Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-08-25
Cupid among the Chimneys.

Williamstown, August Is, 1869.
Cupid among the ChimneyS.
A clear November night soft and vTsrn
rs August. The clock is just strikin,
nine, and the deep blue sky Is all aligh
with stars. The moon has the seconc
watch tonight, and she seems to hav
given the planets warning to be on tn
alert till she comes, for they are all Of
duty, and shining as only heavenly bodie
may. Hundry other earthly bodies are on
on duty also, that is evident. The slide
of the observatory are pushed back, re
vealing to the swallows circling about tn,
tower the long bright cylinder within, ant
various dark heads surrounding it. Or
the top of the Seminary building, too
groups of figures may be seen standing OF
sitting. In short, not to keep the reade
/ in further suspense, this is that night, ia
nous in astronomic annals, when, grea
meteoric shower being predicted by one o
the leading professors of the country, the
world-that part of it, at least, who were
interested in meteors-deserted its warn
bed, and sat up agog to see the show.
/ 1t is to commonplace roof in the west.
ern quarter of the wide-awake little towI
that | wish to direct your attention. There
I it is, No 6 of the block of brick houses in
Dey Street, all alike as peas-stOne cop
ings, door bells, even the pumps in the
backyard From the scuttle Of No a
gentleman is emerging very young
gentleman and very good-looking, or the
starlight is strangely at fault. Armed and
equipped for the great occasion he comes
for he carries 4 numeral frame, pencil
paper, every facility for counting the un-
countable shower Of glory promised by the
newspapers and Professor B. As the
hero of our little tale he merits an intro
duction Reader, this is Mr. Frederick
Binney, Familiarity known to his intimates
as Fred Bin, who, fired by scientific zeal,
mot to mention a small wager,) is propos-
ing to sit up all night if need be, and to
score down more meteors than two of said
intimates, who, equipped in similJr
fashion. have just taken Eo=ition on the(-
respective roofs in the northern and eastern
extremities of the town.
4 roof IS not an uncomfortable place on
a balmy evening in November, and so Fred
thought With his back against the chin
ney which divided No. 6 and No. t, doing
duty for the coal-smoke of both, his legs
luxuriously stretched over the warm
shingles, his nose caressed by the sweet
dying odors of the gardens below, night
watch seemed rather an agreeable conces-
sion to science than otherwise. The exact
hour of the meteoric display had not been
named. Devotees had been requested to
take their seats early, and await the open
ing of the performance. So with eyes on
the zenith, ready for the earliest twinkle,
he lay dreaming those vague, delightful
dreams which fill the mind Of youth dur
ing such moments Of pleasant idleness.
The idea crossed his mind that a cigar
would not be amiss There were two in
his pocket, neither were matches wanting !;
but the lovely quiet and Incidence of the
moment disinclined him for even this small
exertion. That anything depended upon
the trifing action he little guessed. 1t is
often So We don't see the straws that
turn our paths till we have got quite past
them
So the cigar was not lit, and ten minutes
later or thereabouts a soft rustic reached
his ear from the adjoining roof, then a
scramble on the shingles, and a light foot
on the other side the chimney-then.
" Shall | take the lantern down now,
Miss ?' asked a voice in tones unmistaka-
bly, Hibernian.
" Confound it :" muttered Fred to HIM
SELF 3" this is too bad, parcel of women
coming to chatter and distract one ;" but
he checked the incipient grumble, for a
second voice began to speak, and so sweet,
clear, and bright were the accents that he
forgot every thing else except to listen.
Yes, please" the voice said and
don't sit up, Hannah 1t is SO warm and
pleasant that | may stay a good while,
and I'll find my way down without a
light"
" Be careful of the dew thin, Miss, and
don't hit your head aginst the fre-bucket
or the warming pan, or"
"Or the hams" laughed the bright
voice. q won't; / don't like ham in my
hair and | won't ring the bell with my
petticoats, Hannah, or trip on the stairs.
or any of the other things you're going to
warn me against so Just 20 down again,
and to bed when you're ready, and never
mind me. And Hannah, you needn't re-
mind aunty that I'm here unless she asks
you"
L won't Miss" And then came a.
thump, accompanied by loud tintinnabu-
lation, which sent the young lady into a
tit OF laughter, whisper of a laugh silvery
and tinkling and she called down the
scuttle; " There, Hannah, you did that
yourself; hurry down and pacify aunty,
and don't say word about me unless you
must"
Niver fear, Miss came the reply,
strangled by distance, and with another
laugh the girl moved down the roof to the
balustrade and stood considering. She
was in view now, girlish figure in white,
wrapped in a white shawl, and as she
turned, sweet face was dimly visible,
framed in light hair. 1t was but for a
moment. She came slowly up the roof
again, and, sitting down with her back to
Fred, began to prepare for what seemed
likely to be stay of some duration, by
drawing out pencil, paper, and a long
string of jet beads. which she ran thought
fully through her fingers as she sat. He
could hear them rattle on the string, and
so near was she that by making long arm
he could have touched the fair curl which
hung over her shoulder.