Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-04-02

An apology is due Mr.. Hhyueh' S"iu
she, with ready tact. lie has mistaken
me an old married woman, for my cousin,
Miss Danley. Priscilla, he has asked lor
my mind, and refer him to you for an an
swer.'
Yes, yes, gasped Mr.. Hayden, with as
good a grace as he could command. A
natural mistake, ladies and hope you'll
excuse it Miss Danley, mean Mrs. 'Pills-
bury, suggested the outraged husband Sc
verely.
And sincerely hope, ,'-faltered the IA
ther of six, with an appealing glance at the
spinster's top-knot of steel-colored ribbon,
which protruded from each side OF the
tight twist like two-edged sword, i sim
cerely hope, Miss Danley, it will be so you
can overlook this little blunder, and take
me for-for better or worse
Tea is ready. said Priscilla without
bending her head walk out and sit down
with u.s. Mr.. Hayden
The invitation looked propitious If the
lady had been offended beyond all hopes
of reconciliation she would not have asked
the enemy to tea. Mr. Hayden's India
rubber spirits had suffered collapse on ac-
count of his innocent mistake but they
inflated and rebounded as Miss Priscilla
spoke.
He watched her sitting upright before the
little Japan tray, pouring stream of tea as
nearly as possible at rght-angles with the
nose of the teapot; and thought within
his soul that this other one would rule his
house better than the sympathetic Mrs.
Pillsbury, on whom he had wasted five
minutes of hopeful and unlawful alteration.
Yes, he was satisfied that the happiness of
his future depended upon one short word
from Miss Danley's decisive lips, which rs
yet had only opened to ask her guests if
they. would take sugar and cream in their
cups.
Miss Priscilla did not for a moment for
get the propriety of the occasion but while
she was acting her part as hostess with the
strctest decorum, her mind was busy with
the thought of the future. Should she, or
should she not accept the horny hand of
Salmon Hayden, and with it the six re-
sponsiblities which romped around his
hearth-stone2
There was Sam-that was Priscillas
brother-he had wife, just now gone vis-
itng-and eight children. Was it Priscil-
las duty to stand forever over those chill
dren with towel, a cake of soap, darn
ing needle, and pair of scissors She had
done it thus far ever since Sam married
that incapable Hannah Lovejoy, and do it
she might to the end of the chapter, and
who was there to thank her for il ? Six was
not so bad as eight. She could take these
six into her own hands as no maiden aunt
might dare, and there would be only an ir-
responsible, easy-going man to say, why
do ye SOP
Miss Priscilla considered and considered.
AS for the mistake Mr.. Hayden had made
in addressing Mrs. Pillsbury instead of
herself it did not weigh feather with the
sensible Priscilla. II only showed whit on
absent minded, highty man was the Doc
tor, to risk the possibility of such blum
der. If the distracted Salmon had made
love to Sarah Matilda he supposed he was
making it to Priscilla; so pray what was
the difference? 1t is not best to split hair
from west to northwest side, and Miss Dam
ley never wasted time in such puerile en-
matter of marriage ever since the Friday
befote and now that she had seen the
bridegroom expectant she had no particu-
lar fault to find with him, except that he
would talk with his mouth full. She con-
sidered and considered; and before the pile
of fritters had quite sunk to nothngness,
Mr.. Hayden's prospects had risen in in
verse proportion. Miss Priscilla had de-
cided that he would do to sit at the foot OF
| the table at which she should preside as
| head She would as lief pour tea for him
as any man she knew and being woman
who did what she had to do in the shortest
| space of time and with the iewest possible
words, she soon made the ecstatic man ac-
quainted with the state of her heart where
upon he smiled like the sun after a shower
and Immediately called together all the
scattered rays of his affections, and beam.
ed down upon her tropically.
After supper Mrs. Pillsbury stepped into
her Cousins place once more. Not as be
fore, in the affections of her suitor, but this
time more acceptably in her work of clean
ing away the table and overlooking Mrs
Sam Danley's eight children, who from
oldest to youngest inherited their mothers
incapacity; Hannah all over as theil
aunt Priscilla often said with discouraged
sigh. And thus Miss Danley had time fol
little necessary conference with her elect
ed bridegroom in the parlor. A sea
son not wholly lost, for Miss Danley al
ways carried ball of yarn and crotchet
hook in her pocket; and many was the ii
dy and the yard of edging that had grow
out of such odd minutes. u hope sale
Mr.. Hayden, with the impatience of
lover-'I hope you won't keep me waiting
long
Nothing to wait for, as know of; l wa
never one to dawdle. When there is any
thing to be done, do it, say T. returned tn
intended bride, making a rapid calculation
of the necessary time for the preparation
of state dress and bonnet, with the inev
table contingencies of washing, bakin
and ironing thrown in.
Tuesday said she with rehectiv
thrust of her hook into the heart of tidy
already predestined to cover Mr.. Hayden
best rocking chair-Tuesday, Wednesday
Thursday-yes, well-two weeks from tc
day is as early as I can arrange to leav
here. There are the dresses to finish 70
the children; and have promised to max
some bottles of sarsaparilla and cordial fo
grandmother and then there will be som
little things for myself. Yes, to-day tw
weeks, we will say; and you can call agai
about next week ON Wednesday
) there may be something to talk over.
shall not expect you more than that ono,
for l shall be very much engaged, and
must be just the busy season with YOU
Thus in her practical way Miss Priseill
took at once the family reins which sh
| held with firm hand ever after. AS
J housekeeper, wife, and a stepmother, 81
. showed herself all she had been recon
mended, giving Mr.. Hayden no reason
regret that his momentary alteration f,
| any lady but herself proved to be only
| blunder.