The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-04-06
THE MAGPIE'S NEST.
How John Found His Sweetheart
Had Been True.

Had Been True.
| There stood in Berkshire, England,
far out upon quiet country road, a lit
| tie inn, which the wooden sign swing
| ing at the door declared to be known as
The Magpie's Nest"
| 1t had been thus named because of
the number of magpies in the neigh
borhood- And straight before the door
stood an oak tree century old, among
whose uppermost branches, year in and
year out. always hung a magpie's nest
to which the country people believed
that the same old magpies returned
regularly.
No very elegant entertainment was
offered ut the Magpie's Nest for either
man or beast, but its patrons thought
the ale good. and then it was served To
them by the most charming, rosy
checked little barmaid, who wore a cap
with bright ribbons, and had waist
that could have been spanned by two
hands-a weli-behaved little maid also,
who resented too much freedom by a
box on the ear, and who was known by
the rector of the parish to have been
the best girl in his Sabbath school. So,
though she was poor orphan. and had
only her little need of wages, Betty
might have married NAVY stout
young farmer However, she refused
them all. and kept on with her duties
at the Magpie's Nest until the son of
her master, coming home from India
where he had served as soldier for
several years, fell in love with her and
offered her his hand and heart. Betty
did not prove unkind The innkeeping
father was willing enough to secure
his handy Betty for a permanent as
sistant, and. amid the chattering of the
magpies, Betty and John exchan ged
their vows under the nest-hung oak
tree one bright afternoon, and John
put upon her finger thick silver ring.
which he had obtained abroad, per-
haps by purchase. perhaps by gift,
perhaps as soldiers obtain many things
in time of war.
1t was not costly gift-to our eyes
it would not be a beautiful one-but
Betty valued il highly. She kept it
polished to perfection, and wore it
with great pride on high days and hol-
idays; but though she loved John and
looked forward to her wedding day
with joy. she would not alter the
bright coquettish manner which had
always belonged to her She joked
repartee for repartee, and even gave
them those bright glances which John
the soldier thought should only be
given to himself. So John grew jeal-
Gus, and. being moody sort of man,
said nothing about it.
1t never entered Beuty's mind that
the very manner which had once en-
chanted John should now cffend him,
and she herself grew angry with her
lover for his scowls and suIkiness
Therefore, when young Frenchman
from Marseillcs, bIack-eyed. black
haired and as polite in his manners as
Frenchmen usually are chanced, in the
course of business journey. to stop at
1.-The Magpie's Nest" she felt that he
would be really a fine example for surly
John Leaf. and was amiable to him to a
degree that might have made n less jeal-
Gus man angry. Then, indeed, John
Leaf spoke out, and Betty discovered
the secret of his i'll temper. Her pride
being fiattcred thereby, she forgave him,
and retired on Saturday night with the
firm intention of winning back Johns
smiles on the morrow, her holiday, when
she would go to church in her best at
tire and charm his heart from him over
again as he walked by her side. What
woman ever had any design on a mans
heart, ever desired to win from him
any favor any gift. that she did not
bethink her of all her finery Before
Betty slept she took from her trunk
her Scotch plaid dress, her fringed
shawl, her blue-ribboned cap, her Sun
day shoes and her silv .r ring. and hav-
ing given the latter an extra polish,
laid them where they would meet her
eyes the first thing next morning.
John Leaf, sullSing in his room under
the garret caves, had not thought of
this Those slow natures do not for
get and forgive in a hurry, any more
than they do anyth ing else.
The morning sun, shining aslant
against the inns wall, aroused Betty
with his first rays. She rubbed her
eyes, opened them, put her fat little
feet out upon the floor, knelt down and
said her simple prayer and then flew to
the glass. 1t was only crooked thing,
with flaw in it, and a rough oailen
frame, but ii was sufficient to make her
happy. She braided her hair. put on
her cap, buttoned her dress. tied about
her throat the gay neck ribbon, laced
her shoes geometrically, and then
looked for her ring. 1t was gone.
Betty sat down and wept bitterly.
All the country people of that day were
supelstitious. The ring had disap-
peareI in Il most mysterious way, for
her door was bolted and her window
high from the ground, and she firmly
believed that the loss portended some
great evil
Meanwhile at the bar of the inn
little scene was going on. The French
man had asked for a glass of ale and
John, who was always tapster on Sun
day mornings. had drawn it for him,
when, as their hands almost met in the
act, he saw upon the little finger of his
customer thick silver ring, the very
counterpart of that which he had given
to his Betty.
You've a pretty ring, monseer," he
said, with a sort of catching of the
breath. MAY l ask where you got it?''
''Ah, but, certainly" said the French
man. "One does not boast, but pret-
ty girl gave me that Yes, and kiss
also"
John turned as pale as his forid face
could turn. He made no answer, but
marched straight out of the tap-room
and into Betty's kitchen.
She stood near the door in her holi-
day dress, with her white cotton gloves
on. The magpies were chattering over
head, and afar the church bells were
ringing