Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-02-10
Tie Leisure Hour.
THE sT0RI. OF II v.sLE.rTI.,E.

When my friend Capt. Terrible, U. S. N,
dimes at my plain table, 1 am always a lit
tie abashed. Iknow that he has been ac-
customed always to a variety of wines and
sauces, to cigarette after each course, and
to a cookery that would kill an undevelop-
ed American. So, when the captain turns
the castor round three times before select
ing his condment, and when his eyes seem
to be seeking for Worcestershire sauce and
Burgundy wine, l feel the poverty of the
best feast / can furnish him. am afraid
veteran magazine readers will feel thus
about the odd little story l have to tell
For have observed of late that even tho
short stories are highly seasoned ; and /
cannot bear to disappoint readers. So let
me just honestly write over the gateway to
this story warning. l have no Cayenne
pepper. No Worcestershire sauce. No
cognac. No cigarettes. No murders. No
suicides. No broken hearts. No lovers
quarrel. No angry father. No pistols and
coffee. No arsenic. No laudanum. No
shrewd detectives. No trial for murder.
No "heartless coquette." No "deep-dyed
villain with a curling moustache." Now if
after this warning, you have the courage
to go on, am not responsible.
Hubert said might print it if 1 would
disguise the names. 1t came out quite in
cidentally. We were discussing the wo-
man question. am a "woman's Fighter"
Hubert-the Rev. Hubert Lee, 1 should
say, pastor of the "First Church." and, in
deed, the only church in Allenville-is not,
though / flatter myself have made some
impression on him. But the discussion
took place in Hubcrt's own house, and
wishing TO give pleasant turn at the end,
| suppose, he told me how year and n
halt before, he had FUSED up'' one wo-
mans rights man, who was no other than
old DIR. Hood, the physician that has had
charge of the physical health of Hubert
and myself from the beginning. Unlike
most of his profession, tho doctor has al
ways been radical, and even the wealth
that has come in of late years has left him
quite as much of a radical, at least in theo-
ry, as ever before. Indeed the old doctor
is not very inconsistent in practice, for he
has educated his only daughter, Cornelia,
to his own profession, and l believe she
took her NJ. ID. with honors, though she
has lately spoiled her prospects by marry
ing. But socially he has become little
aristocratic, seeking an exclusive associa-
ton with his wealthy neighbors. And this
does not look very well in one who, when
he was poor, was particularly bitter on "a
purse-proud aristocracy." 1 suppose HUI
bert felt this. Certainly did, and there
fore l enjoyed the conversation that he re-
peated to me all the more.
1t seems that my friend Hubert had been
away at the seminary for three years, and
that having at last conquered in his great
battle against poverty, and having gained
an education in spite of difficulties and
having supplied city church acceptably
for some months during the absence of the
pastor in Europe, he came back to our ma
tive village TO rest on his laurels a few
weeks, and decide which of three rather
impecunious call he would accept. When
just about to leave he took it into his head
for some reason, to "drop in" on old Doc
tor Hood. twas nine o'clock in the morn
ing, and the doctors partner was making
morning calls while the old gentleman sat
in his Office to attend to any that might
seek his services. This particular morning
happened to be an unfortunate one, for
there were no ague-shaken patients to be
seen, and there was not even a case of mi
nor surgery to relieve the tedousness of
the morning ofiice-hour. Perhaps il was
for this reason, perhaps it was for the sake
of old acquaintance, that he gave Hubert
most cordial reception, and launched at
once into sea of vivacious talk. Cornell
ia, who was in the Office, excused herself
on the ground that she was examining for
her final examination, and seated herself
at Il window with her book.
81 am afraid take your time, DOCTOR"
said Hu bert.
20 no, am givngup my practice to my
partner, DIR. Beck, and shall give it all to
him in a year or two"
ITO him and Miss Cornelia?" uueried
HUBERT laughing For it was currently re-
ported that the young doctor and Cornelia
were to form partnership in other than
professional affairs.
Either because he wished to attract her
attention, or for some other reason, Hubert
soon managed 10 turn the conversation TO
the subject of woman's rights, and the old
doctor and the young parson were soon
hurling at ono another all the staple. and
now somewhat stale arguments about wo-
mans fitness for many Things. At last,
perhaps because he was a little cornered,
Hubert said =
"Now, doctor, there was a queer thing
happened to student in my class in the
l don't suppose, doctor, that
you are much interested in love story,
but would just like to tell you this one,
because l think you dare not apply your