Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-11-08

row was over, who could sit down to
lunch of cold meat and bread and butter
with an appetite as keen AS a young Indi-
ans after days hunt; yes, and who knew
how TO be efficient in the kitchen and the
rarest ornament of the parlor. How impa-
tient was TO see her, the bewitching maid
en- whom prince might have been proud
to marry. And again l said to myself, as
l went up the Parker House steps: ~ do
hope Tom hasn't made fool of himselfr
Four o'clock found me at the station and
n moment later in walked Tom, carrying a
basket filed with Jersey peaches. "They
don't grow in Greenland" said he, tucking
the paper down over the fruit. Come this
way" | followed him, and we had just
seated ourselves comfortably in the car
when the train moved of.
"Now for the story, Tom," said as we
crossed tho bridge aud caught the breeze
cool from the sea. "But can guess before
hand the girl you married. 1t was Clara
Maitland.'
4 shadow passed over Toms face. "Cla-
IA has been dead four years." said he. "She
inherited consumption from her mother.
We did everything for her--took her to
Minnesota and TO Florida but it was of no
use. She didn't live to see her eighteenth
birthday
"Poor Claral She loved you dearly.
Then suppose you chose some Boston girl
of your acquantance?'
"Jack, you couldn't tell who Mrs. Tom
Foster was ir should try from now till to-
morrow morning. | shall have TO enlight-
en- you" Aud moving his basket to one
side and settling himself in his scat, he
went on: "You know l have the mislor-
tune to be an only child. After l was
twenty-onc, father and mother began TO
talk about my marrying. have plenty of
cousins, you know, and we always had
young ladies going in and out of the house;
but while Clara lived, she was company
for me, and alter she died | was full of
business, and didn't trouble myself about
marrying. TO tell the truth, Jack, didn't
fancy the girls. Perhaps / was unlortu-
nate in my acquaintances; but they SEEM
ed to me all curls and flounces and furbe-
lows, and would as soon have thought of
marrying Il fashion-plate as one of these
elaborate creatures. Idon't object to style;
| like il. But you can see fine gowns and
bonnets any day in the Washington street
windows; and my ideal of woman was one
whose dress is her least attraction.
"Do you recollect fathers former part
ner, Adam Lane? He's clever old gentle
man and millionaire, and father has the
greatest liking and respect for him. lie
has two daughters-one married years ago;
and the other, much younger, father fixed
upon as desirable wife for me. | rather
think the two families had talked it over
together; al any rate, Miss Matilda came
to Greenland for a long summer visit. She
is an amiable girl; but so petted and spoil
ed that she's good for nothing-undeveoped
in mind and body. She looked very gay
in the evenings, attired in Jordan, Marsh
d Co.'s latest importatious. But she was
always late at breakfast; she didn't dare
to ride horse back she couldn't take
walk without stopping TO rest on every
stone and once when | asked her if she
had read the account of the battle of Sedan,
she looked up, in her childish way, and
said; NO. Mr.. Foster. Newspapers are so
tiresome.' BlesSane what should have
done with such baby?
"a year ago this summer | was very
much confined TO the store; and, when
August came, instead Of spending the
whole month at home, thought would
lave little change, and so went down 10
the Cliff House for a fortnight, on -
Beach. It's a quiet, pleasant resort, and
you'll always find from fifty TO one hun
dred people during the season. The land
lord is a good fellow and distant relative |
of mine. thought he looked nurried when
went in, and after few minutes he took
me one side and said =
"'Tom, you've come at an unlucky time.
| had a very good cook, that | got from
Boston, at twenty dollars a week but she
is high-tempered woma N. Last evening
she quarreled with her assistants, this |
morning the breakfast was in confusion,
and now she's packing her trunk to leave
by the next train. In two or three days ! |
can probably get another one down in her
place but what we're TO do meanwhile l |
don't know
"'But, Norton said |, isn't there some
one near by or in the house who can take
it?'
"'I doubt it, he replied. 'Pvc half
dozen girls from the vicinity doing up
stairs work-one of them from your town,
the best waiter in the dining room. But l
suppose all of them would either be afraid
of the responsibility or think it beneath
them TO turn cook though they would
have plenty of help, and earn twenty dol
ars where they now get three
"'Who's here from Greenland p asked,
for knew something of nearly every ono
in the place.
"'Mary Lyfurd.'
"Mary Lyford? A black-eyed, light
footed girl, about twenty years old, with
two brothers in Colorado, and her father
farmer over toward Stratham?
"'Yes, the very same
"'Why, she's the prettiest girl in Green
land-at leas., thought so two years ago,
when | danced with her at the Thanksgiv-
Ing party in the village and l heard last
fall that she got the prize at the Manchester
Fair Tor the best loaf of bread. But why
Is she here?' r,~
"'Oh, you know farmers haven't much |
ready money; and l suppose she wanted
to earn something for herself, and to come |
to the beacblike tbe. rest of us. You say
she took the premium for her bread? be- |
lieve I'll 60 into the dining room and pro-
pose to give the cooks place TO any one of |
the girls who would like II and feels COM |
petent TO take it. must do something;'
and, looking at his watch he went out.
"'Ton minutes later he came back, clap |
ping his hands, and exclaimed:-
"'Mary Lyford says she'll try it,
"'Hurrah for Greenland = cried I. Isn't |
that luckyS BY Jovel l hope she'll sue
coed, and believe she will.'
"'You mustn't expect much to-day
said Norton. Things are all topsy-turvy |