News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-09-18
Sally Patterson.

From peak of the Alleghanies one
can see the town of Harburg, built
upon hill and almost surrounded by
a river that is famous in song. In the
days when a canal connected these
with a railroad which crossed the
mountains Harburg was place of in.-
portance.
Of its gay society Sally Donnelly was
the belle She was tall and slender.
Her bright eyes, rich complexion, ready
wit and graceful manners made her the
most attractive young woman in the
town Her teeth were very white, and
she being brunette used them in smile
and laugh with startling effect.
One evening at a ball John Patter-
son was introduced to her. He was
civil engineer, stationed at Harburg,
and he was handsome end his ability
to master difficult problem in mathe
matics was wonderful, but he could no
more have figured to a nicely on an
estimate of woman than he could
have told what the moons back is
made of Like all men of his kind he
fell in love without calculation. Sally
Donnelly simply bewitched him. He
loved her with such devotion that his
wooing was+ irresistible, and to the
astonishment of the gossips of Har-
burg it was soon announced that John
and Sally were engaged.
Gossips would not believe she would
marry him. Sally Donnelly had led
society to regard her as a person with
out heart, and no one thought her
serious in engaging herself to John Pat
terson. However, they were soon mar
ried, and moved into a brick house at
the foot of Main street. From his porch
John could see the packets come on
the canal and the trains go out on the
railroad. In his residence, called by
the people of Harburg 1.-The big brick,
Sally entertained lavishly. Her recep-
tions were the grandest Harburg had
seen, and she was courted by every
body. Her extravaganza was freely
commented upon, but her resources
were supposed to be great, for John
Patterson was believed to be rich.
Some happy years passed, and then
came CLOUD upon John Patterson's
brow. His house was big, his wife
beautiful, and he was seemingly sue
cessful in his business, but the voices
that sounded in his dwelling were alien.
He wished that children of his, born in
his house, shouted in its halls, frollck-
ed in its parlors and gladdened the
feasts in it's dining ROOM 1t would
have made him laugh to see child OF
his break piece of china that all the
housewives in Harburg coveted. But
his wish was not gratified, and the cloud
on his brow grew blacker.
And in the shadow on his brow came
wrinkle but his wife needed neither
wrinkle nor cloud. She was engrossed
with the preparations for a reception
that was to be magnificent. At night
she lay awake designing her toilet,
which she meant should be a marvel.
She asked her husband to draw curve
for the drapery of the skirt of her dress,
and he obligingly made one of sharp
declivity. She thanked him. but did
not use it.
1T is too precipitous." she said.
perhaps not, he replied.
1t was not. if considered II prophecy,
for there is a swftness in law process
that is startling; like the presto" of a
magician it works its changes sud
denly.
A week or more after her reception
Mrs. Patterson was returning some
,alls. She learned that her reception
had been n great success. 1t had
taught Harburg society the value OF
flowers in house decoration. As for hei
toilet it was pronounced n miracle
From listening to such tlattery Mrs
Patterson returned to her home with
radiant face and sparkling eyes. She
alighted from her carriage nimbly as 6
bird. and looking at the steps ran ur
them like n young girl. When she
grasped the door knob she noticed 6
handbiIl tackled on the panel. Angrily
she fore if down, and without looking
at it cruinpled it in her hand to throw
il on the pavement Then her sense O
neatness prevailed upon her to take the
sheet of paper into the house to throw
it in the waste basket.
She paused moment in the parlor
There, on the scene of her recent socla
success. she was softened. Her ange
melted away, and curiosity led her t.
open the paper, probably the lampoor
of some envious person who had boldl!
tackled it on her door As she ran he
eyes over the page the text began t.
grow coufneed, and she could scarcel.