Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-01-31

creatures, ana IL is only when tney snow
their infirmity in outward and visible un-
gainlness, and so on, that their idiocy be-
comes distressing. Mr.. Tomkins has moth
ing of that sort"
"Ohi he Is fair specimen of the ami
NAL" reioined Annie.
"And he is quiet, docie animal" said
Mrs. Maddox land he has eight hundred
year. 1t will be your fault If you cannot
make a tolerable husband out of such a
continuation
Aud mother and daughter retired to rest.
While they we're slumbering, and Tom
kins was dreaming of fearful monster
more appalling than sea-serpent and in
dream-land called Bushby. the mail-train
was swiftly carrying Mrs. Maddox's little
missive, or, IL were as correct to say, mis-
sile. And deadly shaft it was. 1t reach
ed its mark about ten O'Clock the next
morning, as Mr.. Bushby sat down to a
somewhat late break fast and prepared TO
whet his appetite by perusal of his let
ters. He first took up the delicate little
note, and read as follows:
DEAR Mr.. BUsBBY: The weather. is love-
ever. We heard from Tom the other day,
and he inquired particularly after you, and
that must tell you to write as soon as ev-
er you could. His address is the same as
before. He is getting on pretty well, and
is not at all sorry he went to Ceylon. With
united kind regards,
l remain, yours very sincerely,
MARY MADDOX.
p. S.-Annie has been seriously i'll. Pray
don't be alarmed there is no danger now,
but the doctor will not permit her to read
anything of any kind. 1 believe you al
ways write to her on her birthday, and so
just warn you that it might be better II
you omitted to do so this year.
The missile hit Bushby fairly in the left
breast, and he felt sbaxp pang. OF course
he could see there was something wrong,
and of course his suspicious were aroused.
But what could he dor He reflected for a
while, and then he wrote:
DEAR MRS. MADDOX: You may be quite
sure that | would move neither hand nor
foot to your daughters harm. only de-
pend upon you to let her know why 1, this
sincerely, JOHN BUsHBY.
He had no idea that he had begun to be
regarded by Mrs Maddox as "that horrid
Mr. Bushby," or his eyes would have been
completely opened and IT Is, perhaps, well
for the general peace of society that we are
for the most part wholly unconscious of
the epithets applied in our absence, by our
friends to our names.
Friday came aud went; Annie's birth
day was over, and there had been no letter
of generalization from THAT horrid Mr..
Bushby." And though Annie had been
nervous and peevish and i'll all the day,
she was quite herself again on Saturday.
For it is astonishing how small quantity
of salve will suffice to cure wounded con-
riageable young woman. Annie felt alb
solved from her curious, tact, long contin-
ued understanding with Bushby, so soon
as he discontinued the only overt act which
seemed to bind them together. He, not
she, had broken the spell; and she laid
that fattering junction. to her soul. Had he
written, she would have written back and
ular compact for another year. 1t may
seem strange to those who take extremely
elevated views of human nature, that she
should not have inquired into the means
taken for preventing Bushby from writing;
but she had great confidence in her moth
er's tact, and was contented with results.
She was now perfectly free, and intended
to avail herself of her freedom. Let not
sentimental persons cry out Indignantly,
that Annie could not have behaved thus,
for they will at once be confuted by facts
She actually did behave thus; and so there
is an end of 1t. She was not at all senti-
mental; she was practical girl, strongl y
impressed with the duty of getting advan-
tageously married, to the man she liked
best, If it were possible, but, even, at the
cost of serious fit of illness, at any rate tc
somebody. 1t is more than probable that
If Bushby had asked her, she would have
consented to wait until she was gray head
ed, but his sense of justice would not al.
low him to do so and consequently his
first stool began to slip from him.
He almost felt it slipping; and was al.
ready turning his thoughts seriously to his
second, when he made his remark about
Glove or lucre."