Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-03-13


trusted to hired service If there were pctt,
trials TO be borne, knew nothing of them and
was quite ready to assure myself that our first
trial had been a blessing in disguise.
In January 1892, our sister, Kate Lee, come
to visit u.s. She was a very lively girl, Just six
teen, ready for any fun which might be within
the limits of her ideas of propriety. She said
she had been sad thorn in the side of Mrs.
Deaconess Armstrong, of her fathers parish,
ever since she was born and she had come to
stay with us, till the good old lady should have
time to forget all the mischief she had ever done
then she intended to 90 home and please the
parish in general and Mrs Armstrong in partic-
ular, by very sedatc behavior 1t was amusing
to hear her tell of the pranks she had played to
the horror OF old ladies, who thought that if they
had lived in the times when witches had power
they should have believed that she was not their
minister's child but some changing.
None had a kinder heart than Kate, none were
more truly considerate of the feelings of the af-
flictedi but she believed that "to everything
there is a reason," and her mirthfuness was so
great, and her perceptions of the ridiculous were
so keen that her "times to laugh" came very
frequently. We had merry time, while she
was with u.s. but our frolics need no other record
than they already have in our memories.
Nate brought fine picture, in water coors
aS present to Carrie 1t excited deal of adj
mration, among the ladies who called upon her
and ted to proposal that She should teach a
class in Painting, while she remained with us.
Kate was delighted, and, as soon as the class
was certain, she began to form plans for the dis
poSal of her first evenings. At tea-tablc that
night, she asserted that she should not let her
mother know that she was teaching till she got
home, that she might surprise her with some
nice present. | assured her of my confidence
he r,t., ,f - L.. @. I 4
when found she was perfectly sure that she
could teach as long as she chose, without writ
ing anything about it. very positively asserted
that no comdn cda keep secret. Upon this
point both the girls were willing to debate, and
we had u most spirited one for while. at the
end Of which Carrie stood pledged to keep the
first thing, she should know, worth concealing
secret from me for two years. If she should
ever do so, Twas to allow that she could conceal
1t any length of time, if she chose, and, conse-
quently, that Some romcp can keep Secrcts. Kate
was witness to this novel agreement, and indeed
had most To say in settling the conditions No
further reference was made to the subject till the
next week.
One evening as | was busy reading. the girls
commenced writing IN Mother Lee. A half hour
later looking up carcessly, ! saw Kate brush
back her curls with an expression of vexation.
Carrie, noticing her at the same instant, glidcd
quietly behind her chair, and read aloud MY
pupils progress finely uS"--poor Kate How
We did tease her. and neglected not To- predict
that Carrie would find herself in the sam pre-
dicament soon. There was some mischief in
Carries fine eve, as she replied;
Perhaps had better give up the iloi of try
ing TO keep secret. What say you Kate -
Nate was in the best of humors immediately !
handing her unfinished letter to Carrie, as
Wuruiuu bn l..
wrote but two more letters before She went home !
and then we were by to remind her of the rap
idity with which her pupils progressed, so she /
was able to surprise her mother she wished. |
for the family at home, though there was "love !
of a bracelet at Conants, which she wished very /.
much. knew not. till long aftcrward, that, /
upon arriving at home. she was as much delight |
ed as surprised to find that same bracelet in her |
trunk, as gift from Carrie How should know. |
whenl supposedtha my purse suppliedmy wife's
wants, and that too without growing perccptibly |
lighter?
Months sped away. after Kate left, and moth |
ing occurred To remind me of Carries resolution |
to keep Il secret She seemed to be principally |
occupied with some embroidery, which |. though |
no judge Of things of the kind, thought must be |
very nice. aS she worked so patiently upon It, |
with 50 little apparent progress. Certainly !
had no reason to complain, even II that fancy
work Were mere contriyaucc to waste time, f.
since everything in the house heepng line was
admirably done, and all my wants well attended
to- with no hired help, except old Nancy two
half days each week.
One day, about year from the time Of our
marriage. country lad left letter at my Office
As opened it, bank bills fell out ] read.
"Will MIR. Edward Clifton accept the enclosed
eighty dollars from a friend ."
H(tppnrnus pnrtait,l,. ~ I nvnl,;,,.l l.,
ed about for the boy, but he was gone. Who
could he be? Who gave him the letter? How
many times asked myself these questions-thc
hand writing was doubtless disguised, but could
discover no traces of any which knew.
At tea time, when told Carrie of nv mvs-
terious good fortune, she seemed to be very
much surprised. She wanted to see the letter.
and then hustled about to compare it with faith
er's chirography, because she thought of no one
else so likely to make the present lknew that
he had never sent it, and her other guesses were
so absurd that laughed at her, for the little
knowledge of human nature which she evinced
She wondered what would do with it, and,
when | seemed undecided, proposed paving the
house-rent, which, she thought must be nearly
due. 1t was, and here was just the required sum
l congratulated myself upon my good fortune
but ! was extremely curious as to who the donor
might be. and what were his motives for so ia
voring me- for | had never been accustomed to
gifts of the kind.
Two or three weeks after, l saw the same boy
in the street. as was hurrying home to tea. |
saw him 90 into a store and was about to follow
him, when Carrie called to me as passed our
window. | stopped to tell her where | was 60
ing, adding
at was vexatious that he should come Just
now, for have promised to meet Mr.. Blake in
twenty minutes"
''Please tell him to call here said Carrie,
''and you need trouble yourself no more about
him, for will cross-question him as well as you
could do"
Of course, had no objection to this proceed
ing so, as soon as | had told the boy and drank
my tea, went away, meeting the lad at the door.
About an hour later, Carrie came to the office.
and, finding me unoccupied, gave me IN anus
ing description of her conversation with the boy
she certainly had acquitted herself most hon
orably. though she had obsained no clue to the
mysterious transaction. She could tell me the
boys name, where he lived, how many brothers
and sisters he had, how many cows his father
kept, and forty other things as little to the pur-
pose, but the fact was the boy Knew no more