Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-12-20

"ial don't you know Well, to be
sure. Why, Hannah always was odd you
Know Jane offered her good home, and
I'm sure had no end of work for her;
but she's drcadfully set, Is Hannah, and
she's"
Married" ?"
"Bless you, no! There's no chance for
Hannah now, since she refused Jasper Hen
bricks and Jane is MORALLY offended with
her"
"Why?" queried the listener inpatient
why, she's Keeping shop down in the
village"
81 guess I'll take turn down aud SEQ
her, said Mr.. David abruptly, as Jim sped
out of the door, followed by troop of
smaller fry.
"Here you, Tim and Joe, come back %
cried the mother. "Hannah's 'mazin' par
ticuar and techy, and don't like to sec so
m;ply on 'em round barefoot"
.lpwever, the troop were of, and If Han
rfSNhaff ferrands for all those nimble feet,
she must have been a very bIsy woman.
Jim, hitching up his trowsers and holding
on to his shred of hat, shot down the qui-
ct street, and vanished at the corner where
the old pump stood.
"Jim r. called Mr.. David. "ho!d on a bit.
I'm coming too
Hurry up, then" said Jim. "rve got
lots of chores TO do, and Aunt Hannah"
"You like your Aunt Hannah, do you,
Jim?"
"You may bet your life on that" answer
ed Jim, sententiously. "She's one of the
rcg'lars. she is, tell you!" and Jim wound
up this pleasing information with long,
low whistle of indefinite applause.
Keeping the boy in sight, Mr.. David pres
emily came in front of a quiet cozy little
shop with a great tree before it. In the
miniature show window hung bright ar
ray of ribbons, over which the swaying
leaves east flickering shadows; pot of
geranium with scarlet blossoms glittered
against the snowy curtains within. A
wholesome, wellswept, CHEEKY looking
place. David didn't want any ribbons.
lie couldn't decorate himself with mllin-
cry; but as he looked within the doorway
and saw quiet, shaded sitting-room. Just
back of the shop, and quiet little figure,
in pink dress and black silk apron, sew
ing busily, his heart gave great leap. He
wanted TO kiss that little woman, who, all
unconscious Of being seen, threaded her
needle and hummed a blithe song to her
self
\ beautiful inner picture, as though he
were looking through the depths Of a cam
era al some chaste image, IDEAL shining,
out of his reach altogether. She seemed to
him like a lady in Il dream, apart from the
| dusty ways of common life. Yet she kept
the little shop under the tree.
do not think Mr.. David would have had
courage to break the spell that seemed to
separate him from his old friend, had not
| jim, bursting in, announced his presence.
\ quiet little woman. David had said !;
this did not seem very, quiescent person
age, however, this flushed and tiemulous
| tomebody, like and yet not IKE the old
Hannah, who came toward him with clo-
quent eye, aud hands ouistretched, crying.
"Daver like note of pathetic music.
All, that was welcome! At the moment
David thought IL cheaply bought with eight
years of absence.
Hannah buStedabout to get supper she
set out her little round tea-tablc; she laid
the snowy cloth; she spread her little store
of daintie5 she poured him out fragrant
cup of tea she lowered about him like a
nuttercd bird, chirping ioyously.
"a snug little place, Hannah" said Mr..
David at last, speakng out of his fitness
of content; "but your sisters feel sore a.
bout il; they don't like your living here
alone. The fact is they think You have
lowered yourself and all that. What put
it into your hcad?"
"Au angel, perhaps" said Hannah, sol
emnly, wiping herglowing, fearful eyes as
she looked at him. David, after father
and mother died. and | had fretted away
my soul caring for them and trudging A.
bout with Betseys babies, | grew weary
and sick-oh, very weary and sick and
there came to me an ineXpressible desire
to own myself, just as | would have felt for
any other poor slave with slavery in pros
pect for life. louged to keep myself neat
and pure. shuddered at the thought of
my degradation as n dependent drudge in
other pc e1ple's households
"And YOU did not want to marry?" Dl-
vid did not know what imp prompted the
words which burned his lips as they drop
ped from them. He mended them praise
worthly by adding, "Jasper Hendricks,
for instance p
But Hannah answered calmly; mo, Da-
vid, that would not have helped me. So
took the dear little shop, and worked and
walled"
"For what?" said David, bluntly.
Hannah blushcd, STOPPING low over her
teacup
"For customers" she said, as Jim came
clustering in on one Of his innumerablC
S'chores."
That night Mr.. David Dunham could moi
sleep. Hannah's face, her pleasant voice
her sunny little shop, haunted him. Such
n woman would be like sunrise in mans
life. But Hannah did not want to marry
Hannah hugged her independence or she
was waiting-waiting as she had said, fol
somebody. Somehow Mr.. David did moi
find his way to the little shop whore Han
nah dwelt in maidenly serenity quite as
soon as he had anticipated. lie fingered
about the village he took Miss Simmons
out for drive now and then and one
Sunday he responded to Mrs. Johnson''
pious interest in him by taking seat IN
her pow. II was hot, sunshiny day, an'
all the windows of the old meeting-hous'
were open, the big trees waving close t'
the high old-iashioned windows, the swal
lows twittering, the breeze wandering il
from the near clover field, just as in ole
times when Dave sat, in Sunday rig, dozinl
in the gallery.
Looking about he saw Hannah seated IN
the choir in pretty pink-lined bonnet
her eyes were intent on her notebook sh'
did not return his glance. At that mo
mont there was aturning about of heads, {
rustic up the aisles, and Miss Simmons
came sweeDinp up the center in her flOwns