Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-02-18

? L II -
Wfeaihs without any gentlemen to help us,
J can't imagine"
| Tho wroaths arc not finished yet, nre
Asy2" asked Hatty.
Not quitoi but they will bo In an hour"
And when Is John coming baclx-and
tho res. of them?"
by three, suppose--or half-past three
at latest. John left word that he would
como down at once, and bring his friend,
TOO, who was capital hand at such things.
- ut dear me; thero'll DO no time; II gets
dark by fivo."
u think thoro will," said Goorgie en-
couragingly. "Supposo we divide at once.
and 80 to work, and have everything ready
y DC put up tho moment Mr.. Mills gets
nere' That will give ALMOST two hours be-
fese dark, and wo could raise candle or
We I suppose, If tho worst camo to the
A worst"
\ Glrs like leader. They cheered up at
once, Tho coils of heavy wreath wore
l afngp forward, and a busy party foil to
nnpnp them. Another was detailed
~ 'eaiAe tll9'111r and tho clock above il
tFi'hl grouhd pipo. Tho long strip which
80 y arch the e112nccl, Georgie- took in
r~<rd nefselE fewls 70 boar tie clri-4inn
text, "Glory to God in the highest, and on
eurih peace, goodwill toward mon," upon
II, In letters covered with leaves of fresh
ivy; and it was both slow and a delicate
job TO do those nicely, and preserve their
| graceful form and arrangements.
But Miss Ware isjust the person for it,
pronounced the girls. "Sho does every
thing so beautifully. Begin at this ond, J.,
= ase, dear, and before long the rest will
| come, and we will set somc ono to work at
the other end, you know"
30 Goorglc began. Bright orange and
purple rays streamod through tho chancol
window, and tinted hor fair hair as with
aurooln, as sho stood at her work. All
WIS quiet and hushod. Little murmurs
camo from tho distance, whore tho others.
in low tones talked over their labor. The
air was full of the fresh aromatic perfume
of tho greens. A gontlor, calmer mood
fell over hor than had been habitual of late.
How happy sho and Allen were to have
been together this Christmas ,-"wero to
have beon"-ob, the ineradicablo power of
few words I! For tho first time, tho thought
came over her--was not part of the blanc
of this sad separation horsS
Carefully and slowly, while muslng this,
she trained and fastened the ivy over "Glo-
~ be- but as she began tho next word. n
nimc struck her ear. The door had opon-
CO, party had como in-and some one at
the end Of tho church, was saying, "Mr.
Bockwith."
Was it mistaken No. Again she hcprd
it, "How very nice Mr.. Beckwith saws
h has often done it, Hatty;" and before
Z @ first shocked feeling had passed over
d r, it was ronowod with tenfold strength,
+ a voice answerod-a voice she know
O. ere could be no mistake now-and the
rds wore:-
Il shall be happy, am sure. Anything
an dor"
The next moment the whole party were
ctming up tho aisle.
There was no escape. For one instant
sic looked wildly nbout-the next the little
bands with instructive control, wero pur-
sitting their task, fashioning the ivy leaves
over the letter "T."
This way, please" she heard Alice
Janios saying. "Sinco you understand the
art, you can help Mt tho end of this long
thing, Mr.. Bockwith. Miss Ware is doing
the other. By-the-way, you haven't been
introduced yet. Miss Ware, Mr.. Beck
with"
Gri.N hn0N hoo ,ts.t., I1,-
eyes, she saw by tho little shocked start in
Aliens bow, that tho meeting was as un-
expected to him as to her.
'You mustn't stop to talk TO Miss Ware,
now" cried Alice, "there is SO much to
dof' and the next moment they wero busy
at the end of the chanccl rail:
Il was over Allen and she had met rs
strangers. She might go on with her task
now as best she could
There was no one to watch tho tremulous
fingers or the flushing and paling of the
fair face whose cyelids never lifted from
their task. Tho others had gone away to
the far end of the church, whence camo
buzzing and consulting, Hs tho fcstoons
wero lifted to the organ gallery. The wan
ing light warned everybody to unusual OK
orton. Hattie and Jack, the only idle
lnos, had retired to distant pew "to study
The effect" as hey said.
And there she and Allen at either end of
,lat long text, drawing nearer TO each 9th
e- with every word-she and AllenAnd AL
ice James! 1t was like a dreadful dream
TO stand there so outwardly composed, so
III
toring gaily. To bo sure tho badlnage on
Allcn's side was forced and uneasy enough;
but she was not sufficiently mistress OF her
thoughts to dctoct it. 1t was heartloss, In
sultng, sbo said TO herself; and once she
stopped short with n little sudden gasp,
aud thon, startled, resumed hor work fo-
y4rishly. Only one person noted the short
pause. Mr.. Beckwith was not too much
ongrossed with his fair ncighbor TO glance
occasionally Mt their co-workor, and the
biof struggle did not escape him. Some
thing rose in his throat and checked the
giy sally on his lips, and just then "Alice
--Alce-wo want your responded from
The other end of tho aisle, and with apollo
gdic look Alice laid down hor leaves and
..sGishod.
lIllen and Georgia were loft alone with
oily three words of tho Christmas message
d separate them. These words were,
"Poace, Goodwill"
With quivering touch Georgie fastened
the first leaf on the great capital "P, )" Peace
how alien it seemed to her feeling =
how far away and disturbed the impress
sion OF that blessed birth-night Of whose
song it was the burden And yet some
sweet influence seemed to stream from the
sweet word and enter her heart, All her
soul suddenly grew tender. Standing thus
they two, once so near, still, as her heart
whispered, so dear-the message Of love
and charity actually In thoir hands-could
they part without at least ono friendly
look, or word of reconciliation She folt
it to bo impossible. Pride melted. Flush
ing deeply she raised hor eyes. At the
same moment Allen took hasty step for
ward. Over the word "Peaco" their hands
het.
UTboir hands-their eyes. Through tho