Year: 1859




been paying much attention to the reading, but
l knew upon which side of the paper to look.
Fanny told me it was time for me to go to bed,
however, and left my search before / could
find anything that seemed to concern Miss Ag-
nes. stopped at her door, and bade her good
night again and she came out to me, and
kissed me, and said was q good child, and
must not trouble myself about her.


The next day she seemed quiet, yet the same
as ever. Though | said nothing to anybody
else about her falntng, | could not help tell
ing my friend Jessie of t-for / always told
Jessie everything. Fanny called us the two
Jays, We chartered so when we were together.
| knew she would not tell anybody, so l could
not help sharing my wonder with her-what
could have made Miss Agnes faint SO sudden
ly She thought it must have been something
in the ewspaper-perhaps the death of some
friend, or the marriage of some other | was
willing to look again, and this time remember
ed three things that Fanny had just been read
ing when l had looked up at Miss Agnes
One was about Paul Shuttuck-in descending
from haycart, he had fallen upon pitchfork
and had seriously wounded his thigh. Anoth-
er was the marriage of Mr. Abraham Black to
Miss Susan Whitcomb and Fanny had won
dered if she were related to the Whtcombs of
Hadley. Then she had read singular adver-
tlsement for lost ring, seal ring, with some
Arabic letters engraved upon it. | was of OPT
Mon that Miss Agnes was somehow connected
with this net-ring-that it had some in6u-
ence over her fate. Jessie thought that Miss
Agnes must have been formerly engaged to
Mr.. Abraham Black, and that when sne heard
of his marrage-but / interrupted her in
this suggestion. In the first place, she could
never have been engaged to Mr.. Abraham
Black and then, nobody who could marry
Miss Agnes would think of taking up with a
Susan Whitcomb. So Jessie fell back upon
Paul Shattuck, and, to tell the truth, we had
some warm discussions on the subject.


Time passed on, and it was June One
lovely afternoon, we had quite frolic with the
hay, the grass having been cut on the lawn in
front of the house Miss Agnes had been with
US. We had made nests iu the hay, and had
buried each other in deep mounds of it, and
had all played till we were quite tired. went
into the house in search Of Miss Agnes, after
she had gone in, and found her sitting at one
of the side windows. came near, then wish
ed to draw back again, for saw tears in her
eyes But when found she had seen me, |
tried to speak as if had seen nothing.


How high the cat has to step, to walk over
the grass" said l. as looked out of the win
dow


Miss Agnes put her arms about me. "You
wonder, because you see me crying" said she,
and looked into my face.


a never before saw anybody cry that was
grown up" said I.


Miss Agnes smiled and said, They tell
children it is naughty to cry but sometimes
yon can't help crying, can you ?" And her
tears came dropping down


Yes, it is very bad she said, as she held
me in her arms, it is very bad but you do
help me- You shall be my little friend"
That was all She did not tell me anything
yet felt as if she had said great deal and
| did not speak of this to Jessie.
| A few days after, as | was passing the door
| of the parlor, fancied heard little cry, and
| it sounded to me as if heard the voice of Miss
! Agnes hurried in. A stranger had just
| entered the room But before me stood Miss
/ Agnes, pale. erect, her lips quiyering. She
/ held fast chair, which she had drawn up in
| front of her, as one would place a shield be-
tween ones self and some wild animal. How
slender and defenceless she looked ] fol-
! lowed the terrified glance of her eyes There,
in the middle of the room stood a stranger
not so terrible to look upon, for he was young,
and it seemed to me had never seen so hand
some a man. His black hair and and eyes
quite pictured my romance lie was strongly
ing a large marble table that stood near the
centre of the room, and wheeling it between
himself and Miss Agnes.


7 e H. I
build up a barrier between US. Poor lamb
YOU would like to be free from the clutches oi
the wolf p


Il am afraid of you," said Miss Agnes
slowy-and the color came to her cheeks
" Your know your power over me. | begged
you, if you loved me, not to come to me-"


"AlI for that foolish ring And the spir


its of mischief betrayed its loss to you; it was
none of my work that published it in the pa
pers. Can you let fancy, an old story in q
ring, disturb your faith in me ?'
" If the faith is disturbed" answered Miss
Agnes, what use in asking what has diStur
bed it ? Earnest, as you stand there, yoU
cannot say you love me as you once professed
to love me !"


Il can say that you are my guiding star
that, if you fail me, fall away into ruin"
Can my little light keep you from ruin p
said Miss Agnes, shndderng. Do not talk
to me so Alas, you know how weak
am ~


know that you are an angel, and that
am too a wretch to dare to speak to you.
J came here to tell you l was worthy of You
deepest hatred. But, Agnes, when you speal
to me Of my power over you, it tempts me t.
: WELD it little longer, before l fall below
. your contempt"


lie walked up and down the room, and pre-
; sently saw me standing there


"A listener !'' he exclaimed, ''you are afraid
l to be alone with me !"


L. IL.