Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1849-01-05

ccy seemed lkely 10 prove true. SOphy
blue eyes were full Of yivaciiy, aud her
oval checks and sweet lips wee coloIed
with natures pure carnation. BY degrees
the scrawny figure Of the school girl was
moulded to the grace Of early womanhood,
aud we introduce Sophy Middleton to our
readers, at this particular moment, bloom
ing country maiden OF nineteen summers,
very much pelted at home, sufficiently adj
mired abroad, aud therefore a little, very
little bit spoiled.
But who is Archie Harris, whom we find
the old lady eulogizing so warmly! Why,
Archie Harris and our Sophy went to the
same school sat on the same bench !;
learned oul of the same book, and were
friends from the time they were "no bigger
than midge's wing" Being next door
neighbors, this friendship had strengthened
with their years rather than diminished
Sophy had found sister in Mary Harris,
and, in the natural course Of things, low
CT in Archie; and although no positive en-
gagement existed between them, il seemed
such matter Of course that they should
love each other, and so desirable connec.
ton on both sides, that verybody--ihat is
every wise person found in the village-said
it would certainly be a match at some lu.
lure day.
Philip Greyson too, was a Brookville
boy, and had been a school-maie of So
phys, years ago. But Philips ambition
scared higher than life of usefulness at
home. lie longed 10 see the world 10
brave the ocean, to tread on foreign
shores and when, through the influence
Of friends at Washington, he procured
midshipman's warrant, and eil Brookville,
TO Join his vessel at Norfolk, what cared
he for aught he was leaving. when the fu-
ture appeared so brightly before him His
parents. teachers, school-fellows-he babe
them goodbye without moments regre,
and as TO Sophy Middleton-if he thought
of her at all, it was but as an uniformed
girl, rather more Indifferent 10 him than
his own sisters, and whom he might per.
hsps never see again. On his return, how
ever, after a three years cruise, Philip found.
10 his surprise, this same little Sophy grown
young lady, and pretty one, too and
charmed ut the sight Of so much beauty
where he least expected it, he renewed his
acquaintance with delight, while Sophy.
pleased and flateIed by his attentions, and
dazzled by the glitter of his gilt buttons,
danced and flirted with the young midship-
man to her hearts content, exciting the cn-
Wy Of sundry other damsels, TO whom ma.
ture had denied bright eyes and rosy lips,
and vexing poor Archie, by her unwonted
vanity, in the most uncomfortable degree.
Had Sophy related 10 her grandmother
what had passed between Archie and her
self on the previous night as they walked
home from Mrs Morgan's tea-party, the old
ady would have been inexpressibly distress
ed for Archie, in the warmth Of his feel
ings, upbraided Sophy for her coquetry aud
GOODNESS, which Sophy's high spirit would
no, brook. She babe him remember that
no engagement had taken place, and there
fore she was free 10 choose for herself,
though everybody seemed to think-why
she could not iell-thst because they lived
next door TO each other, they were as good
as married. Philip Greyson, she said, was
an old friend, as well as he, and she would
not give up the pleasure of talking TO him,
il she liked, for anybody; and so, at the
garden gate, they parted, with cold
goodnight; :" Archie TO mourn over the
hckleness of the girl he dearly loved, and
Sophy TO dream of-Phiip Greyson.
Probably Mrs Middleton suspected some
thing of this, however, from her urgent ap.
peal to her granddaughter in behalf OF their
neighbours son, and might, perhaps, have
gone on still further TO expostulate, had moi
) knock at the outer door interrupted the
} conversation and Sophy, who had risen
J to answer the summons, returned in few
} minutes with letter directed to her grand
7 father.
e "A letter for you, grandfather" she said
5 placing il in the old mans hand. "M
: Norris sent it up from the post office. 1
E came by the late mail"
: "For me ?" said Mr. Middleton, turning
{ it over, and placing his finger upon tn,
0 large, red seal. 81 did not expect any let
ters Just now. Read il, wife"
G Mrs Middleton, who had been adjusting
}, her spectacles, eagerly seized the mysteri
y Gus letter, and carefully cutting il open
= read the signature aloud "Henry Wil.et
y son."
), 81 don't know any such person." sal
is the old man, leaning forward to catch eve
e ny word. go on, Hannah"
y The letter was a brief one and the oil
y lady glanced her eye over il before she be
d gan-but thai glance was suiiiclent 10 te
a the whole story. There it was, write
e down in few but fearful characters an
d suddenly throwing the letter upon the table
y she exclaimed, "Merciful Father we ar
d ruined All swept away Oh! Samue
at Samuel, what shall we do in our old age
lie All gone, all gone !"
I'd "rell me what it is. Let me kno
n, The whole TRUTH" said the old man, gropin
Id his way to the table, and stretching h
d, hand over il to find the letter "Tel n
=" what has happened, Hannah; can bel
n it,"
On can gone, all gone I" murmured pc,
Mrs Middleton, as if deprived of the pc,
e. er to say more.
nd "What is gomez Tell me, Hannah
ly said the ogitaled old man. "Oh, this awf
re blindness Sophy, where are youl I
adj you read il for me-"
he Pale and trembling, Sophy obeyed.-
n. The letter was from the agent Of merco
tile house in New York, in which Mr. Mi
to dleton had been persuaded to invest Il
er bulk Of his small property, announcing Il
he entire failure Of the concern, which won