The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-08-09

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my mind to 60 away" answered Zip,
looking aside.
"Go awayw
Eyes, Melinda"
"Where are you goingi"
Anywhere. 1t makes no difference,
so I get away"
"And amt you coming backp
'Some day, maybe, If ever / get to
be of any account to myself or anybody
else."
''You are of some account now, Zip,
and you had better stay right where
you are"
mo; Two made up my mind to 60,
and am sure it is tho best thing that
could happen for us all around, 70 Ill
stick to it." said Zip, resolutely.
Melinda was looking out Of tho win
dow. When she saw man coming up
the lane toward the house, and recog-
nized in the conner Ben Button, shad-
ow of annoya ance fitted over her face.
Zip had been watching Melinda; and
when he saw the slight frown on her
face, he too. glanced out, and seeing
who was coming he rose to his feet,
ready to depart, saying: 'Tll call in
again before leave and tell you all
good by. Good evening"
Melinda glanced reproachfully after
the retreating Zip. There was aus
picion Of tears in her eyes, and little
quiver around her mouth, as she mur-
INJURED to herself: "Foolish Zip! He is
going away because he thinks I am 60
ing to marry that hateful Ben Button,
and is jealous. But l can't make him
see, aud won't ask him to stay. I'll
die first. There"
The truth was that serious thought
had at last come to Zip. He was in
love, and he knew it. He had looked
at himself as in looking-glass, and
found out his own worthlessness. More
than that, he had determined to go
away, change his habits of shiftless-
ness, and become a useful man and
citizen. He would not ask Melinda
for her love until he had made him
self worthy of it. II, however, in
the meantime some other man-Ben
Button perhaps-steppsd in ahead OF
him, why, he would still be the gamer
by an ambition for higher things
which, ia an indirect way, would be
gift from Melinda.
That evening, Ben Button asked
Melinda to become his wife; but she
was in no mood to answer him, then,
for Zips foolish determination to go
away troubled her in no small degree.
She knew, too, that her mother IA
vored Ben above any one else, and
that she would be grieved if Ben re-
4 ccived curt refusal, so sho told him
she would have an answer ready for
him when he should call again, and
Ben was happy.
| Days passed away. They wero days
of hopo to Ben, days of doubt and ir-
resolution to Melinda, and busy days for
hand and thought with Zip.
The decisive evening came at last,
and Ben was on hand with his usual
clockwork regularity to receive what he
fully expected to be favorable answer
to his suit.
1t had been rainy day, but the sun
had broken through the clouds in the
evening, and was setting bright and
clear, casting its last rays upon Mrs.
Spratt, Melinda and Ben Button, as
they sat on the west gallery of the
house.
81 declare, Melinda" said Mrs. spratt
suddenly, "if them welldiggers haven't
gone off and forgot to shut the gap iu
the fence around tho WELL"
"And there is Blossie's calf in the
yard now and going straight for the
well. I'll 60 and shut up the gap,
mother; you sit still,' said Melinda, as
Mrs. Spratt was about to rise.
Melinda ran toward the we'll, heading
the calf off at the same time. She was
about to close the gap in the fence,
when her eyes fell upon the wide open
ing in the ground. She hesitated mo-
meat, then entered the gap, and ap.
preached the we'll cautiously. On the
brink, she pcered over and looked into
the depth below. She was about te
withdraw again; but the ground under
her feet gave way, and with a loud
scream she was hurled to the bottom oi
the well.
Mrs. spratt and Ben saw what hap.
, pencd, for their eyes had fondly follow
ed Melinda in her every movement, and
thew now rushed to the scene of tht
catastrophe.
Stepping carefully upon some plank.
that were lying across the opening O.
the well, they peered iuto the abyss be.
low them. There was no sound except
of crumbling earth and pebbles falling
from the sides of tho we'll. The earth
was loose from tho rain during the day
and the break where Malinda had faller
in had started tho walls to caving al
around.
Then large mass of earth fell crash
! ing to the bottom of the we'll and laid
bare huge bowlder hanging as II ready
to topplc the next moment.
A faint moan from the bottom of the
we'll reached the ears Of those above.
'Oh, Ben. she is alivel Save herr
cried Mrs. Spratt.
Il can't, Mrs. Spratt. That rock in
the side of the we'll will fall in di
rectly," whined Ben.
10l, ..u. - Dont I'll lnuar voY