The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-05-12

have the best room papered just as if
he were not here"
Papa, resumed Viola, still brood
ing over the original grievance, "what
did possess you to invite him here ?"
"My dear" returned the perplexed
paterfamilias, II wished to conciliate
Mr.. Martin by every means in my
power. OF course, don't care for the
young man personally. We can get
rid Of him in a day or two"
The Confidential Clerk, standing in
front of the bright red sparkle of the
fire in the room beyond, smiled to
himself even while a deep, indignant
flush mounted to his forehead, as he
Involuntary overheard the little soto
Uoce by-play in the other room.
"And this, he murmured to himself,
sadly watching the gloomy masses of
coal, "is this all the welcome wan
derer receives, after twenty years
spent on the sterile rocks of foreign
ands Home the word has pretty
echo, yet there is something hollow in
its sound after ALL
"Mr. Confidential Clerk you are
crying"
He started, with quick blush, as a
little hand, red and frosted with the
cold, was laid upon his coat sleeve.
"Crying?'
you needn't try to deceive me,
sir, nodded Lizzy Elliott, who had
crept to his side with white kitten
in her arms II saw the bright drop
sparkling on your eye-lashes like u
great, great diamond, and then / saw
it fall upon the hearth Why are you
crying? Is it because you are poor
and friendless, and of--of-what did
papa call it Oh, of commonplace ex-
traction ?"
He did not answer. There was
something in the soft, plying shine of
those black eyes that enthralled his
gaze. Lizzy came close to him, wink
ing hard to keep a sympathetic mois-
ture from her own dark lashes.
Don't cry she pleaded, softly.
"Cheer up l know papa is patroniz-
ing and the girls are cross, but I'll be
your friend Only think how many
men have begun in the world as poor
and friendless as yourself, and yet
have triumphed over fortune"
He smiled.
my dear little girl
I'm not little girll" interrupted
Lizzy, Indignantly; Il was sixteen
last November ?"
"Well, then, my dear young lady, 4"
resumed the Confidential Clerk, smil-
ing, Il will accept your words as an
omen of coming good fortune. Tell
me about Martinstower Is it a pref
ty place 2"
ut IS splendid place" corrected
Lizzy, with grave enthusiasm. with
marble mantels, you know, all carved
like ancient gods and goddesses, and
inlaid wood, and ceilings all painted
to look like yellow sunsets and spots
in the woods when the vines are grow
ing overhead. And there are lawns
and wide gravel walks, and l once
peeped through the glass doors of the
Conservatives and saw great blue
passion flowers and cactuses like tas-
sells Of flame, and orange trees with
real ripe oranges growing on them.
It's like 9 fairy story
"Lizzyl Lizzy you are talking far
more than is proper for child, in
terrupted Viola, sharply, breaking in
upon their tete-a-tete. Put down
that kitten and go to your French
Immediately"
And as the abashed damsel with
the tangled curls obeyed her elder
sisters behest, the theoretically whis-
pered words, dignity of the family
nothing but a confidential clerk, "
reached Hartwells ear, together with
Miss Lizzys pettish reply;
II don't care-I like him -
The next morning the Confidential
Clerk exchanged the 'httle room over
the kitchen" for more spacious and
comfortable apartment in the village
inn, whence he calmly superintendent
the projected improvements at Mar
tinstower, and all the gossip exchanged
between himself and Lizzy was in the
course Of her daily rambles through
the Martinstower woods. II Blanche
and Viola had only known the rapid
ly cementing friendship that had
sprung up between the two, what a
shock their aristocratic tendencies
would have received
"Lizzy Lizzy Elliott, am ashamed
4