Year: 1866




about it as she always did.


''Them as has nothing is alters the most
wasteful, said she you'd orter remember
that you re to be married to man that has
something to manage and to take care OF. -
There Peggy Grey, never lets bit spoil,
and darns and patches, and makes and mends
year in and year out. But she's got $4,000
in the bank, besides what will come TO her
when the old man dies and she want took
in on charity. wish Merrick had took a
fancy to her."


Say good bye, and let him do so now, ="
said Noreland when the girl had tod him
her new trouble


''Ah, but have no other friends, and no
other home to go to- sighed Efie.


''You have, said Noreland, "a friend who
as you deserve. Share my home and my
life, Efie.'


Then he put his arms around her and kiss
ed her, and called her loving names, and she
promised him all that he asked of her.


She was too meet him on Monday evening
at milliner's shop in the village, and there
they were to take carriage and go to meet
the train The first practicable moment they
were to be married, and after that their bliss
was to have no end


'And as for the blacksmith, sneered
Noreland, he can have Peggy, you know,
so you need not fret about him, Effie"


For all that, Efie's conscience smote her
when Merrick was kinder than usual and so
full of Joy, as the time was now near at hand
when she was to be his wife, as they sat to-
gether on the porch on that Sunday, and
when Monday came she broke china and
made more blunders generally than had ever
been laid to her charge in years before. Mrs.
Masters thought that the girlauite knew
how mad poor Efie really was.


Tea was on the table and Mrs. Masters
busy with some dish sheprided herself upon,
and the sound of Merricks whistle grew
louder every instantas he tripped homeward
from the forge, when she slipped up to her
room, and putting on her things, slipped
down the back stairway, and away toward
the village.


If Mrs Masters missed her, she knew that
she would be only too glad to have her son
to herself for little while, and there was no
probability of Merrick following her.


But it was hard to choke the tears down
as she plodded through the long green-for
the snow had gone long ago, and twas sum
mer now-and she only made herself brave
by the thought that Noreland would die if
she did not keep her promise.


II couldn't break his heart, she said to
herself, even if l could bear to marry
another"


She reached the milliners shop at last,
and went to talk to one of the girls. The
plan was that when Noreland was ready to
show himself at the door Cor amoment, and
she was to go out to meet him and say good
bye" just as if she was going home.


Effie sat with one eye on the glass door
which opened from the work room to the
shop, while she tried to chat carelessly in
a few moments she saw man enter from the
street-not Noreland, but of all the people
in the world, Merrick Masters, Her first
thought was that he had followed her, but
in an instant she saw that he had business of
his own. He spoke some words to the mis-
tress of the shop, and she brought band
box


OF course the bonnet was surprise for
her, and it smote her to the heart to remem-
Der that she should be miles away before her
birthday dawned Poor Merrick would he
feel badly, and it was cruel of her.


AS she thought thus, the door opened
again, letting Merrick out with two bundles
in his hand, and two ladies in from the hotel,
whom she had often seen riding with More
land. Thes asked for ribbons, and went on
with their talk while examining them.


'.Who was that person standing before
the door ?"


"Oh, Noreland -


Il thought So How oddly he behaved.
He didn't seem to want US to SEQ him.


Perhaps he didn't, he has his secrets, 1
expect. One of th9m is that Irritation with
the blacksmith's girl. -


Shocking Some ore ought to write to
Mrs Noreland."


Poor thing, she is used to it. You know
she's quite middle aged and plain, and he
married her for her money. He's been at
his pranks ever since Actually, my dear,
he ran away with girl last summer. The
brother tried to shoot him and she drowned
herself 1t was a shocking scrape. If l
had such husband as Noreland, I'd have a
divorce"


So would I; 1 hope it won't come to
that with the blacksmith's girl she is a very
pretty creature.


Mrs Print, I'll take four yards of the
blue -


The ribbon was cut off, and the ladies
took their departure.


Efie sat thunderstruck They had been