Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-03-08
The Leisure Hour.
Iy'O-r .s.ID LOST.
"Thosc that will not when they may,
When they will they shall have nay"


a earden-party on the banks of the
Thames: croquet and straw berries, the ex-
cuse, Irritation and matrimony the object.
But IN all the glory of June sunlight, the
bright river glittering as it runs on to the
sea, roses fingng their rich perfume on
the air, soft music blending with the song
of birds, the excuse and the object are
sometimes forgotten, and a delicious sense
Of purposeess idleness and ineXplcable
enjoyment alone remains. At least such
was the..case with Philip Kerr, captain in
the Royal Rifles, as, leaning against tree,
he looked at the scene around him.
What to him was the remembrance that
two brothers stood between him and til
tie? What the apparently certain fact that
his fathers broad woodlands and the halls
where he was born were not for him? that
his only home was the head quarters of his
regiment in garrison town, or the dining
room of the Rag and Famis =? 1t was
nothing TO him Al that instant that his
pockets were empty, and his banking ac-
count overdrawn. Had he not irreproach-
able lavender Kids on his hands, and, as
far rs he was concerned priceless boots on
his aris.ocratically small feet? Above all,
was there not smiling on hi between her
turns at croquet, the My unmarried daugh-
ter of the great city firm of Richley, AL
paca, & Co.,? Not very young, and not
very handsome, to be sure, but then there
was a dowrv of thirty thousand down, and
seventy thousand to come when The senior
partner should take his flight TO 4 better
1 1, 1,
ty years of age and a remarkably plain
farce.
Besides, she was well inclined to regid
with her wealth some worn-out coronet
| or, falling that, to attach herself as branch
| grated on to some long-descended family
| tree. and SO enter "society" in her own
right, as fourteenth cousin by marriage to
| peer of the realm, rather than be admit
ted by sufferancc of dowagers on the look
out for heiresses.
| While awaiting this desirable event she
| kept her hand in by n series of unlimited
| and sentimental flirtations with every agree
| able and intellectual man she metz for
Thendosia Riclley went in for Intellect
| high art, Broad Church notions, aud wo-
mems rights-and Philip being particular
| ~ agreeable and passably intellc tual, and,
| above all, the third son of Scotch baron,
| Theodosia had selected him as her present
aide de-camp and attache. She had always
| the alternative, in all eases when intellect
asserted its superiority and became too
| troublesome, Of referring it to the senior
partner, wthOIt whose consent, as she
| plaintively remarked ~ should but inhct
on you penniless wife, my dearest Hen
| ry," or Robert, or whatever might be the
| Christian name Of the present aspirant I;
and this reference generally terminated in
the dismissal Of the agreeable and intel
lectual being, no particular reason being
| given, and the fair gheodosa gently hop
ing that Though things were not propi-
tious, still friendship need not be broken"
Then, by way of consolation, would arrive
anonymous presents, and a sentimental
correspondence would be kept up with the
amily; but TO this stage Philip had not
yet arrived.
lie was content to be smiled upon, to dis
regard the warnings of wiser mon than
himself, and driit down the stream, care
less whether ii stranded him on the sunny
| ''''" VI "''"p I''" W. W MS hpio''-
love, or dashed him on the barren rocks OF
foreign service.
There were just two or three things that
Philip could not do. With all his many
destinations, his perfect moustache, his tai
ont tor soothing irate taiors, his seat on
horseback, and his step in tho vase, he
could not be angry or stern with woman,
or, indeed, with any one. lie could moi
take any thing deeply to heart, and he
could not fret or fume as to what might OF
] might not be his destiny and no leaned