The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1897-12-02


locked tull igio ber boaed eyes
Yea lanI look Lac cheat, be sal
bai who koosss voman' Take od yor
gloves, Betty,
she oheyei
Where's yoaf finsi be Mfed
Fft'y burst int tears.
ils iost J8ho, shs said can ind
uosbefe.
Y5u haven looked on u uousiuers dager
shen, said J5hB You poor Iool, to give
to hlm, aud think shouidl't know II.
Oa, III lssest never did, sobbtd BE
ty. give your nng to any one else
Way John---
/ Bat be pushed her from bin With
rough band aud would near no word
iron her, and the neIt day be left the inr
aud enlisted once more aud ~ss seut swsy
again to lDdn. And Betty left the int
also, aud took service with farmers wife
close by, snd wbsteyef the msgpies chat
tered about, II was 20 more Of the love
making that they heard when John aud
Betty sat to ether beneath the old oak
tfee
Five years went by At last John re
oeived letter from England, telling him
that bis father was dead and had left sll
his little possessions to bis only son.
John Leafs lighting days we're over, 10
any case, aud be was on the invalid list
for life, He fought as desperate men do;
bad been commended and promoted. and
had some medals and ribbons to show
and boast Of as compensation for wood
en- leg, SO be went homo again and set
tied down as proprietor OF the Magpies
Nest and was sort OF hero smong the
negbbors; but be was very lonely Men
do not qnite forget in five years. He
could still see Betty's bnIom form fitting
about the kitchen in Imagination; and
" ben the msgpies chattered in their nests
be could fancy that he sat with her under
The oak branches. Then be grew wroth
with the maPpies, who seemed to mock
him, aud ordered bis pot boy to tesr the
nest down.
10 vain the hoy pleaded for the birds.
n vain be declared that, even il the new
tests went, the old one in the topmost
branches should be left for luck.
II the old magpies that built that End
t gone, they'll peck sone ones eyes ont
q the night time, said the boy. It's been
nown to be done often.
But John Leaf, the soldier, had cast
way all his superstition.
I'll have those msgpies ohattering about
ly ears DO more. be said. Up and leave
OF nest Of them all. Some OF the
oisy rascals will take possession Of that
Id rag il it is left hanging.
SO the boy ebeyed, He planted
'dder against the tree and then swung
ut upon the branches. There was
rieyous noise; and doubtless to this day
ID magpies tell their children OF that
assacre OF the innocents at the great oak
zee, But there were no birds to chatter
ID scream 10 that great rag OF 3 nest
hich the boys hands clutched OF last
e came down with the relic in his hand
ID stood before bis master with a grin.
Eh, masterl may have all found in
le nest? be asked.
II it is not magpie's egg, said John =,
eaf.
It's better than that, said the lad. Its +
silver ring, i,
Let me see it cried John Leaf, and
atched it from his band.
1t vas the ring with which be had u
lighted bis troth to Betty under the oak q
d be knew that the magpies had stolen h
and that the Frenchmsn wore one that =.
aem bled it, b
The first thing that John did was TO
Il himself hard names: jealous fool :.
suspicious bruteI Heaven knows what ,
e. Then be melted, and sll by him -
I in the wood beyond the house, shed !,
rs, and vowed to find Betty II she still n
ed 90 earth. p,
Where be went, OF whom be irqured,
tters not. But one day when the sun p,
e setting 10 the west, be opened little IN
tsge gate to which he bad been direct
and saw at her knitting, under q vine .,
cred porch, bis Betty, not changed >,
g single Bit And che? She looked at
u snd did not know bin with bis thin, -
low face and bis wooden leg, =,
What may you be wanting, siri she :,
ed. II
ADd he said: Bt'Jl -
Md sbe cried out: Why, MERCY. it's a;
ln Leaf.
Then be eat down on bench close by -.
side. :.
iou know | bever bad many words to %
.nd on snytbing, Betty, be said. III ~
ne to the polLt st once. | know nov -
t you we're true and DO cheat, aud ths,
/ never gave my ring to Monsisur. / 7,
I'D 1t or my lad did, for lm not very IL,
d st climbing now in the old mag
e 81 In the osk lr0e.
10 the msspie stole it; ebf said Betty =,
u, they afe strange birds, I've heard
J ve taken sro)os before now. -,
nd 30, b t,y. said JJhu, II you'll over -
k he past sud let bygoues be bygones -,
be q happy man,
owe you DO grndse, ssid Betty. and n
once are byg nes John Lat A.
lot you'li let things be s they w,re,
~ ssid aho. Ysu'll be my sweet
ri sssitf
be Laughed