Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-05-28
NJ | S c Z L L A n Y.
[From the Atlantie Monthly for Mnv.l

VIII DiD HE uUN EhNESO fAlNl
We were all sitting together in the evening,
and my sister Fanny had been reading aloud
she she cad III ne political & nv arelss es ha asae
about business. till he had heard enough. and
there was nothing in the papers and then had
left the room. So Fanny looked over the mar
riages and deaths, and read about the weather
in New York and Chicago, and some other
things that she thought would interest us while
we were sewing. Suddenly looked up tow
ards where Miss Agnes was sitting, far away at
the other end Of the room. She was leaning
back in her chair, and, all in a moment,
thought she looked white as though she had faint
ed. did not say a word, but got up and went
quietly towards her. found she had tainted
quite away, and her lips were pale and her eyes
shut | opened the window by her for the
night was cool, and all the windows were closed.
There came in little breeze of fresh air, and
then ran to fetch glass of water. When
returned, l found Miss Agnes reviying little.
The air and the water served to refresh her, and
very gradually she came back to herself. As she
opened her eyes, she looked at me wonderngly,
then shudder came over her, as if with a sud
den painful memory.
"l'm better,-thank you for the water" she
said; and then she rose up and went to the
window, and leaned against the easement. had
glimpse of her face; SO sad face had new
er seen before.
For Miss Agnes woo not ofton sad, though
she was quiet in her ways and manners. She
could be gay, when it was time to be gay. She
was our gorerness-that is, she taught Mary
and Sophy and me. Fanny was too old to be
taught by her, and had an Italian master and a
French teacher; but she practced duets for the
piano with Miss Agnes, and read with her, for
Miss Agnes was favorite everywhere. She
had kind word for everybody, and listened
kindly to all that was said TO her She talked
to everybody at the sewing societies, had some
thing to say to every one, and when she came
home she had always something TO tell that was
entertaining. l often wished could be one
quarter as amusing, but never could succeed
in making my little experiences at all agreeable
in the way Miss Agnes did. / have often tried
it since, but ! always fail. Only the other day,
quite prided myself that found out all about
Mrs Endicotts going to Europe and came de-
lighted with my piece of news She was going
with her husband; two of the children she was
TO leave behind, and take the baby with her
they were to be gone six months and | even
knew the vessel they were going in, and the
day they were to sail. My intelligence was very
quickly toldi Miss Agnes and many other,
would have made great deal more of it.
had no sooner come to the end than Fanny said
"Who is going to take care of the children SHE
leaves at homeP" had never thought to ask
was disappointed my news was quite imper
feet; | might as well not have tried to bring
any news. But it was never so with Miss Ag
mes. | believe it was because she was reall,
interested in what concerned others, that the,
always told her willingly about themselves ant
though she never was inquisitive about others
affairs, yet she knew very well all that was go
ing IN.
So she was a most valuable member of oul
home circle, and was welcome also among oul
friends. And we thought her beautiful, too
She was very tall and slender, and her lgh
brown eyes were of the color of her light browr
hair. We liked to see her come into the room
-hes smiles and face made sunshine there ant
she was more to us than a governess,-she wal
our dear friend.
But now she looked at me, pale and sad.-
She suddenly saw that | looked astonshed n
her, and she said, II am not well, Jennie, bu
we will not say anything about it. am goinl
to my room tomorrow shall be better" Sh,
held her hand to her head, and thought ther,
must be some heavy pain there, she still looked
so sad and pale. She bade us all good nigh
and went away.
| did not tell the others what had happened
partly because, as / have said, was not il
the way of telling things, and partly because
they were all talking and had not observed wha
was going on. But found the paper Fam,
had been reading, and wondered If there wal