Year: 1875

TO MRS. FIELDING.


"DEAR AUNT hope you will cease to think
me mercenary, when you learn the resolution |
have taken. 1 do not intend to keep dollar OF
the money uncle Brainerd left me, for I do not
consider that it is justly mine. never thought
he would consider my attentions to him deserving
of any reward, and it has distressed me very
much that should have been the means OF caus-
ing so much vexation and just disappointment to
you all. have made'up my mind to leave mere,
for feel that, after what has passed, l can no
longer he happy in this place. Believe that am
most grateful for all your care and Kindness, ana
it will be best for us all. Give my love to my
PRAYERS. ALICE"


TO MAURICE.


"MY DEAR Cousin MAURICE-As I am about
to leave the farm think it necessary to write you
few lines, to say what shall not have an oppor-
tunity of telling you in person. You are aware,
by this time of the contents of uncle Brainerd $
WILL I have been deeply grieved that ne snoula 10
have decided on leaving me so large portion OF
his fortune. IeXpected nothing, and was propor-
tionately aStonished at the discovery. VI course,
1 shall not keep it, for this would be an act OF m
justice to your mother and the rest OF t1e iaiS
ofwhich could not be guilty. I ain told that you
have the money, in trust for me, until L come OF
age Consider it yours, and make any disposal OF
it that you think proper. have soemnly pledged
myself never to touch Il, and nothing Will lnouce
me to break this VOW -


II cannot express the deep feeling OF gratitude
which fills my heart, for all the kindness nave
met with in your house. l must thank yo', es-
pecally, for your goodness to me. snali ever
cherish the memory of your brotherly affection in
nv heart. hope you will all forgive ME for any
wrong things I may have done. Idare say nave
often given trouble, but never meant to pc un-
grateful. Please forget my faults and only re-
member me with Kindness may never see you
again, but will never forget you and will always
pray for your welfare. Do not give yourself any
trouble to find me, as your endeaVors would pe
useless. am sure it is for the happiness of us
all that should act as I am doing, and rs have
prayed God to direct and help me, l feel sure he
will take care of me and not let me 60 wrong.


"Good-bye, dear Maurice, and God bless you.
Do not forget me in your prayers. The thought
that YOU pray for me will he comfort when am


ALICE"


Over this simple and chld-like epistle, poor
Alice shed many tears 1t seemed like such
a final severance of all the ties which bound
her to the only remaining object of her atfec-
tion, and to the scenes which from long asso-
citation had become dear. But she could not
swerve from her resolution now ; and the let
ter was folded, directed and stamped, in readi-
ness to be mailed when she went out in the
morning.


Her last night at Berry Farm! Alice
could not believe it, as she laid her throbblng
head on the pillow, to snatch few hours rest
before starting on her eventful journey. Ex.
citement almost precluded the possibility of
sleep, and it was not until long after midnight
that she fell into restless and feverlsh slum-
Der, from which she started up to find the
cold grey dawn of the December morning
family struggling through her windows, and
to realize that the hour of her departure was
at hand.


She rose noiselessly, and in trembling haste
dressed herself and finished the few necessary
preparations that remained to be made. Her
chamberwas small one scarcely y more than
a closet, which adjoined the room in which
her elder cousins slept. She had moved into
it some months before, in preference to shar,
ing their somewhat crowded quarters, and
how thankful she felt now that she had made
the change Her door opened upon the en-
try, and through this she could pass out and
get down stairs without much fear of arous-
ing any of the family. She had purposely
left the door slightly ajar on retiring to rest.
She now pushed it very gently open, and bag
in hand, crept on tiptoe out, feeling her way
cautiously down the dark and narrow stair
case. Once board creaked beneath her feet,
and she stopped, trembling with the fear of
detection; but all was quiet, and with renewed
courage she proceeded on her way until she
found herself at the back door, which was
easier to open than the 'front.' as it was only
secured by a wooden bar placed across it on
the inside This bar she gently removed ; the
latch turned without difficulty, and as she
opened the door, rush of cold keen air met
her, like g. greeting from the pitiless world
into which she was making the first step. But
she stepped bravely out, and animated with
feeling of excitement and daring that gave
her courage, hurried on her way, only turning
to bestow one parting glance Oh the homestead
she was leaving forever.


She was familiar with the road to the sta
tion, and had no difficulty to encounter on the
way, except the weight of her heavy bag,
which somewhat encumbered her movements.
She had started so early that she found, when
she got there, that she had at least an hour to
wait an hour that to her impatient mind
seemed an age. She mailed her letter to
Maurice, and then sat down in the empty,
looking waiting room, feeling as II
she must be somebody else, everything seemed
so desolate and strange. At last some coun-
try people came in to wait for the train. They
stared at her at first, and she kept her veil
down and looked in another direction, fearing
they might be persons who would recognize
her. But in a little while they ceased to no.
tice her, and commenced talking loudly to
each other of their own concerns. No one
else came in, though two or three rough-look-
ing men gathered on the platform as the time
for the arrival of the train approached; and
presently, to Alice's great relief, the whistle of
the locomotive was heard. A few minutes
later, the cars stopped in front of the platform,
and she quickly entered one of them and
made her way to the most retired seat she
could 6nd-no difficult matter, as there were
few passengers on board. When the conduc'
tor came to her to collect the fare, she timidly
mentioned to him where she was going, and
asked him to tell her when it was necessary
for her to get out; and satisfied with his
promise to pay her all requisite attention, she
leaned back in her seat and tried to compose
her mind, and realize, in some degree, the sit
uation in which she had placed herself
| Thoughts of Maurice, of the home she had
left, of her aunt's probable anger on reading
her note, of all the various circumstances Of
the past few days, which had so strangely
operated in changing the whole current Of her
existence, rushed through her brain, and com.
bining with the extreme weariness produced
! by over-excitement of her nervous system
gave her feeling of bewilderment and un,
reality that finally led to temporary forget
fulness of everything but the craving for rest
of mind and body which overpowered her
and yielding to the drowsiness which took
possession of her faculties, she was soon in a
slumber which even the noise and jolting Of
the cars could not disturb.