Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-03-21

ner hands nlled with late roses ahn
branches Of green holly, bright with
berries.
''See," she said, ''two seasons in one
bouquet. The roses are for your moth
er. / found them on bush in sheltered
corner, and as we came along | made
Nesbit cut the holly for me- never can
resist holly. That tree by your gate is
the loveliest thing have ever seen; just
like those in the store windows at home
for Christmas. Only we never had such
profusion of berries, and don't think
they were as bright. Do you think the
holly we get at home is as bright,
Norman"
"Oh, yes; it looked always pretty
every Christmas" replied Norma, who
did not like Virginia exalted at the ex-
pense Of her native place.
"But not with such masses of berries
Just look at this branch; was there ever
anything more perfectS Princess, please
give me something to put it in. It's far
too pretty to throw away. Can have
that vase on the piano!"
Pocahontas smiled assent. She could
have holly by the cart load, but she liked
D1duS4O llSldSlu. w llll0 GUS OLnSTS
chatted, Blanche decked the vase with
her treasure; then two others which she
found for herself on a table in the corner.
There were still some lovely rich bits,
quite small twigs. left when she had fin
ished, and she once more clanored for
something to put them in.
Pocahontas, in the midst of an eager
discussion with Thorne and Norma, in
which both were arrayed against her,
glanced around carelessly. There was a
cup and saucer on Il small stand near
her, and she picked up the cup thought
lessly and held it out to Thorne. Just
as their hands met in the transfer, both
Of them talking, neither noticing what
they were doing, Berkeley entered sud-
denly and spoke, causing them to start
and turn. There was quick exclama-
ton from Pocahontas, wild clutch into
space from Thorne, and on the floor be-
tween them lay the fragile china in half
dozen pieces.
Pocahontas bent over them regret
fully. 1t was the cup with the dream
ing Indian maiden on 1.-THE cup from
which Jim Byrd had taken his coffee on
that last evening. There were tears in
her eyes, but she kept her head bent SO
that no one should see them. She would
rather any cup of the set should have
come to grief than that one.
She had brought it into the parlor sew
eral days before to show to visitor,
who wished a design for hand screen
for fancy fair, and had neglected to re-
place it in the cabinet. She reproached
herself for her carelessness as she laid
the fragments on the piano, and then the
superstition flashed across her mind.
Could it be an omen? The idea seemed
foolish and she put it aside.
"Don't feel badly about it," she said to
Thorne, who was humbly apologize for
his awkwardness, sit was as much my
fault as yours; we neither of us were
noticing. IndGed, it's more my fault, for
if hadn't neglected to put it away the
accident could not have happened. You
must not blame yourself so much"
"In the actual living present, Pm the
culprit," observed Berkeley, "since my
entrance precipitated the catastrophe.
startled you both, and behold the RESULT
Nobody dreamed of convicting me, and
this is voluntary confession, SO expect
you all to respect it; the smallest unkind-
ness will cause me to leave the room in a
torrent of tears"
Every one laughed, and Pocahontas
put the fragments out of sight behind a
pile of music books. She could not put
the subject out of her mind so easily, al
though she exerted herself to an unusual
degree to prevent her guests from feeling
uncomfortable; the superstition ranked.
AS they took leave, Thorne held her
hand in a warmer clasp than he had ever
before ventured on, and his voice was
really troubled as he said:
81 can't tell you how worried / am
about your beautiful cup. never had a
small accident trouble me to the same
extent before. feel as though serious
calamity had befallen. There was NO
tradition, no association, l hope, which
made the cup of special value, beyond its
beauty, and the fact of its being an heir
loom"
Pocahontas was too truthful for evas
ion.
"There were associations, of course,
she answered gently, with that cup as
well as with the rest of the china. 1t has
been in the family so many generations
you know. Don't reproach yourself an
more, please-remelnber twas as nue.
my fault as yours. And broken things
need not remain So" with an upward
glance and bright smile, ''they can b.
mended. shall have the cup riveted.
She would not tell him of the supersti
ton; there was no use in making hin
feel worse about the accident than b.
felt already. She did not wish him to b,
uncomfortable, and had gladly assumed
an equal share of blame. 1t was ex
tremely silly in her to allow her mind t.
dwell on a foolish old tradition. How
could the breakage Of a bit of china, NJ
matter how precious, presage misfor
tuner It was i'll doing that entailed il
fortune, not blind chance or heather
fate. She would think no more Of foolisl
old potents.
Still, she wished the cup had not beel
broken-wished with all her heart tina