Nevada County picayune., 1890-04-23

1 l Snaii DC aDle IO earn plenty 10l myself before long, mamma" she added, breathlessly, "for I can ride better than the woman in pink tar. latan and spangles, who jumped through the hoops at the circus. When the old gipsy told my fortune last year, at the county fair, she said a horseshoe would bring me luck some day; and l knew, of course, what she meant. So Eve been practicing riding ever since, when ever could get away from Aunt Beck and Uncle Joshua, and-'
 "Mrs. Dappleton Ames is in the drawing room, ma'am," said the white-capped maid, appearing with an oxydized silver card-rcceiver in her hand.
 Ard Mrs. Blythe checked her daughters condolences at once.
 "Lydia,' cried she, "I'm sur priscd at youl A great big girl like you scuilling and romping around the country Go back to Shady Plains by the very next tram, and try to behave more like lady. Why, you must be fourteen at least! !"
 "Seventeen, mamma, confessed the culprit. But aren't you going to give me the hundred dollars? ?''
 "I have not got a hundred cents" /" impatiently erred Mrs Blythe. And if l had, l wouldn't give it to you, you naughty, ill-behaved, romping- yes, Matilda, tell Mrs. Dappleton Ames that l shall be down directly and bring some tea and buns for for Miss. Blythe before the next train goes.
 But when Mrs. Dappleton Ames had finished her call, and Mrs. Blythe came back, the bird had flown Lydia, deeply wounded and resent ful, had promptly returned to Shady Plains.
 That old gipsy must have been a humbug, after all," thought the de- spairing girl. "Oh, what shall say to Uncle Joshna? Why was mamma so cold and cruel to me? Oh, dear, Pm very, very unhappy!"
 Shady Plainsl" shouted the con ductor.
 And as Lydia crept sorrowfully out of the train, something bright, like fallen drop of dew, sclntillated on the floor at her feet. She stopped to pick it up. It was diamond scarf-pin in the shape of horse shoe.
 "Squire Carhart's company must have dropped it." said Lydia to herself. "0h. how it sparkles! If it were only mine! For I'm sure it must be worth more than a hundred dollars" 7"
 She glanced furtively at a tall, broad -shouldered young fellow who had been seated In the train few seats beyond her.
 "He never looked around" Lydia thought "Im glad of it, for he must have known l had been crying. But must give this back to him. |"
 With . light, swift step she has tened to overtake Squire Carhart' s city guest.
 "Please, is this yours?" said she, holding up the glittering half-circle. "I found it on the car floor close to where you were sitting"
 He started and raised his hat.
 "It is MT. Wotton's niece, isn t it?" said he-"Miss Lydia? Yes, it is mine, and Pm a thousand times obliged to you. must have fastened it in very carelessly. And 1 value it very highly, too; it was gift from my father"
 "Is it worth a great deal of money?" asked Lydia, timidly lift ing her sea-blue eyes to his face.
 About hundred dollars, I sup pose"
 II wish it was mine," sad Lydia, with long sigh, as if she was think ing aloud.
 "Yours? Why, it isn't lady's ornament. "
 "Oh, not the pin!" Lydia hastened to explain; "but the money-the hundred dollars. Good-by. Here is the carriage waiting from Carhart Court"
 "Will you let me drive you as far as Wotton farm '" asked the stranger courteously.
 And tired Lydia willingly assented.