Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-12-04
Jos.plincs Peterson

nY p. }. wnfryn
"Oh, motherw exclaimed Josephine Bent
ly, on her return from visit to the new min.
isier's wife. really must have Peterson
this year
What is a Peterson p" inquired her
mother, with a smile at the girls earnest face.
Il know spoke up George, boy Of
twelve. lts thing to wear on your
/ head r.
40 wear on your head !" repeated Jose.
phiue, laughing merrily Why you foolish
/ boy, its magazine"
la, ba 60 laughed Mr.. Bently. That's
pretty good for you, George"
don't care, retorted the boy. 81
heard Mat Ray ask Lucy Bright what that
was on Mrs l.orings head, aud she said some.
thing about a Peterson So, there :"
Mrs Loriug knit lovely nuba taking
the pattern from Peterson Why, mother,
its the splendidest book you over saw :
There's a beautiful steel engraving in front,
then nice woodcuts O splendid, colored fash.
iou-plate; besides all the new style cloaks,
/ bonneis, hats, etc, etc. And then there's
music Only think new music every month
patterns Of everything receipts, and and
can't begin to tell what else Besides the
stories-and such stories read some when
Mrs. Loring was getting tea pausing for
want Of breath.
| Well, my dear how much is thi. wonder
ful magazine inquired her indu gent father.
/ Only a dollar and half, in a cllb, two
dollars siuglyn
Well, we'll Jo that's cheap enough II
have good luck in harvesting, you shall
have it,"
! JOS bright face clouded Two dollars
seemed quite a sum to her. For Josephine
| Beutly lived in a small country town where
money was comparatively scarce and where
magazines were as much Of a curiosity as a
white elephant Mr. and Mrs. Loring were
city-born and bred and when the young
minister was called to oficiatc at Waiabridgc
his wife had her favorite magazine as usual.
/ 10 planned, and thought night and day
fbow she could get that splendid Peterson.
Mrs Loring seeing her admiration Of her "a
vorite kindly loaned the number to her but
Jo, though delighted, was not satisfied. she
wanted " Peterson herself.
The iragrauf summer days had turned to
pearls on Times necklace.
Be sure and come over Thursday Jo,"
whispered Mrs Loring as they met at church
one Sunday. Ralph is coming an | want
you 10 meet him"
Jo blushed with pleasure. She hal heard
great deal about Ralph Loring. He was q
promising young lawyer, frank and genial
but to her his greatest charm was, that he
wrote sketches for magazines aud papers
Mrs Loring had oouGientialiy informed her
Of this long ago.
And now, was it real? She was actually
going to spend au afternoon with a live au-
thor Her heart almost beat to sufl0cation
at the thought The excellent sermon fell
unhceded on her ears, and she went home as
in dream.
The eyentful Thursday came at last, She
dressed herself in her Sunday dress, simple
white muslin, and braided aud unbraided her
long, bright hair, feeling very dissatisfied
with the bright, dark eyes, fair complexion
and rosy cheeks that met her gaze in the
small mirror.
She bad saved every penny and now, Il.
she counted the small pieces Of silver, she
found to her great JOY that she had just
enough for her cherished magazine.
There was no excuse to delay longer, aud
she started slowly for Mrs. Iioring's.
The sunlight glnted on the trce-tops Ike
golden arrows of light, and the birds thrilled
the perlumcd air with theirsongs
I" Miss Josephine called timid voice
breaking iu upon her reverie.
Turning, she saw Maggie Dogherty, the
daughter of an Irish widow Jo had offer
given her small presents, and one time, whet
She was i'll with fever, watched night aftei
night by her bedside Maggie and her moth
er were very grateful, and looked upon hoi
as almost an angel
We'll, Maggie said 10, "what is it 2
4" Oh, Miss Josephine, my heart is brok,
intirely with the throuble," she replied, burst
ind into tears. My mother is down witt
, the fayer, and the lundlord-bad luck till hin
for cruelty-swars he'll turn us out o the BIZ
cottage if we don't pay the riDt to-morrer
| was workin' till Mr.. Bright's, and gettinl
along nice as could be, when | had to G
home. The cows gone, and the pigs gone
and and -" breaking down,
Don't cry Maggie" svid Jo, consolingly
" | will help you what | can. Here is ,wC
dollars" sighing softly. :" wish it wa,
/ more, but ii is all have Tomorrow will
. come and sec you"
May the Virgin bless your swaie face
and give you long life and happiness begar
, the girl, gratefully,
. But Jo checked her thanks, aud bade he
| a cheerful good-by. But when Maggie dis
e appeared, Jo sank down by the roadside auc
g burst into food of tears.
"Ah!' she sobbed, 81 cannot have tina
c beautiful magazine now, after all, as much a
r wanted it. Well it can't be helped
I couldn't let those poor creatures suffer so, !
. did want it but am so disappointed"
i. Rising she bathed her flushed face at th'
9 ripping brook, close at her feet.
r " Well, sis, here am at last, exclaimed
G the merry voice of Ralph Loring, as be pre-
I sented himself at the pretty parsonage
! " Extra business must be my excuse for keep
D ing you waiting. By-the-way, do you hay
I nymphs or angels in this romantic placer "
r Neither, so far as am aware " laughed
e Mrs, Loring. " Did you sec anything a
/ you came through that grand old forest r.
i IL certainly saw nymph, or renarkabl
$ lovely girl in white muslin"
u And he repeated the interview between j
aud Maggie.