Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-07

company with the family, as there was wont
TO be on Christmas Eve.
The Cliffords we're fond of maintaining old
customs, and making travesty of old festl-
walls. AL Woodruff, who had mere Of his
mothers than his fathers temper, had called
the performance, in these altered days with
their altered fashions, and in the Cliffords'
changed circumstances, travesty and par
ody, and had been little impatient aud
contemptuous Of what was to him more ludi-
crous than anything else. You see he was
not sentimental or romantic, this AL, though
he was heoric, which, after all, is the quality
that holds the germs OF the highest romance.
Tonight, however, with the slender resources
Of the Farm backed by the ample resources
Of the Manor, there was no falling short |
either in the entertainment or its guests. For |
if the country had been loyal in standing by |
the Cliffords in their adversely, it was, no
doubt, not less loyal in its allegiance when it |
was commonly reported aud believed that
Gena Clifford, instead of making the stupid |
additional descent of bestowing herself on
the wears sou-the abrupt, Incorporating
fellow OF a curate in Bristol-was about to
climb back to the highest step of the social
ladder, by being married to Sir Francis Pau
let.
Into the company Al Woodruff uninvit-
ed, and in his worse-for-wear though travel
ing coat, Of course known to and admitted
by the servants, boldly and uuhesitatingly
entered.
There had been charades, in which Gena,
dressed up In one Of her grandmothers bro
cades with the relics of the Cliffords' old
lace and pearls, had looked inexpressibly
high-bred and dainty, while she had played
a chief part, well supported by Sir Francis, as
aristocratic and still more handsome in his
way, while, as it happened, he had been call
ed on to invest himself in the plain green
coat of pseudo forester The riddle was Just
guessed, and the forester was leading the
noble maiden, who had forsaken all for the
forest glades, to the piano--a somewhat jung
ing instrument, it must be confessed, though
its wood was satin-wood, and there was much
inlaying and furnished gliding about its
frame-to sing in her clear, soft treble, with
his deep bass accompaniment, "Alice Brand"
| "Oh merry it is in the good green wood,
When the marvis and merle are singing,
When the deer sweep by and the hounds are In cry,
And the hunters horn is ringing"
Then the door opened, servant announced
=" Mr.. Woodruff" and AL, with unconscious
" stern, accusing face making his undoffed
travelling coat look like a garment Of camel's
hair, walked into the room. There was
stir and rustic OF surprise and CONSERVATION.
! Gena, who caught the first glimpse Of the
intruder, grew red as a rose, then paled
through pink to a sckly white like the
same rose nipped by sudden frost, within
two seconds, as she stopped short in the
commencement Of her song without any ex.
PLANTATION TO Sir Francis, aud without turn
ing aside to greet her old lover.
"You here, AL" cried the happily OBJ
livious vicar; "whers have you sprung
from ? but need not ask. Better late than
never, my good fellow
GAL" demonstrated his mother "why
did you not send for, instead of following,
us, if you arrived at home and found us alb
, sent ?"
Because was on no ceremony, mother, "
said Al, in loud, firm voice. q had a
| right to count on my welcome"
$50 you had, Mr.. Al" said Mr.. Clifford,
5 with prompt courtesy, disengaging himself
from whlst-tabe to which he had Just sat
down: though, must confess, did not
3 expect you to answer my letter in person,
be added, in an undertone, for AIS ear AS
3 the host grasped the guests hand. "All
! our friends are always welcome when they
. like to take US at our freside, above all on
{ this night"
Thanks" returned Al, curtly; any
t night with my friends is much the same to
5 me, but did not mean from you, Mr.. Cliff
I ford, no, nor from Mr.. Bevi," and the i'm.
t patiently-rude young man actually waved
;. aside Mr.. Bevil's courteous greeting " |
meant from Gena." He still spoke quite
$ loudly, with a rough freedom, so that al
s around heard him and when Gena colo
o and colorless, and trembling like leaf it
: her fantastic grandeur was forced to CONT
: forward every one saw how he grasped hel
;. hand and held it tightly, whether with he
IT will or no, and, preventing her going back t.
II / the piano, led her to a seat, and took thu
r. chair next her as if it was his and he intend
u ed to keep it.
e The entertainment went on as before, at
D, ter that disturbing interludc, because tn
p company we're wel.bred company, and wei
+ up in the practice Of self-control. But Their
10 was an all-pervading sense of warning elc
D. ment in the nights pleasure, and in the grea
i good fortune on which everybody had bee
silently congratulating the Cliffords. Tele
1, graphic looks innumerable passed on al
10 sides.
Of How far had poor little Gena Cliffor
le committed herself in times past with tina
at brutally defiant young curate, and how bar
to barously he was going to serve heR--ou
G. either keep her to her word, or expose II
" forfeiture! What savage the fellow wa
to without a sense of delicacy or chivalry an
to yet we have heard Of knights who did ne
is, hesitate to take extreme vengeance on the
or horror.stricken, faithless mlstresses, and tbs
ly in the most orthodoxy chivalrous times bl
I'D men and women's standards Of chivalry hav
Y, changed with the changing generation Il
d, my part give nothing for chiyalry, unless
IS have truth for its beginning and end.
nd Sir Francis was not a boy, to fret an
ng fume, to rage in an unmannerly way, al
ne expose the huf-to speak in plain terms
Ter he might be justfable in taking. Meth,
he was he at all likely to give way to claim
in however boldly made by another, witho
on making some fight for his own. Sir Franc
TO pulled his moustache aud stared surrept
tiously and pondered, but be also apprOach'
fe Gena repeatedly during the rest of the eve
nut ing, and attempted to reGstablish his positi'
RS as her acknowledged partner. In vain.
hit Woodruff could not keep her to himself 1
,as the evening, but at every crisis he turned u
lat authoritatlvely took possession Of Gena, Al
I'D had his way. 1t was his songs she SAN
ITO he sat by her side, obdurate aud iron-face
a at the supper, which she made the pOorC
snt pretence Of tasting. Gena, who ought
ly, have taken the initiative in repulsing hi
id. was weak with shame, vexatlon, aud SC
md Of choking fear Of Al and DISGUST with hl