The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-04-01
CHAPTER III

"Oh sir, beg you viii excuse me.
There is 40 need Of it. You have
grazed your arm
pointed to the delicate flesh lraycd
by the edge Of the bar
That is no matter; but must have
broken it if you had not caught me
1t was late in the afternoon, more
than a week subsequent to nay first
meeting with Janet Matthews, that ]
came suddenly upon her at the corner
of a field which opened out of belt OF
woods not far from her home An APP
pie tree its branches laden with small.
yellow early apples, grew close to the
bars Of the fence and she had mounted
on the top OF these in quest Of some
of the fruit; but She had only a preca-
rious foothold. and had lost her euui-
hbrium. and would have fallon to the
ground had | not suddenly arrested her
descent I filled hersmall work basket
with the apples which she was in hopes
hen aunt Minerva, who was an invalid,
might relish.
"No, | will carry them for you, and
She put out her hand for the basket.
with many thanks for my kindness. Il
am very fortunate IN having your com
pany for the rest of the walk
You were Mr. Grayson = with a
quick up-leap Of the shy brown eyes;
and then | read the next thought Which
struck her that | had called about the
washing.
Il am an abrupt sort of man, Miss
Matthews, and viii explain my errand
at once. l have friend and college
classmate from whom | yesterday re-
ceiyed n letter informing me that he
wished to obtain teacher for the En-
glish department of seminary OF
which he is the principal This is a
rare opportunity for one who is dis
posed to accept 1t, as the school is To-
Gated a few miles from Philadelphia, in
the midst Of the most delicious scenery.
My friend his wife and the half a doz-
en- teachers form company of highly
cultivated Christian people, such as one
is not often. thrown amongst The sal
airy for the nine monthsis i've hundred
dollars. 1t struck me that the situa-
ton might please You lat least, there
could be no harm in offering it to you.
ooh! Mr.. Grayson, how can | thank
you?7
She broke down here, and l let her
cry softly
had, three weeks before, visited my
classmate for day, and heard himself
and his wife discuss the probability OF
vacancy occurring in the English de
partment Of their school | was re-
volying in my mind some method IN
which might serve the little heroine
Of the wash Tub, and / wrote to my
classmate Immediately. He was under
some obligations to me, and there was
no difficulty IN procuring the situation
for Janet Matthews.
We had reached the gate of the lit
tie yellow cottage before she spoke
again
"Nil You come in =
And | knew that she desired it.
1t was a little, old fashioned parlor,
corresponding with the exterior of the
house, into which she usherod me. \
dark ingram carpet, a few chairs, a
lounge, and table strcwn with books,
were the chief features OF the parlor
furniture We sat down here together,
and talked just as if we We're old friends,
and learned her history in "A few words.
Her father had been Il merchant, and
the sudden discovery of his failure and
business ruin, brought on by the ras-
cality of his partner. occasioned his
death. Janet was his only child, ten
derly beloved and cared for, especially
so because she was the image of her
mother. whom she could not remember.
The young girl was left entirely de
pendent on her own resources.
All this she told me that summer af-
ternoon, sitting in that small parlor,
with her sweet. earnest face looking up
into mine, until the longing and the
yearning to gather it close to my heart
was almost more than | could bear
OH Janet, Janet
'"Are you pleased with this situation,
and may / write to my friend that you
will accept it p
II dld not suppose that lhe futurc
held anything SO good in store for me;
and now / can hire "A woman to remain
with aunt Minerva, and go out into
new life and work.
She said this moro To herself than to
me, with her hands lying in her lap,
and her slender fingers huttering in
and out amongst each other, like young
birds trying their wings for the first
time.
The term does not commence unit
the first of September, SO You have
more than two months of leisure on
your hands, during (which time | should
like to engage your services"
"As your washerwoman, Mr. Gray