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


kindly advanced to his daughter, with pro
fusion of thanks for his kindness to his bereaved
| child, and expressing strong desire to be able
to repay it by any service it might be in his pow
er to perform in return.
But there was another enclosure, which John,
IT seems, thought great deal more about than
the old mans and the thousand dollars, and this
was letter from the young widow herself, so
brimtul of gratitude that he began to be almost
ashamed to think that he had done so little for
so rich return, and was rather sorry that he
had not found time to have gone personally to
comfort her in her sore affection.
do not know exactly how it came about, but
one letter brought on another, until pretty reg
ular correspondence sprang up between them.
1t happened, also, that the widows father who
was retired lawyer, living on frugal savings of
frugal life, was able to confer IL very consider
able favor on John Wolic's house, by saving
them from a severe loss by dishonest customer
who had suddenly taken it into his head, after
lifetime Of honesty to turn rogue, sell his goods
to cash customer who presented himself inst
at the right tiine and slip off to California with
the proceeds.
A friend of the old lawyer was employed to
draw up the bill of sale, who mentioned TO him,
casually, that so and so was selling out and GO
ing to the new land of promise; and knowing
that this individual was largely indebted to
Wolfe's house, he quietly slipped himself off to
New York by the first stage, without mention
ing to any one but his wife and daughter where
he was going. Arrived in New York, he in
troduced himself personally, to John Wolfe,
and then proceeded to inform him of the I'M
portant business which brought him to the city
AS the rascal creditor was expected to take the
next California steamer, no time was lost in get
ting matters fixed, and Just as the gentleman
was depositing himself, carpet-bag and plumber,
on board the steamer for Aspinwall, he found
himself rather unexpectedly obliged to rclinquish
his journey and pay visit to John Wolfe's store,
where, after paying over his full Indebtedness,
he was released only to be carefully attended
to by the rest of his rather urgent creditors.
The whole affair proved a most successful one,
and highly credtabe to all parties concerned,
but most especially to the Young widows father
"You see, Mr.. Cynic," said |, addressing my
friend, 4" how one courtesy begets another.''
For all this important service, the old lawyer
would only accept his expenses from home and
hack-said the iaunt had been worth something
handsome to him in the excitement and life it
had given to his stagnant blood, and would not
take cent in cash on any account. John Wolfe
managed, however to be upsides with him for
all that. The old gentleman had hardly been
home week when n package arrived by ex-
press from New York, duly addrosecd to his
wife, which, upon being opened, disclosed very
handsome silver tea-serNice. with an accompany
ing letter begging her acceptance of the same,
as mark of respect and distinguished consd-
Grafton for important and dsintrrested services
rendered to sundry firms whose names were all
attached, headed of course, by the respected and
respectable house of Wolfe, Warehouse & Co.
Things went on about so for two years, per-
haps, letter passing between the parties about
n ,,,n,.h op1 Inb,, Wolf, or1 tho
widow almost began counting by letter, without
either one having yet seen the other
At last one warm July, business being some
what slack John Wolfe took trip to the White
Mountains for a week or two, and while there
became acquainted, as travelling bachelors often
WILL with party of FIVE young folks-three la
dies and two gentlemen.
The two eldest couples were men and wives,
not very long time past the honey the
third lady was called Cousin Jane, and, like
many other cousins we can all remember, was
about one Of the liveliest, most piquant little
creatures YOU ever saw Dark sparkling ewes
that Seemed'to dance and laugh all the time
above the most blooming checks, and the darl-
INCEST little nose. and sweetest mouth, and
rounded chin that ever belonged to bewitching
woman
John was quite smitten he danced with her
at the evening ball he rode with her up the
steep mountain paths he went fishing for brook
trout and nothing delighted him more than,
when they came to deeper pool or more rug
ged path than common, to lit the little thing,
in his great brawny arms, and carry her like a
child.
For three days and nights, John Wolfe was
in paradise on the fourth morning he woke
up and found his happiness gone; letter had
been left on his dressing table, stating that the
Pinkertons-the name of his new frends-and
been obliged to depart by the stage, at an early
hour in the morning having received news of
sudden illness in their family should be most
happy to renew acquaintance with him at flu
ture day, &c, &c.
Our friend John had great mind to start off
at once for New York, perfectly disguised with
the whole world but as one of his purposes in
coming East was to pay long promised and
often-desired visit to the Young widows family
in Vermont he felt rather ashamed to back out
of his determination, although it must be con-
fessed he had lost, although all of a sudden, the
long-cherishcd wish to make her personal ac-
quaintance for certain Jane Pinkerton, as he
called her. had played the very dickens with the
Patonc affection he had secretly nourished for
the last two years.
Il declare, Dick" said my friend Cynic, "your
story is getting to be rather a long-winded af-
fair have got to the end of my third cigar,
ana you nave nardlY commenced the story.
well" said |, " fyou will only have patience
Il little longer, you will find that | have nearly
got to the end of it."
John Wolfe was received with high gratifca-
ton by the old lawyer and his wife, when he
presented himself at their house. lfhe had been
the President himself they could scarcely have
been prouder to receive him as a guest than
they were to welcome John Wolfe. Their daugh-
ter, however, was absent when he arrived, but
message was sent off to her by the old lady,
and it was not long before she made her APP
pearance.
You may guess at the surprise of our friend
John when the young widow arrived, for there
STOOD welcoming him, with her dancing eyes.
and beamng smile, no other than his fairy friend
of the White Mountains, Jane Pinkerton. as he
had called her, because she was with her friends
the Pinkertons and she, the laughing puss, al
though she knew by his name well enough who
he was, had never revealed herself to him as his
loving correspondent, Jane Willoughby. The
women naturally love little mystery and in
trigue, and so she had kept her own secret, in
order to have the pleasure of surprising him
when he should visit her fathers house accord
! inn to Nrop,;sa