The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-04-14

Nv" hauBntlly Jne red arcn OF her
lips curved l--how defantly the brown
eyes ghttered through their moisture
Beware Mr.. Eustace Wilde-your
wife will be match for you yet, al
though you rejoice in beaver hat and
moustache, and the superb con-
sciousness of manhood, while she is
nothing but woman
Bridget" said Mrs. Wilde, COM
ing into the kitchen where her Miles
ian cook was chopping spices for some
elaborate-made dish wherein the
heart of Eustace Wilde delighted,
"will you lend me your old bonnet
and cloak tomorrow p
Bridget stared in open-mouthed
amazement
"Sure, ma'am, and why would ye be
after wantin EN-? They are not da-
cent for the likes o YOU"
"Nover mind, / wish to borrow
them for a particular reason, and your
old brown dress also, if you will lend
it."
You're welcome as flowers in May
ma'am, said honest, puzzled Bridget;
"but it's queer fit they'll be for you,
darned, an patched, an faded"
Mrs. Wilde only laughed.
The rain was patteiing drearily
against the window the next morning
as Eustace Wilde sauntered slowly in,
but Msggie's chair was empty.
where's your mistress, Mary ?" he
asked the waitress.
"She's breakfastin with the childer,
sir Charles got the toothache, and
won't be quiet without his mamma
stays
Maggie spoils those children, y
thought Mr.. Wilde, Struggling his
shoulders. Breakfast was rather a
dismal meal without his wife's bright
face opposite to him, and he did not
linger long over it.
"a bleak day. he soliloquized as he
opened his umbrella and strobe forth
into the rain and wind. "It's good
thing the stages run only block of. "
He took his seat, unfolding the
morning paper, all unconscious of the
shabbily-dressed woman, yelled and
wrapped in a corase brown cloak, who
entered the stage at the next corner.
Nor did he observe that she descended
at the same street where he pulled the
check string to alight.
As he entered the covered stairway
leading to his Office, in massive mar
bic building, bluff-looking man adj
vanced to meet him.
'Look here, Wilde, I've been wait
ing here these fifteen minutes, and I'm
in deuce of hurry too"
81 am little behind time this morn
ing" said Eustace, shaking the rain
drops in a dingy shower from his um-
brella. Come up to the office, Hall.
II can't; l haven't minute to stay
l just came round to see if you could
pay that little bill"
"What bill?"
"Why your share Of the supper al
D-'s, and the ride afterward."
"Ohl yes, yes. Well, how much il
it?"
"Only riAe-eight dollars
Mr. Wilde leisurely opened hi'
pocket-book and placed one or two
bills in his companions hand.
''Thats right, i believe. A very un
pleasant day. Good morning, Hall !"
He ran briskly up the long fight o
stairs, two steps at time, while the
shabby woman who had just beer
standing outside the Threshold dur
ing the colloquy, as if waiting fol
somebody, came into the yestibule t.
escape the driving rain.
"Give us box of your very nices
cigars tip-top" bawled Jemm,
Stokes, the Office boy, driving into thu
tobacco store. "Quick our boss is il
a hurry. Ten dollars ? that ain
much for a good article; l say, you
might give me one for myself; 1 al
ways get Mr.. Wilde's cigars here"
"Take it, then and along with your
sell" said the man of smoke. "Wha
can l do for you, mem ?"
"A pennyworth of Scotch snuff;
that was all the shabby woman in tn
faded brown cloak wanted. But evel
through the dingy veil her eye
sparkled must have been yer.
: fond of Scotch snuff
| The big bell of the City Hall wa
booming the first stroke of twelve a
Mr.. Wilde stood once more in tn
vestibule preparing to open his um
brella
? "Goino To dinner. Martin ?" h