e book. Vance looked and laughed,--"The
Butterflies' Ball and the Grasshoppers' Feast."
Lionel did not share the laugh. He plucked the book to himself, and read
on the fly-leaf, in a child's irregular scrawl, blistered, too, with the
unmistakable trace of fallen tears, these words:--
Do not Scorn it. I have nothing else I can think of which is All
Mine. Miss Jane Burton gave it me for being Goode. Grandfather
says you are too high for us, and that I shall not see you More; but
I shall never forget how kind you were, never--never. Sophy.
Said the Cobbler, his awl upright in the hand which rested on his knee,
"What a plague did the 'Stronomers discover Herschel for? You see, sir,"
addressing Vance, "things odd and strange all come along o' Herschel."
"What!--Sir John?"
"No, the star he poked out. He's a awful star for females! hates 'em
like poison! I suspect he's been worriting hisself into her nativity,
for I got out from her the year, month, and day she was born, hour
unbeknown, but, calkeiating by noon, Herschel was dead agin her in the
Third and Ninth House,--Voyages, Travels, Letters, News, Church Matters,
and such like. But it will all come right after he's transited. Her
Jupiter must be good. But I only hope," added the Cobbler, solemnly,
"that they won't go a-discovering any more stars. The world did a deal
better without the new one, and they do talk of a Neptune--as bad as
Saturn!"
"And this is the last of her!" said Lionel, sadly, putting the book into
his breast-pocket. "Heaven shield her wherever she goes!"
VANCE.--"Don't you think Waife and the poor little girl will come back
again?"
COBBLER.--"P'raps; I know he was looking hard into the county map at the
stationer's over the way; that seems as if he did not mean to go very
far. P'raps he may come back."
VANCE.--"Did he take all his goods with him?"
COBBLER.--"Barrin' an old box,--nothing in it, I expect, but theatre
rubbish,--play-books, paints, an old wig, and sick like. He has good
clothes,--always had; and so has she, but they don't make more than a
bundle."
VANCE. "But surely you must know what the old fellow's project is. He
has got from me a great sum: what will he do with it?"
COBBLER.--"Just what has been a-bothering me. What will he do with it?
I cast a figure to know; could not make it out. Strange signs in Twelfth
House. Enemies and Big Animals. Well, well, he's a marbellous man, and
if he warn't a misbelie
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