The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-01-25


you be good enough to let me compare
your dress with mine?'
The naughty, supercilious stare with
which she regarded me, the offensive
tone in which she spoke, cannot DIES
cribo.
Nothing that Miss Streighton poss-
esses could possibly bear comparison
with anything Of Miss Nesey's,' | said,
coldly though l was throbbing with
anger under all my quietness.
1t was Miss Nesey's custom to try
on her dresses when she came for
them, and direct any little alterations
she might fancy, but she omitted that
ceremony this time, probably because
Of whispered communication from
Captain Burns. Having had me fold
the dress carefully. the Captain took
it. aud they went away.
Dear me, how well You managed it,
Louise, aud what handsome man
Captain Burns If. You've got just
such ready wit and high way with
you, MS your father had. Captain
Burns laughed, am sure, behind that
thick moustache of his, when you an
swered Miss Vesey so, and if he don't
think you're ten times as handsome as
she is, there's no telling anything from
a mans eyes.
was looking after the pair from the
window, and thinking what a tall, sty-
ish-looking gentleman Captain Burns
was, and almost wishing that Max was
like him.
Don't you wish you were Mildred
Vesey?' questioned my mother, with
subtitle intuition of my thoughts
"No, l said, angriiy. 81 would not
be she for all her money and her cap
tain in the bargain.
| sat down, however, when they
were out OF sight, more discontinued
than ever with my poverty.
Did she pay you?' asked my moth
er, presently
mo"
| had not, in the excitement of her
coming and going, thought of the pay
for my weeks work though ! needed
the money badly There were, | knew,
several small bills to be paid tonight
or in the morning, and had depend
ed on the money for this work for that
purpose.
/ grew impatient again.
'Shall | always be dependent on the
pittance of such people as Mildred We
sey?7 | said, bitterly. ooh, if / could
only have her riches would not make
% hattnr- I1ca of then, pn
Somebody knocked.
| went to the door. 1t was a little
boy from the village Max had sent
him with Il letter for me; quite n
strange hand upon the envelope
larger bold, business like. The letter
was not from Max, certainly; but my
mother, surprising it was, watched me
with an expression of languid annoy
, ance while | read it.
/ Mother / said as I folded the let
ter with my hands trembling, "Aunt
, Shaw is dead. and has left me all hel
) money.
My mother stared away at rue q
minute, and tainted away in her chair
| | had enough to do to bring her to
to keep myself from doing the same
, thing; indeed, | sat down as soon as
I she opened her eyes, and began to cry
rs loud as | could. was not crying
t for aunt Shaw either [ had never
a seen her to know her, and had certain
t " never expected anything from hel
4 Louise Shaw Streighton.
j Louise Louise" cried my deal
mother, reaching her arms to me
: come and kiss me.
/ And we kissed each other and criec
. together.
4 We had been so poor together 81
| long, we had pinched and struggled
and been in deb, and stinted to &c
ont of it; we had felt our poverty 81
keenly, and now it was all over.
Y In the evening Max came; and jus
J. as he had finished reading the lettc
1 which brought the great news, wh'
It should knock and thon walk in, witt
an air Of graceful appearance, bu
T Captain Burns.
/ If he had been an acoustic med ant
Z eagerly welcomed visitor he could no
have seemed more at home, in spit
S of the cool reception he met with iron
both my mother and myself; consider
It ing it great impertinence that h
a should call in so familiar name
= upon us, whom he had never seen til
J. few hours before.
Secretly and almost unconsciously
IS felt throb OF gratihed vanity to thin
d that thus early after seeing me he ha
d wandered from Miss Yesey's side; bu
r | treated him with the most distan
1t hauteur of which / was capable.
re Max was uneasy; he wanted til
+, Captain away so that he might talk t
Sc me; and he answered his well-turne
4 periods and graceful attempts at cor
1T versation very bluntly.
could not help, as | sat there
y seeing how different the two were
re and as | was struck 10y the eompariso
r of Captain Burns polished and fash
ionable exterior. stylish elegance {
lie his garments, the arlstocratic white
81 ness of his face and hands, with Tia
n, work .a-day attire and bronzed bu
open features OF Max, l.begau to fe'
little unpleasantly.
in "Oi course YOU won't work at you
A. trade any longer now
Iap,anlal his FAD