The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-10-26
TWELVE
Pa2eS-
A BROKEN SIXPENCE.

The cry was SO full OF bitter anguish
that it touched even tie light and cal
loused heart of the man who heard it,
''Never mind. lassie." he said. cheerily.
What's 'good-by,' anyway Tis SO
much better than farewell :"
GAY. laddie, ay-'tis so. You'll come
again-youn come again to Mafgurth, as
you've glen me word, Alan?"
The question was SO eager. and yet so
tenderly confdenti
''Come again to you and Oban?" he
asked. laughing. "Now, could | stay
awayf There, they are calling from the
be true to the broken sixpence."
"True TO her troth plight, she thought;
'the angels in heaven could not be truer."
And as he waved his hand to her in last
farewell. she did not know that he had
no more intention of returning to her to
keep his plighted faith, than he had of
putting on last years faded garment,
thrown aside for a newer fancy.
She watched him till the binding tears
hid him from her sight. A cracked and
querulous voice greeted her as she en-
tered the little cottage.
$50 eos aye game, the moo? An twould
ha' been as weel had it been month
a-gane Ye've flashed me sair, Margurth,
wi your lovin's and leavin's. Gae to your
wark, girl"
Margurth sighed 1t was so hard to
be forced to her regular routine of duties
while her heavy heart longed for the
brooding silence of the beach and cliffs.
She had yet to learn that grief is soonest
overcome by firing labor.
'TI'd neer ha' seen him had ZEE game
month ago, aunt" she said, listlessly.
Ia. > -
had ye no."
"What mean ye, auntY" Margurth cried,
Indignantly. II haze his faith-surelie ye
Gamma misdoot the broken sixpencel"
cay, can l." replied her aunt, grimly,
IAN him as weel till see him again.
The days went heavily by at tho cot
tage. The aunt was more ailing and COM
planning than usual, and Margurth'6 life
at best was hard one.
She had soul above busting a2d dish
washing. things that occupied her aunt's
whole attention when she was able to
drag herself about her work. "Ah, bonnie
laverock" sighed Margurth, catching the
sound Of his merry lifting as it dropped to
her through the blue air. Gould but
wing wi you for day, how quick I'd find
him. an nestle doom into his lovin' heart"
But these longings she kept close locked
in her bosom, and the winter passed in
loneliness, but tinged with hope for the
coming spring.
When the snow had melted enough for
her to reach the village again, to mako
her simple purchases, she found that dur
ing the SHOWS and storms evil rumor had
been busy also. On every hand she met
with GOODNESS and suspicious glances
where she had been accustomed to warm
Iso1; ha,- n+ol. .o,S 81 h.
was vaguely troubled, but forgot all
about it in her bitter disappointment at
finding no letter as yet from Alan.
She was walking slowly, with bent
head, and was half way through the
town, when suddenly young girl turned
the corner ahead Of her and was hurrying
swiftly away.
'.Alicep she called, joyfully. Surely
her dear friend, her playmate of so many
bygone years. would be glad to give her
welcome.
The girl hesitated, then turned slowly
and waited.
81 thocht We didna sec me-" said Mar
gurth, smiling. "I'll gao wi ye to the
mither, noo-I hae word frae aunt"
To her surprise, the girl did not move
to accompany her.
"Wkat is't, them" she exclaimed i'm
patiently, "what ais the folk?"
II daurna, Margurth. said Alice, sadly.
.'Mither forbid that Il should speak wi
We, even. l Gamma bide to talk"
Alice saw two friends coming and tried
to hasten away but Margurth caught her
dress and so held her.
"Yc shall ma gae," she cried, "till We
hae telled me a'l''
"Gude company, tbs ye're keepin' Mis-
iaH ha fxrr Sr;,lo yI,,.h aI
just come up "Wheer's your fine lover,
sMargurthY' they sneered.
''Tis my lover ye're speirin' after; It's
for him ye treat me sael Because haze a
gran, guide mon to wed we gle me shame!
IT'S that We are jealous O. my guido luck"
cried Margurth, with blazing eyes.
"Na ma, spitfire," cried one; =" tbs not
your lover we care abou, tbs that he haze
gotten an game, as the sayin' rims. He'll
no como again to marry"
Alico had shrunk back ut this last
speech but now she looked inquiringly ut
Margurth and waited for her answer. AS
for Margurth she seemed like one stricken
to stone. Then she tore her broken six
pence from her bosom, where 1t had rest
ed for so many months, and held it out to
them.
"D'ye SEQ thatP" she cried, her breast
hcaving with anger and pain; "on' daur
20 gae against the broken saxpence? I'm
an honester lassie than you the day, yo
bold faced things"
For an Instant the girls were silenced,
for to them the ceremony of breaking q
sixpence when plighting troth was
much more binding than our engagement
ring, SO easily changed from one hand to
another; and in fact Is only exceeded in
soIemnity by the marriage ceremony it.
self.
But the girls soon recovered them
selves. 1t would not do to be cheated In
that way of so entertaining bit of scan.
dal
"Saxpenccs are mony," said one at last,
IAN how ken we but ye brak 1t yourself
IT'S year ago the fair night sin he left
yc; II your speech be true. he'll come
again before the year is oot--so well wait
WI o. patience till fair night, an then
we'll seel''
They ran away laughing, carrying Alice
with them, though she looked back and
evidently would have spoken. But Mar
gurth had turned away, and was walking
sadly homeward. So this was what 1t all