The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-09-27

know he had had any taken. "
Went down to the store one day,
said Sally, and there he was 'burnin
IA dozen. Didn't reckon how t the,
favored him, he said. This here wa
jest scorchcd; bounced down on it.
I'll hey that, anyway, says |.
- Lor' .'says he, what dye wan
!, of that? but | KEEP it. Think it like
HING
"When he's serious, " said Audrey
Il said, That's your identica
image when you're in church. AnC
what Eye think he said? Reckon II
stay hum, then. Lor' . it is the beat
cncst how people want their cards tC
look. =
She had viewed without envy SaIly's
new bonnet; she had never coveted her
link bracelets. but she broke tho
eighth commandment when she looked
at Ned Norroway's photograph. am
sorry to say that she did not stop there.
Next day Sally went out to see Der
Cousin Pringlc, and about two in the
afternoon Audrey Dew stepped softly
upon the Slocum's front piazza, slip
ped in to the parlor window, and had
the photograph album in her pocket in
!
picture out by itself. her guilty con
science would have filled her With
/ fears of instant detection; but the
be laid at her door
Most singular thing | ever knew, =
said old Mrs. Siocum. relating her
experience to friends afterward. Some
tramp or somebody slipped in and
/ l. 1 III / /, +.
and low. and couldn't hear nothin'
ont; offered a reward and all. and Civ
it up: but about two weeks arter.
here comes Il bundle for Sally, aud
into it album, bigger and better by
| two than her tother was. and on the
first page the picture of her Uncle
Sias he's dead, We know. All the
rest she ha'n't never heard nothin' on.
And who took it, and who sent it, |
dunno, nor nobody
Nobody knew indeed, save one guilty
girl Cousin Ellen and Aunt Tabitha,
and Mr.. and Mrs. johnson and their
otfsprings. had smouldercd into ashes
between the covers of the book. and
only Ned Norraway's face existed
cut round and pendant IN IA tiny frame
and glass over Audrey Dew's foolish
little heart.
" What s that you re a wrarlu on
a chain?' asked Mrs. Dew of Audrey
Grandpa Browns hair, ma, said
Audrey.
Watching and waiting wears one
thin. Audrey was not quite as pretty
as she had been, If bloom and bright
ness make all beauty, as most folk
think they do, and she was conscious
of this, and aware also that her new
best dress was of an unhccoming color.
when, at Christine slide it was known
through the village that Ned had come
down to spend the holidays.
They met at church, and the rest Of
Christmas Day Ned spent with his old
employers family: while Audrey lost
her appetite for dinner. and wished
that she had never been born. There
was Nathan Prior, to be sure, doing
his best to please her, aud her cousin
Jack, from Hampton, trying TO cut
him out; but her heart was just as
heavy as lead and every smile was
forced and every word wrung from
her lips.
The next day Ned called. At the
announcement Yer heart tuttcred then
she ran to the glass. How ugly she
looked! She went down to greet him,
full of this thought, and gave him a !
frigid and impassiv" hand and sat !
bolt upright on the remotest chair.
you're not we'll, I'm afraid, Aud |
rey, " said Ned injudiciously.
Thank you, Mr. Norroway; | feel |
perfectly we'll, replied Audrey.
Ned bit his lip.
Pheasant weather for the season"
he said.
"Yes. " said Audrey. "and such a
pleasant Christmas Day Nathan Prior
spent ii with u.s. and Cousin Jack.
They are so full of fun. both of them
| never enjoyed myself so much"
IN glad /. hear it, " said Ned, and
then in came Mrs. Dew, and Audrey
lapsed into silence.
Ned took his departure Next even
ing they met at a little party. and
Audrey, longing for Ned's presence as
beggar never longed for bread, turned
her back on him and coquctted with
Nathan Prior. Ned waited on Ruth
Hallow home, and Nathan gave his
escort to wretched little Audrey! And
then Ned was gone. The city swal-
lowed him again. Folks heard that he
was getting on In August came
his friend, old General Spradell, to
enliven the village with his company.
General Spradcll called one evening
on the Dews, and in ten minutes
iLopped his bombshell at Audrey's
feet
wall. there's Ned Norroway gone
and got married. Went to his wedding
4 week ago. That's the paper Miss
udrey gals likes to read about wei
Inns: makes them think of ther own
he he! he!"
"Du tell - cried Mrs. Dew. Ned
married. -
II don't see why any one should be
said Audrey. It's the
natural fate of young men,.
$50 ii is, said the General. Il
mean TO try it some of these days my
elf "
Audrey took the paper to her room
md read the notice of the wedding
'On the LIST of August, Mr. Edward
Sorroway to Helen, youngest daughter
# Howard Iiotspur, Esq"
Therein, so she believed, lay her
worlds end.
.ftcr this, you know Miss Rose al
ways has wanted me to come to her
nd learn millinery. I'd like to GO"
There amt any need of your pas
laughter learning trade, - said Mrs.
Dew.
But | could make our bonnets. and
ave good DEAL" said Audrey: and
inally she had her way.
She only wanted To let her heart
freak away from tender. watchful