The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-08-21

M tsuuibk SrstvsIu WV hst VSffsSt
stcd; those turning east, or 10 the direc
iion OF Wskely. serc fresh, aud Huldsl
mechanically walked eastssrd.
To wbss spdi II Topsy bad broken be
halter and fristsd up the road Hnldsi
tbougui she might oversize her II sb,
/ had been stolen aud ridden sssy At a fosu
4 ips troi-----
But Haidsb could mol have sat tiilI; ali,
could not bsve waited. Doing something
~ss better tbsn doing nothing. She nigh
7 fnd some trace OF her
/ Her anxiety left her no choice. She
sent bresthiessly trampius on up the
dusty road
She thought she bad been unbsppy be
fore. but now she w1 miserable. Sbe Wal
confused. too 10 her misery.
She had gone = quarter Of . mile before
IL occurred 10 her that Ahe had left the
house unlocked. a. well a. the barn.
But what were the spoons or the
butter dlsh compared si.h TopsyP Ga.
desri
She was glad it vss getting dark; nos
body would reesgnize her. But even SC,
people staree at the hurrying, barebeaded
girl and wondered.
0uce or twice she mustered courage 10
ask il Topsy had been seen, but nobody
bad seen her.
She felt like tramp, and she supposed
she looked like one Was she going to cry
again? She would not But II any other
calamity had befallen her than losing
Topsy anything And it was ber fault,
her negligence
Once she thought she saw her cropping
the grass by the roadside, and her heart
boui dea but il WAS only peaceful red
COW.
Al the next half mile stone she was sare
she saw Topsy ahead OF her, with the
thief GU her back. but it was Hiram White
on his old racksbones with . bag OF
grist.
She was getting tired at last, She had
raced along 10 such frightened hest that
she had not thought Of the distance.
But where was she' why. almost TO Ben.
tons corners almost two miles. And
houses were scarce here.
Huldah glanced around her fesrfully.
How dark it WAS getting
Sill she pressed on. The thought that
it was Topsy phe was searching for spurred
her.
But she was growing weak. Her snxh.
y spd her long tramp and her nervous
fears b, re this lonely ioM were more
Than she had bargained for. She found
herself trembling.
Poor HuldaLl her faithful. grieved little
heart swelled with despair.
She peered ahead Nothing and nobody 10
be seer; no Topsy.
A light cleaned from . house far ahead
"a q ghos,ly way. aud an owl hooted
,wsy of in the woods.
oh, what was thst2 1t was only friend
y stray cat rubbing against her, bnt II
was too much for Huldah in her strained
,tate
She recoiled 10 fright and gasped, and
hen sitting down on asmooth, fiat stone
,esr by tried to smile -strove to rally
Ter scattering senses and quietly tainted
way.
She was not on the stone when she came
o herself. Joe Brockwsy WAS on the stone
md she was in Joe's arms.
She remem bered it all iu minute, and
vas Indignantly ashamed Of herself She
a up suddenly and rigidly and stared.
L .. Joe was holding her. and her Uncle
sobert was kneeling beside her. with his
|orid face whitened and . lantern in bis
and, and the buggy stood 10 the road.
Huldah. Joe was gssping. what il II.
ear, what is in How did you come
Iore? HuldaL--
| Thought you'd goue TO W.kely. Joe,
Inldah said tiemulously, at which her
|neie RJbsri gave an excited laugh.
swow she's all right! he calculated
iuldy, we've been scairt out OF our wits.
Why we thousht you'd lost your senses,
Al, und like this, We come
nightly near not seeing you neither
No, no! cried Huldpb, passing her hand
YER her d "a eyes
And then, struggling to her feet. she
erved herself for the worst
! came clear up here trying to fnd Topsy
ne fsltered. She's lost, Uncle Robert
hes either got loose or been stolen, and
g my fault
Lost Joe cried There she stsnds 10 q
ls tLills.
Is that Tops,2 Huldsb gssPed. and her I
Jucle Robert laughed again. 4
swan, you arc sll rightl be repeated q
nate Topsy, sure. Help ber into the
nsgy h,re. and lets &c, this thing untang
ID little Tr.mped two miles did you. q
Iuljah
Poor. poor little girl! Joe murmured. !
uidsh. hos could your And Iopsy right
iiisgei! Hnldsh. do you know where i
sv. been aud whA. wr've been Tor i
They ~ere 10 the buggy now. and Topsy 4
yes. Topsy- was iro,iiug toward Chez il
" as ouly Topsy could ro'. But HUI. b
could no. free her COLI little hand y
ON joe. .
Yes. tell her the hull thing said Uncls Y
pb-rt eIpio.ivriy.
anldsb, ssid Joe. sld his voice troubled d
little. we've been TO Wskely 10 get . .
Arrisge liceusr - our marriage license.
uidsh. Ii was surprise you zee its d
irIrise we've been lspnipR for weeks. h
ou've been ~orkibg too hard. and We v
,th koew IL. and made up my mind TO b