Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-09-17

throw the cover over the workable
We'll might people call her provoking little crea.
urel Poor James called her provoking little
devil and he said il 50 loud that one Of the APP
prenlices heard it.
There were no more visits from James Three,
four, five, six days, and he never came near her =
lie was completely disheartened All winter he
had been hard at work making furniture to furnish
4 house for himself and Phnbc. as he could hiter
hlmselfthat when she returned lis doubts would be
at an end. PhDbe knew this too, for her aunt had
told her oft by letters, and had also spoken ofthe
beautiful workable. But the first thing Phnbe
heard the next day from her aunt was that James
had offered the whole Of the furniture for sale. lie
was going TO give up his shop aud try his fortune
elsewh here.
Phnbe heard this unmoved, and her aunt a, least
began TO think that she really did not care for James
any longer that some one in Philadelphia had sup
planted him. But she was mistaken, for Phoebe
went up to her own bedroom and cried az il her
heart would break. When she had thus relieved
herself, she went on to weave little web that she
had began-a foolish scheme to besure, but Phnbe
was Phnbe and there was no changing her nature
The tenants had leil her house. and her uncle, be-
fore renting it to another had put in ORDER that
II was quite ready If any one offered aud there
was Phnbe all the while intending to be the tenant
herself She bound her family TO secrecy, for it
was TO be the greatest ofalI surprises 10 James Rey
nolds.
She walked out in the wind a little way TO get rid
Of the redness Of her eyes, she did not ant any
one TO see that she had been crying. AT a little
distance, just going down a lane, she saw james
walking with that stiff poke Of girl Miss Simp-
son
She fairly stood still with amazement Had il
really come 10 this He that had never so much
as looked at this gil before, to be giving her his
One Of her young friends met her, and seeing the
direction other eyes, said'yes. YOU may well stare
Phoebe; there he goes, tickle as the rest OF them
lie called you provoking little devil, aud now
see the reason oft
He never did call me So said poor Phnbe
that am certain Of and as TO his walking with
Miss Simpson, it is all accident, Martha though
It docs not concern me any more than it does YOU
good morning, ! am going to see old Mrs Bate
man.
She had no, gone far, before she saw James
again. lie was alone, walking slowly and looking
down. While she debating whether TO turn or
go on he saw her and stopped too, as if irresoute
but lie walked OH, and as she walked on likewise
they soon met. The good-for.noihing little thing
the moment they came near one another, exclam-
ed-'so, James | hear you have been calling me
names
His face was like scarlet-I call You names
you 2
She could hardly help laughing at his consierna
ton, though angry enough too when she thought Of
that stiff poke of girl.
NO matter who told met was not Miss Simp-
son, so don't quarrel with her about it-and vet
she might have told it to the one of whom heard
it,
lust parted from Miss Simpson, Phoebe and so
far from speaking III of you or saying ill-natured
ania al,oh h., -
think better Of however, it is all over, onl,
want very much 10 know what you mean-what did
they say called you, but provoking little crea-
ture =
Provoking little devil James-yes, you called
me little devil-now that means that You think |
have bad heart, which have not got You need
not deny i'll know you called me So
He had now faint recollection of having called
her so at the time she mortified him about the work
table, and he looked very much confused.
Il will tell the truth, Phnbe. / did say some.
thing of the sort. but was almost mad; so pray for
give me, aud let part friends will soon be far
away, but ! wish that you may be well and happy,
Phoebe. am going from this place next week a
man is to see me in the city about taking the shop,
and then have nothing more to keep me here
Will you shake hands, Phoebe, aud say you wish
me WELT
But Phoebe choking. She gave him her
hand though, which he kissed very tenderly, when
to his amazement she burst into tears lie held
her hand, and hope sprang up again. But Phoebe
had her little scheme, aud she meant to carry il
through; so she hastily dried her eyes, aud said,
good bye James---I wish you well, but have a
little pocketbook for you, Just such an one as you
want, call at the new brick house, nv house. YOU
know. ] shall be there on Sunday afternoon, for
the new tenants have not yet come
Yes, know that, and they have bought all the
furniture that ! made, even to that workable
which you despsed ! shall not call there howev.
err, for cannot bear TO look at the things hoped
would be yours, Phoebe but there is no objection
to my going to your uncle's, they have been always
kind TO me-
They parted for people were coming up, and
they did not choose 10 be SEEN She went home,
told her plot, and fairly enlisted her aunt and un.
Gle IN II, for they saw that there was no way Of
managing Phoebe unless they humored her.
Two large deal boxes had arrived from her god
mother they were all filled and nailed up before
she len Philadelphia, and now the contents we're in
that very brick house. Phoebe had been honest
with her godmother, if with no one else and these
boxes were the fruits of her confessions. cousin
IN the village, meantime, had bought all James
furniture Tor new married couple, as he told
James, who had hired Phebes brick house.
You may depend that Phoebe worked hard enough
10 ge' her house in complete order, though she had
her uncle, aunt aud cousin to help her. Her I'M
Gle had part of the garden fence pulled off, that
they could go IN and out, from his house TO Pho.
hes, without any one seeing what they were about.
The plan that Phebe had been preparing Tor nearly
six months was to furnish the whole house. for she
knew that all the furniture that James had been
making, was for her, even TO the kitchen tables,
benches and all. Her godmolher had sent her a
box OF China and common queens ware, and her