Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-01-05


Mr.. Kelly lounged in. Mrs. Lynd-
on and Miss Manvers glanced at
each other, and each lady drew her
self up tight in her particular corn
er of the sofa, with a soldier-in a.
sentry-box kind of look, that told
plainly enough they were on guard,
and could not be bought off at any
price.
Mr.. Kelly was the gentleman al
luded to in the opening converse
ton; that boarding-hous miracle,
a man of five hundred a year and
expectations. He was always very
attentive, according TO his own mo-
tons ofattention, TO Mildred Smith
or, as Mrs. Lyndon phrased it, was
being taken IN by the artful girl
And as he was the richest and best
born man of the establishment, his
regard was a great deal priced, and
pronounced decidedly too good
thing for Mildred. And more than
once he had been attacked both by
open accusation and covert sneer a.
bout her, and had been asked when
the day was TO be !; and she had
been alluded to as the future Mrs.
X. : and if by chance she was alb
sent at dinner, Kelly was exhorted
to keep up his appetite, and delicate
things were pressed on him because
he was down-hearted and could not
eat with sundry other wellknown
arts by which hostile women preju-
dice men against one of their own
sex in the beginning of an affair
But Mr.. Kelly, who was a curious,
loose-limbed, lounging fellow, ena-
INQUIRED of old curiosity shops, and
all manner Of out-of-ihe. way things,
did not care much what any one
said, whether for praise or ridicule
but shambled on in his own way,
and made queer love to Mildred, TO
the scandal ofthe other ladies', main
ly attracted to her because she was
about as odd as himself, in a differ
ent way. She was morally what a
rare bit of Dresden, or a monument
tai brass, or unique species Of scar
abRus or trochilus was artistlcally
and he valued her accordingly.
He went now directly to the pi-
ano where sho stood, speaking to
her in his slow, drawing voice.
with all the words looped together
by a thin line of sound, and all the
as pronounced avs. But he spoke
gently, and hatteringly too. The
sentinels glanced again, and Miss
Manners broke the knot of her net
ting by drawing the stitch too sharp
ly home. Mildred coloured as she
answered his question it was only
what was she looking for :'-spea-
king in her queer little way, half
glancing up, ard half-turning her
back-or, at least, one shoulder
with coaxing, pretty kind of shy
ness, that makes a man inclined to
treat a woman like a child.
| am looking for Herr, mein
Herr" said Mildred, peering over
the pages, and huttering them about.
Can i help you: 2 he asked,
lounging on to his other leg, and
shuffling with elbows OH the piano.
No, thank you, Mr.. Kelly
May | never help you ? he adj
ded in a lower voice, but very much
as if he had asked the price of
marble Venus, or an embroidered
stole, it was so lazily and shamb-
lingly said.
oh yes perhaps | shall some
day ask you for your help, very
boldly said Mildred, looking
straight into his eyes and looking
SO that the sentinels could see her.
What the deuce does she mean 2
thought the possessor of FIVE hun
dred year. Does she understand
me, or is she only playing with me
Or is she as innocent as she pretends
to be, and knows no more of love
than she does of Archaeology
Will you be kind enough to
copy this for me tonight 2 said Mil
dred, suddenly coming back, and
holding out her piece of music. She
spoke then like a spoiled beauty, /
with her head up and her eyes wide .
open, and she held out her music /
royalty. All this to show off be-
fore her enemies.
'Certainly-yes, said Mr.. Kelly, |
with wonderful vivacity.
Mildred smiled her triumphant
smile, and then cloudlng down into
nervousness and embarrassment a.
gain, stumbled over her feet out Of
the room, her head bent quite into /
her twitchlng shoulders.
Did you see her look at him ?
whispered Mrs. Lyndon. did you
ever see such presumption 2
Never, answered Miss Manvers
her effrontery is quite frightful =
What Mr.. Kelley can see in her,
cannot imagine Why, her nose is
mere snub, aud she has no eye
browsl = Miss Manvers had a Gre
clan nose pointed at the end, and a
pair of pencilled eyebrows they
were her own facial points d'appui,
and her essentials of beauty in 9TH
ers. For she would allow Aspasia
no loneliness, nor even Venus her
self, without straight noses and mar
row lines above the eye.
Mr.. Kelly took no notice of their
whisperings, but lounged to the OPP
posite sofa, where he flung himself
at fnll LENGTH with his feat on tho /