l.