Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-01-13

% IINf'h''Nh' CIV SAbNh VI oVhlC
time, uncertain what she should do.
"ls it any thing, Miss, that | can help you
about y said a gentleman at the adjoining
shop door.
Debby replied that she wanted to get a bill
changed at the bank.
"Oh, III change it for YOU" said the gen
teman, "ifit isn't too large come, step in
here"
She accordingly stepped into the store, and
giving him many thanks, handed him the bill.
ooh, a hundred dollars, said he, al can't
do it, | haven't half that amount in the store.
But You go across there to the apotllecary's.
Ethink it likely enough he may do it,"
Debby thanked him again, aud went across
to the apothccary's. Here she made known
her wishes, but with no better success. The
apothecary looked at the bill, and opened his
pocket book, and then discovered that he had
paid away all his small bills that day aud
couldn't change it. As she turned to 90 out.
she encountered a man behind her. who
seemed to have been looking over her Shout
der. She looked up at him, aud recognized
the tall IMAM with black whiskers, whom she
noticed at the hotel. Leaving the druggists
shop, she observed a large dry goods store,
and thought she would try her luck there.-
Still she was unsuccessful. As she was leay-
ing the store, she met the tall man with black
whiskers again. lie looked smilinaly upon
her, aud asked her to let him see the bill, for
he thought il probable he could change it.
After looking at it, he returned il TO her
again, observing, if il had been a city bill he
would have changed il, but he didn't like to
change a country bill.
Having tried at two or three other places
without eilecting her object, Debby found
she must give it up, for she was now told it
probably would not be possible for her TO get
it changed till the bank should be opened
the next day. Nothing further remained
therefore that she could do, aud she c%onclu-
dcd TO return Immediately home. As she
rode out of the hotel yard, she observed a
gain the tall man with black whiskers, stand
ing at the corner Of the house, and apparent
y watching her movements She could not
but think he had considerable impairment
curiosity, but she rode on, and was no SOON
err out of his sight than he was out of her
mind, for her own perplexing disappoint-
ment engrossed all her thoughts. She pass.
cd over the first two miles of her homeward
journey almost unconscious of the distance,
50 busily was she turning over in her mind
various expedients to remedy the failure OF
her present undertaking. Sometimes she
thought she must return again TO the bank
the next morning but the journey was rath-
err more of an undertaking than she had an
ticipated, and she shrank a little from the
idea of a repetition of it. She thought OF
several of their %neighbors, Of whom she pre-
sumed it might be possible to borrow a lew
dollars for a short time. But she knew her
/, father was so strenuously opposed TO borrow.
ing, that he would on no account allow it "a
be done; aud would never forgive her should
5 he find out that she had done il without hi:
knowledge or consent. She might get trust.
ed for most of the articles she wanted, but
several ofthem of the most importance were
at Henry Mlller's store, and she would moi
Y ask to be trusted there, if she never obtained
f the articles.
y Her ~reyeries were at last broken off by tn,
sound of a horse coming up at rather a quick
G trot behind her. She looked over her shout
y der, and there was the tall man with blacl
! whiskers, mounted on a large and beautiful
A black horse, within few yards of her. Sh,
: shuddered a little at first at the idea of hay
4 ing his company through the woods, but a.
G he came up he accosted her with such
5 bland smile and such gentle aud easy man
e ners, that she soon recovered from her tire
@ pidation and rode OH with her wonted com
Y posure.
"Rather a long road here, Miss" said tn,
g stranger, looking at the dark woods that la,
in the great valley before them. "liow ia
do you 20, Miss"
e "Seven or eight miles," said Debby, hes
e itating a little.
81 am happy to find company on the road,
O said the stranger, "lor it is rather lonesom
= riding alone. | trust you'll allow me to b
your protector through the woods"
e Debby thanked him, but said, "she wa
d never lonesome aud never afraid. Still, il
d a lonely place it is always more agreeable Il
If have company"
"Did you make out to get your bill chan
ged % said the stranger.
"No," said Debby, 81 tried till | was tired
but | could not find any one to change il
e | don't know bnt | shall have to come bacI
again to morrow, for it is impossible to &C
e ii changed in our ueighborhood.
The stranger made himself very agreeabl
c in his conversation, and Debby began Il
think that her feelings at first had done hin
s. injustice, and she tried what she could t.
make amends by being social and a%greeabl
n in her turn. A couple of miles more ha'
k been passed over in this way, not unpleas
Y antly, and they had now reached the deer
est and darkest part of the valley throug
which the road lay. The heavy woods wa
d above them and around them, ard not
sound was to be heard except the murmur
e ing of a little brook, over which they Ina,
just passed. The stranger suddenly rod