The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-06-06

TIT FOR TAT.
In the days when all the world was
romantic, and no one was ashamed of it,
two gentlemen in England conceived the
prepOsterous, but at the same time rath-
er fashionable, idea that, because they
were friends, their son and daughter,
then infants in their cradles, must love
each other when they grew to be man
and woman; and, having compared
notes and found that they quite agreed
on this point, set to work with zeal
worthy of better cause to arrange mat
ters 80 that they must turn out exactly
as they desired.
Consequently each made will, and
matters we're 80 arranged that If either
of the young people declined the hand of
the other, the young person would be
penniless, and his or her estate would go
to the other young person who was will
ing.
After some years the gentleman whose
child was daughter left his native Eng
land for America. while the other, who
was a widower, his wife having given
her life for that son, remained in Eng
land, so that the ocean rolled between
the romantic friends.
The English resident was named Ed
mund Harrington: the American, Chas.
Seabright.
Both were wealthy and brought their
children up carefully.
As they grew older they permitted
them to correspond with each other, out
each detested the task so that the letters
we're written by the elders themselves.
Once, at the age of fourteen, when
news news came that little Harold Har-
rington had fallen from a tree and brok
en- his leg, Elsie Seabright was desired
to reply that she felt great regret and
sent her best love and wishes for his
speedy recovery, but tho girl who could
never listen to the boys name with any
thing like patience, refused to write one
word, of this amiable epistle.
81 wish he had broken his neck, so
that might never hear any more about
him." she said, with stamp of her slip
pered foot, "and won't write fibs."
So again mamma wrote the letter, ,hav-
ing first locked Elsie up in dark pantry
by way of punishment.
'"And am sorry to find a child of
mine so unfeeling," sh said. "a broken
leg CAUSES RIedI pdlh anu hoy hohS NN
lame for life"
"a nice thing for me that would be II
am to marry him, said Elsie.
Indeed if she had been as sympathetic
as her mother desired, Elsie would have
had opportunity enough 10 exercise
these feelings. for her young betrothed
was always in some pickle, and had
nearly drowned and nearly shot himself
dozen times, to say nothing OF ordin-
ary tumbles.
1t was ut for tat, at all events. for
when Elsie had the measles Master Har
old had received the information with
contemptuous indifference amounting to
heartlessness, and had indeed said that
he did not care.
He hated girls, and this one the worse
of them all.
So, with the ocean between them, the
young people grew to maturity. and the
year approached in which they were to
meet.
But meanwhile all sorts of sad things
happened. Elsie lost both her father
and mother, and, away in England, MIR
Harrington died suddenly of apoplexy.
So the two men, who had looked for
ward for so many years to meeting
when their children were married, never
met again.
Mr.. Harrington could not bring his
son to America to see his lovely Elsie, as
he had proposed, and but for these OBJ
stinate wills the whole matter would
have been dropped, for the last thing
the young people desired was to meet
each other.
But the Young man was of age and the
property must be settled, and could not
be until the match was either on or { fl.
The old lawyers in whose hands the
affair rested, knew the feelings of their
wards; but they judged that a meeting
might mend matters. At least it was
necessary that they should meet.
So Harold, as in duty bound, was to
Icross the ocean to meet his betrothed
and give her an opportunity to refuse
him.
The news Of his arrival brought into
full activity those feelings of repug-
nance that Elsie had conceived for Har-
old in her childhood.
She had for a while resolved to yield
to her dead fathers wishes, but now she
felt that it was impossible.
Yet there was enough Of worldly wis,
dom in her head to teach her how much
better it was to be rich than it was to be
poor.
If he refused her, her fortune and his
also, would be her own by law.
She would force him TO refuse her, ,and
then she would return him his fortune
and all would be az it should be. But
how I'D she do this
The girl sat for a while IN deep everlt
and then arose ard clasped her hands
together.
A thought had struck her.
Their. was III the house n sramstieH
with as much conceit as any young
beauty WAS ever blessed with.
Her rough manners and ways ol
speech had become p-OverbiHl among
her own class, the other servants speak
ing OF her generally rs Crusty Betsey
Aud this girl had of late been occupied
I in the room Of her young mistress ovel
some new dresses.
Straight to this apartment Elsie flew
and, locking the door, sat down opposite
: Betsey and said
: Il have something for you to do, Bet
sey, and I'll pay you well for II.
"Just name II them" said Betsey.
"When ! was little girl, Betsey,
said Elsie, "poor papa promised that
should marry young gentlemen whit
lives in England when ! was grown. .anC
that If did not, should lose my for
= tune. Now the time has come, and h'
0 is coming; and can't marry him. Bet
: sey. l want him to refuse me. DO yo'
understand p
~ understand, said Betsey, "And If
. were you I'd huff him off quick enough
and make him glad to go, that would.
"And l can't think how to do 1t, Bet
sey, said Elsie, land if you can, yo'
must do it for me. While he stays yo'
must pretend that you are Miss Sea
i bright; you must wear my clothes, AM
5 take all the airs you possibly can, AM
. make him as unhappy as possible, 8
that he'll have TO refuse you-that il
me, you know. De as sharp as you ca
= with him, Betsey-never the least bl
kind or nice. You'll try, won't you
n,foav ~