Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-09-05
VOL. XXVIIH.
From lIarpper's Magazine for January.
No1o BLANK STREET.

ains all the modern Improvements. References re-
quired
The advertisement seemed to me TO promise
well. | was tired of my present home. For
five years had occupied the same rooms, and
sat in the same seat at the table. The penny
postman was not better known on his beat than
on my way to dinner. | did not object to
boarding houses. was willing to eat baked
beans of Sunday morning, but | wished TO
partake Of them in new locality. Blank street
leads out of Beacon, therefore it must be gen
teel. Probably suit of rooms there would be
expensive. but | could afford to indulge myself
a little. / was thirty-fve, alone in the world,
very well off, and doing business which prom
sed a speedy fortune. 1t was tame L should
begin to take life little more on the sunny
side.
| went to No. 10 Blank Street on my way
down town. The landady, Mrs. Lee, was Il
widow handsome, stylish, apperertly not more
than thirty. | heard, aftcrward, that she would
never see forty again. but as my informant was
boarder to whom she had been under the fire.
ouent necessity Of sending her "small bill''
second time, it was doubtless Il malicious SLAM
der. She was very misunderstanding person,
and was at home with her at once. had no
sooner told her my name and my business than
she seemed to feel well acquainted with me.
She bowed and smiled.
~ shall be most happy TO accommodate you
Mr.. Prescott. This way if you please
Her black silk dress ruSted before me up
two flights of stairs Her full, light curls shook
with coquettiSh gaze as she turned her head.
The rooms were Neutrality-suspicious. and hand
somely furnished. The terms were little eX-
horbitant--at least should have thought so had
been dealing with man of business but
surely one wonld willingly pay trfe extra to
sit at the same table with Mrs Lee. Her FAM
lily she assured me- was Of the most select de-
scription some three or fonr single gentleman
Of high standing, and as many gentlemen with
their wives. To be sure she had been obliged
to fill her attics with cheap boarders, as she
couldn't afford to keep any vacant room; but
rthey were very quiet, and, she trusted no to
annoyance any one.
l went there, bag and baggage, the next
morning. moved my pictures; | loved Art
in modest half-difiident fashion, and | had
some fine prints and few choice oils. When
| had hung them to my satisfaction, and put
the bust Cytie the dreamy face loved so well,
on my mantle, looked about my parlor with
serene self-satisfacion.
met Mrs. Lees family at dinner. Some of
the gentlemen were business acquaintance of
mine. The ladies seemed pleasant and conf
panionable, and call went merry as marriage
bell" Mrs. Lee did the honors of her estab-
lshment so gracefully that was more charmed
deus-I had seen his name in the family Bible
because he had been obliged to resign so
much youth and beauty, tor she was but young
thing, she told me, when she was left TO depend
upon herself. The very winds, she said, had
never been allowed to touch her roughly. Mr.
Lee had worshipped her as the Hindoo does his
idol hought it an idolatry at once pardon
able and pleasant--but he ded suddenly, and
in some way, she was defrauded of all his prop
erty, and had been obliged to take care Of her.
self ever since. But then, she said, smiling
with the tears still in her eyes, every one had
been so kind to her-shc had found friends
everywhere. Who could help being ready to
befriend one so lovely and so winningP !
thought as listened to her.
DO not imagine all this confidence was be-
slowed on me at our first meeting. 1t came out
gradually, when l had got into the habit of
lounging for half all hour after dinner, or an
hour in the evening in the "family parlor," Of
which she and l were sole occupants. l cer-
tainly had no matrimonial intentions toward
Mrs Lee. l liked my freedom, and intended
to remain bachelor! still, was interested in
my lardlady, and congratulated myself daily on
having found a home where my buckwheats
were always hot and my cup of happiness and
| tea alike sweet and tuli.
"What a happy man your husband should
have been !" said to Mrs Lee, as | watched,
admiringly, her nimble fngers-she had insis-
ted on mending my gloves. l was but express
sing frequent thought of mine. ] saw no call
for my landlady to blush though it was not un-
becoming. l had surely not meant nothing
sentimental, but she received my remark with
a futter of pretty, playful embarrassment
81 hope he was, i" she sighed 81 trust |
made him so, and yet did not love him as he
loved me. He was IA great deal older than l,
and think was too young then to know what
love was | believe our affection is truer and
fonder when we have seen more Of life, and
learned what precious thing it really is TO have
some one to care for and protect us. But what
am | sayingP am confding in you strangely.
Your & loves are DONE"
She hurried out of the room. 1t was my
turn to be embarrassed. Had | said anything
TO move Mrs. Lees sensibilities in so remarka-
bic mannerp | thought not. Perhaps the
memory of the dead 1haddeus, and his love,
had been too much for her. | felt uncomforta-
BILE, and | betook myself to my own room. l
always left my door open; it was one of my
old bachelor ways-it seemed more social. As
Invent up stairs / saw girl standing before it
looking apparently, with absorbed attention, at
my Clyte. Her form was slight and girlsh.
cOulu not see nef Idce, nut ner ureSs was OF
a cheap material, and fashioned.
"One Of the attic hoarders," l thought cor
perhaps seamstress bringing home some
work"
When l approached her she turned and
glanced at me with confused and distressed
, air.
, 'Forgivc me- sir" she faltered "I was
taking liberty, / know but that face is SO
n beautiful"
$50 are you," longed to retort, but did
not. l ha had enough of complimenting foi
one day. Her face lods singularly lovely. She
had low, broad lorehead-the very forehead
of the immortal Clytie. Her eyes were large
and blue, but full of the s0ddest most wistlu
7 expressions ! ever met. Her face was very
" youthful-she couldn't have been more thar
sixteen-and her full red lips had something
e of the look of greyed child. had seen he
and felt all this in the instant my eyes met hers
| bowed courteously.
}, "Not at all liberty, am rewarded io
leaving my door open if it has afforded you an.
pleasure. wish you would step in moment
and look at my pictures. If you fancy Clytie
e am sure you would like some of hem."
4 There was singular absence of all pruder.
or afIec alton about the child. suppose sh
II saw in me simply middle aged man-for so
must have seemed to her youth-of homes
I. face and she bestowed on me at once trus
r that was the most delicate of flattery. Sh
$ came in, unhesitadngly, and fingered for fe'
moments while | told her about the pictures