Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-11-14
The Leisure Hour.
S.UOOTH Uy.HTERS.
BY ANNIE ROBERTSON NoxoN.

"If only Dorothy might like Bidderord
-"
And Martin Loriord paced his library
back and forth peevishly, his white slen-
der hand thrust behind him now and again,
the supple fingers twirlng restlessly one
over the other, a curious bunch of wrink-
les gathered on his usually placid brow.
"Tll be hanged if l like to coerce the
child,-it seems a heartess, soulloss way to
provide for her,-marrying her to man
double her own age, because of his bank
account, and ponderous, great house,
with antiquated side boards whose carved
legs are a score of years older thOn Dolly"
"Girls at Dorothys age never know par
ticularly what they do want said Martin
Lorford's old friend, adviser and house-
keeper, Jane Bowes, turning the heel of
the gray stocking she had knitted on every
night for ten years, at least, so it seemed to
the master of the "Crofts," doubtless, be-
cause Mrs. Bowles stockings were marvel
ously alike-the gray yarn being surely
spun from an enchanted wheel, since there
was no giving out to it.
| word" (Here, then, was Il worrysome
snar and a irown going fretfully together
"a pretty thing-a fine state of affairs we
should have presently, if all the young
noodles were allowed their own pick and
choice. am quite sure of one thing; in
that case our Dolly, as you call her, would
certainly make mess of it; she may love
as many times as you let her. Girls take
to it naturally, as they do some years fur
ther back to the mumps and measles. But
what kind of man do you suppose Doro-
| thy would pick out as her future MASTER
her husband-come, don't talk of coercing,
Martin; that's sheer nonsense; the girl
was left with you TO do with as you see fit,
always supposng that you treat her justly.
Don't put any such nonsense into her head
upon that subject. You like Lawyer Bid
deford-well and good; I've no doubt Dor
othy will come 10 ii in time"
Mrs. Bowles smiled grimly at the top OF
her starched cap frll, reflected from The
old-fashioned mirror with a curious gill
frame, which had occupied the library man.
tel ever so many years before this Martins
day. She remembered the times when iirs
she came to the Crofls as maid to its gentle
mistress-when they were both in the first
flush of womanhood- -coquetting with thi,
youthful and happy face with laughing eyes
and bonny brown curls.
And now she might look back on those
days when she had stolen into the dim H.
brary on tip'toe, tying up those curls in
cherry ribbons TO please Robert-poor Rob
ert Bowles-dead now these thirty years
and raising the pale blue eyes, washed ou
by chance tears, here and there, meet thi,
thin wrinkled face with its white cap fril
and pretentious ribbons s-mocking-mock
ing.
Heighho!
"Eh -
And Dorothy's guardian turned ava,
from blaudly staring at a shelf of must,
books, fretiully thinking of hands )m
Dorothy, and the absurdity of any one
hoping that she would regard them in tn
light of master.
Imperious, queenly Dorothy!
"You spoke, Mrs. Bowles?''
"Not that remember" said Mrs. Bowles
stretching her neck a little to gaze throug
the south window, away to the disma
clump Of laurels and spiky pines, beneat
whose dusky arches, and under the shad
ow of which lay her first love. That wa
too long ago, and she would have, throug
and by her sorrowful experience, save
Dorothy worlds Of sorrow. Not to think {
, loving any one, not TO permit any one t
enter her hearts sacred sanctuary-fo
once being there, "my dear" she had sait
'it is worse than thinning yourself of net
ties TO get them out again, so you see it
much the safer to hold all long way of
and laugh at their folly"
Pretty Dolly had sighed grievously q
this unwomanly advice, and twinlng he
plump, brown arms about Mrs. Bowles'