Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-09-08
The Leisure Hour.


Mr.. Washburne had never been sue
cessful man. He was born rich, but not
lucky. But if unlucky he was seldom
sad, and i'll luck destroyed neither his rea-
son nor his good nature. His last enter
prise was by far the most discouraging yet
he meant to struggle out of it. In it he
had embarked n fair fortune belonging to
his orphaned niece. She had consented
because of the wonderful profits which
were to accrue, but he failed as usual. She
lost everything, but at last took upon her
self the role of comforter, for her uncle was
at first cast down as he had never been be-
fore. 81 would not care, Bessey, if you
were not ruined"
81 ruined, uncle-young, lovely and ac-
complshed," she replied, laughing. 81
will tell you, uncle, there is one thing you
never tried. You never tried farming.
Go out West, take up land under the home
stead law, build you a castle,-i. e., cab
in,-and when the wilds are somewhat sub
dued, invite me, and l will bury myself
with you among the soiitudes.'
Elizabeth Enfield had thrown out this
lure to her uncle half in jest, yet he was
not slow in being caught. But he would
not pre-empt not he. SO after little de-
lay, he gathered enough from the wreck of
his fortune to buy "quarter section," by
the side of the loveliest lake in Minnesota,
he wrote his niece. A comfortable house,
cheerful wife and happy daughters made it
quite a paradise, and Bessy must come
forthwith.
Bessy went at last, not with any ianciful
ideas of what this western paradise was to
be; but she sought 1t as a refuge, for she
was homeless. So she was neither dis
heartened nor elated on arriving. 1t was
about what she had thoughtit, Her friends
were very comfortably placed, with many
of life's conveniences. Uncle Harry called
his farm Eureka, and really seemed, at
last, to have found a settled happiness.
The water seemed the chief attraction to
Elizabeth. Sylvan Lake was n little basin
of water about mile in diameter-in the
middle of a huge forest of oaks and more
slender naples, gathered to the very wa
ter's edge. A lovely little lake it was, in
deed. Looking at it through vista of
trees and BUSHES, it seemed to Bessy good
representation of fairy land.
The morning after her arrival Bessy saw
little boat starting out from a cove oppo-
sito her uncles dwelling. 1.-THE trapper is
coming for his loaves, wife," said Mr..
Washburne; and Bessey expected to see a
common fellow, but instead she was intro
duced to stately, reserved man. When he
had taken his leave, Bessy asked her uncle
if he had called that man trapper.
I'VE call him a trapper," said Mr.. Wash
hurne; 'and that is about all we know of
him. He traps for furs, and occasionally
brings home a deer, sharing his venison
with his neighbors. His little cabin is
filled with books, and every post brings a
fresh supply of reading matter. lie is quite
a character. Your cousin Alice, here, con-
siders him prince in disguise, and has
vainly set her cap for him. DO not you,
Bessy, lose your heart TO him, for really
believe he has none"
Bessy's lip curled she, reared in a land
OF civilization, to bring herself down to a
level with mere trapper. Her uncle saw
and smiled. "You will see things differ
emily after while, child,' he said, and the
subject was dropped.
'Bessy had made up her mind to teach,
but she spent several weeks at Sylvan
Lake before such an opportunity offered as
she would accept Dull weeks they might
have been, but for the books and papers
which were often left at her uncle's by the
trapper. She read them often on the banks
of the little lake, where she sometimes
speculated instead of reading. Charles
| Spenciere was traced on the fly leaf of each
volume. This same Charles Spenciere
came and went almost daily to and from
Mr. Washburne, sometimes tarrying TO
talk to the master or mistress of the house,
but, except a civil bow on entering or leav-
ing, he ignored the existence of Bessy and
her cousin. BY odd scraps of conversation
Bessy gathered that this man, who spent
his time in what she considered so ignoble
a calling, was one fitted to lead in any So
| ciety. Very proud was Elizabeth Enfield
| and it angered her to see one to whom SO
much was possible, hiding his life in these
interminablo woods.
One day Bessy sat with her cousin by tho
side OF the lake, near where the boat of Mr.
| Spenciere was moored. 1t was a lovely
afternoon, and $ he longed to be out on the
water She signihed her desire to her rosy
the little bark near by, there was no boat
on the water. "None then we must re-
nounce our little pleasure" said Bessie,
with sigh.