Ellie's Sacrifice

My heroine's name was Ellice Auld. You wouldn't have known it, pcrhaps, for everybody called her Ellic. It was a babv name, she said, and she didn't like it; but that is what people called her, nevertheless. Perhaps her slight figure, and small, round face, with its short, clustering auburn hair, had something to do with it; I am quite sure that her raouth had, for it hadn't grown a bit since she was live ycars oíd. She was seventeen, but she had a look of being only fourtoen. Almost everybody thought that she was fourteen, but Captain Jerry knew better. Captain Jerry was Captain Jeron Jones of the navy. That is, he had been in volunteer service for five years, having been bred a sailor. When ruy story opened, he owned abeautifulyacht, and a fine stone house and garden down on Appleton's Beach. Ask anybody to teil yon where that is. Ellie lived in Boston with her Annt Margaret. At least, there was her home ; but for the last two vears she had been away at school. When she came home at vaoations, she and her aunt always went down to Appleton's Beach to make Captain Jerry a visit. Ellie could not remember when she had not known him. He was rather short and stout, with a twinkling eye and a head of silverygray, curlj' hair. He alvrays wore an entire suit of iine, fïrni gray cloth. He carried a very hapdsome gold watch, which Ellio used to play with when she was small cnough to sit on his knee, and it would do you good to hear him laugh. Everybody called him Captain Jerry, though he was no military man. The name suited him, just as Ellie's second appellation probably suited her. Aunl Margaret Kendell had certainly been a handsome woman. She had a straight nose, and bright oj'es, and very smooth, pink cheeks at the time I am telling you of, though her hair was full of silvery streaks. When Ellie went back to school after her last vacation, she feit a little uneasy about her aunt. It seemed to her that she was growiug pain aud old-looking; that she went about silently, as if something troubled her; and she could not once remember having heard her laugh in the old, pleasant way. She had been so glad to be at home, had so much to see and do, that ghe had not exactly noticed at the time; but when she was "in the cara, going schoolward again, she realized it, and was conscience-smitten. 'O, I hare been so giddy!" she said. "Why didn't I see and liud out what ailed auntie? She said nothing; buc then I supposo she thought I was a baby and couldn't do any good. O, I do wish people wouldn't cali me Ellie, and that I hadn't such short, curly hair, acd such a babyish mouth! What's the use of g'owing up if nobody knows it? There's arry Haydon always says, 'Goodraorning, Ellie,' as careless as can be, while he takes off his hat to Bell Covert, and aetually blushes when he ninn te Viiït" So, whcn the cars stopped at Saunders Centre, and Ellie was waitingin the latlies' room, the driver of the stagt whieh went over Academy Hill put hit head in at the door and called, "Is Miss Ellie Auld hcre?" she inirnediately corrected him: "I am Miss Ellice Auld." "All right," ho said, good-naturedly: "place lor you in the stage." At her first opportunity Ellie wrote te hei aunt. "Deak Auntie:- I want you to writc immediately aud teil me what troubles you. 1 did not see it while I was at home, but ] have been thinking about you ever 6ince, and I am convinced that you have somethiug on your rnlnd which you have not confided to me. You have trrown pale, and you did not once laugh in your old, hearty way. Somethiug has happeued ; teil me what it is. 1 am not a baby ; f am a woman. Conflde in me, dear auutic. Two heads are better thau oue, if one is covered with little, silly, short curls. "Affectionately yours, Ellice. It was somc time bcfore an answer eanie; but at last it did come, and read as follows: "Mr Deab Child: - I am sorry that you have had any troubled thoughts about me Be sure that wbether or no I have any secre cares, you can do me no goöd, except in ex celling in your 6cholar6hlp, and graduating Boon enougb to be with me bcfore anothcr long, cold winter comes. I get very lonesomL 8ometimes, but noihing does me as much gooi as to know that you are doing wel], and that vou are in good health and happj. Captain Jerry was in town yesterday. líe caljcd, anc eaid that he sent you hts tore, and that Apele ton Beach was loncsomt without you. Write as often as you can, devote yourself to your studies, auil don't be troubled about me. Ailectionateiy, 'Acnt Makgaret." This lfftter did not satisfy Ellie at all. But there was nothing more that she eould do but to apply herself to her graduation and get home the next f all. She graduated in July, and went home the first of September. She looked up at the windows as the hack drew up to the door of her aunt's house, but no one was to be seen. A'strange maidservant adrnitted her, a little chore girl, remarkably stupid; but she told her where her aunt was. 'She's not in the parlor, miss; Mr. Stacy has the parlor, and Miss Travers is in the next room. You'll find her up stairs in the front chamber, miss. That's her room now." Ellie flew up stairs. There, at tho front window, sat Aunt Margaret, sewinnp lng' "O dear, dear auatie, I'm so glad to see you!" she cried, springing iuto her arms "But what in the wond are you here forP and what did the girl mean by saying that Mr. Stacy was in the parlor, and Miss Travers in the sitting-room ? and why do you have such an insignifioantlittle maid? and where's Betty?" "Take off your wrappings and sit down, my dear. I could not aflbrd to keep Betty." 'Why not, auntie?" Ellie, in the brisk work of the last threo months.had forgotten she had been fearful that sornething troubled her aunt; besides, when one has reason for being happy about something, one forgots or disregards certain other tbings not pleasant. InEllie's pocket, at that very moment, was a little note whichread as follows: "Dear Ellie: - When I met you at church yesterday, 1 did not have time to say to you what I wished tosay, though I knew I would not see jou :iiru:n. YVon't you write to me aftcr you are at home? I have no sisters, as the other fellows have, and I have cared a great deal more for your smiles and pleasant words tban you know. I should bc very unhappy iL I thought 1 should never see you agaln. Won't you write me a little word of reply! Very truly your f rlend, ''Habrt Hatdon." Enclosed ia tbc sheet was a photograph of a very agreeable young fellow. with pleasant eyes and a blonde nioustacbe, which Ellio had privately pronounced the roost beaulif ui mouatackc in the vvorld. So it is not to be wondereil at, perhaps, that shc experienced a sudden shock when she saw her aunt's face paler than ever she had seen it in her life, and with hollows under the eyes that seemed to have changed it utterly. "Why, Aunt Margaret, have you been sick?" she asked. "No, dear." "Why, it frightens me to look at you, soniehow. What has happened?" Aunt Margaret look Ellie's hand and drcw her down to a seat at her feet. "You aro a woman now, Ellie, and perhaps I ought to teil you.1' "Yes, teil me, auntie. What is it?" "Well, my lines have fallen in hard places, Ellie. 1 have been well off, bnt now I ani poor. I let my lawyer. Mr. Perry, use a largo sum of my money in a speculation which promised well, but proved an utter failure. Then thcy taxed me heavily for my house. I could not pay the taxes, and was obliged to sell it; but I rent it again, and let part of it to . lodgers, which brings in the rent. But 1 have literally no homo any longer, Ellie - none to offer you. The house is old-fashioned, and does not let well. Poople of taste and means prefer more modern habitations. I have hardly any income and am worriod about my next quarter's rent." "But where is the money you received for the house, auntie? How long ago did you sell it?" "More than a year ago, Ellie, andthe money has gonein different ways-somo of it for your schooling." Ellie was grave enough now. She saw how it was. Dear Aunt Margaret, who had been as a niothor to her, and her dearest friend all her life had come to want. Her heart swelled in her throat, and hor lips quivered. Aftor a moment she controlled herself. "Well, auntie," she said, "I am young and strong, and have a a good education. I will go right to teaching, and that will be an ineome for both of us. ril begin to-morrow getting a school." Trying and succeeding are two different things. There appeared to be a wonderf ui overplus of teachers. It seemed to need a remarkable degree of outside influence to secure the ear of the committee, in the iirst place. Ellie and her aunt had always been quiet, retired people, living much to themselves, and Ellie had no ono to recommend her to the august trio. Again, there seemed verv few vacancies. and thougrh she was L examined, and pronounced competent , and offered sonie encouragcment, sh nevergained a position. Sho becam , faggedand cxhausted in her endeavors and though several sweot little note ' caine trom Harry Haydon, she coulc hardly lock glad over them. She mus do somethingto support herself, atleasi . She could not burden her aunt. What she did not kuow. She was so youn . and inexperienced. Just at this time Captain Jerry carn '. vip from Appleton Beach. ' 'Why, Ellie. you have grown as pret ty as a pink," said he. Ellie did not feel in the least like pink. She had walked the day befor until she was utterly worn out, anc , when night came, she had slept s soundly that she awoke in tha morning with a headache. Tlien sho had cricd : little before coming down to breakfast whioh did not tend to improve her ap pearance, she thought. "So you are worried, are you?" sai( Captain Jeny, then. EUio looked up eagerly. "Has Aunt Margaret toldyou, then?' "Yes. and we have concluded that i would be a good plan for you to go down to Appleton Beach to live." "To your house?" "Yes, will you go?" A sudden thought flashed over Ellie Through all Captain Jorry's bacheio days, ho had repeatedly declarcd tha Ellie should be his little wife somo day He meant now that she should niarn him. She turned pale as snow, and then flushed from head to feet. Before sh knew what she ras going to do, she hac turned and run out óf the room. She locked herself in herchamber anc sat down to think. Could she do it? Yes she would. Aunt Margaret must be taken care of, and there was the com fortable stone house at Apple ton Beach 1 She wasn't any more in love with Capt Jerry than if he were her father; bu she put herself out of the question. He was good, a safe man to trust in an' emergency, and Aunt Margaret woult always find him a friend. She woulc live with them, of course, and have the littlo south room that overlooked the garden, and Ihe terrible weight an( horror which had been accumulating on Ellie's spifit for weeks gave way U a nervous delight. She thought o Harry Haydon, and her heart seemec to stop beating; but she said, "Never mind, I must do my duty; I can'tdream any more about him." So, when she had entirely settled it all in hor own mind, she ran down stairs to her aunt's room, where Captain Jerrj-'s laugh was to be lieard, and entered. If Ellie hadn't been so excited and i'bsorbed, she would have seen that Aunt Margaret was looking very happy. Her cheeks had their oíd color, and she was actually smiling with her oldbriht smile. Bnt Ellie didn't sec it. She only saw the two familiar ürörea, and she walked straight up before them. "Captain Jerry," said she, speaking very steadily, yet with two feverish spots on her cheeks, "I wil] marry you." "You, Ellie?" exclaimecl Captain Jerry. "'Why, I am going to marry your aunt." You'd better believc that Elüe was astonished. She uever had thought of such a thing. But what could have been nicer? They were married in a week, and all went to Appleton Beach to Jive, the most comfortable people in the vrorld. "To think that I offered myself to my uncle," said Ellie, one dav, kissing the captain rapturously. He'called hor a silly little chit, said he would as soon marry his own daughter, if he had one, and then the bell rang for dinner. Just after the wedding Harry Haydon came to Boston, and then went to Apileton Beaeh for a visit, and- wel], he and Ellie are engaged. From 1852 to 1862 twelve gold nuggets, ranging from 30 to 147 ounces, were taken irom the Live Yankee claim at Forest City. From 1856 to 1862 a iiimber of gold nuggets, varying from 30 to 100 ounces, were found in the Oregon claim at Forest City. A specimen wortli 85,000 was taken from the Oriental (Gold Gatc) quartz mine. The total yield of the Golden Gato mine is estimated at $200,000. The mine has )een workod to a depth of only 300 oet. A young lawyer appeared beforo a Washington judgo with bis umbrella inder his arm and his hat on. and inhis agitation ho forgot to lay either asidc when he began speaking. "Hadn'tyou )etter raiso your umbrella?" the Court kindly suggested."- [Harper's Bazar. "Where are your kids?" a society nan asked, looking at the bare hand of i poor but deserví ng editor at Vanderjilt's party. "At home in bed," was he indignant reply, "do yau suppose 'd bfinp inv nllïlih-pn in n. nnrHr lilra