Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-21

were in his power, without letting you have
fair warning"
"Of that | am assured" asserted AL with |
more confidence than he had hitherto spoken.
And supposing am to be the offending
person." said Gena, then you have my
leave to remain city curate all your life
never to complete your novit'||e tr.as|Dren-
ticeship whichever you choose 3 cn| b but
to take me and keep me grindint snd starv-
ing with you in that same digny back street
which you are so fond of Haunting before
my eyes"
al can't help it, as | am true man,
interjected AL.
As if it would Brighten me" continued
Gena, " to take it for granted that you wish
to break with me as if my blood and cul.
ture-'were papa and Uncle Devil to prove
right, and there should be something in blood
and culture after all-were not too blue aud
high for such desperate mean-spiritedness
and low self-indulgence Besides, AL, will
the presence of you, your books, and
your writing.table count for nOthingI2
Have you not sufficient vanity or self
esteem to imagine that the immediate vicinity
Of your reverence, with your belongings,
may 20 some length to make sunshine in a
shady quarter even to so heartless and world
ly-minded girl as | am 2"
The couple who were in conversation had
been known TO each other all their lives-that
best safeguard against error and imposition
and yet not many of us are at liberty to
vouch that we know through and through,
and to the core, our Oldest, closest comrades.
Notwithstanding, AL knew Gena better than
she knew herself, and far better than Gena
was known to the young mans mother, who
was constantly wondering what her son could
see ia hiss Clifford.
IL think there is good deal to be seen
in her, my dear demonstrated AIS father,
the genial vicar of Fordham; "she is a du-
tiful daughter and niece, and don't know a
surer pledge that she will make good wife
she is a very sweet-tempered, winning girl,
and will be a pleasant daughter-in-law; |
cannot say that | think she is satire on
AIS taste"
Humph !" objected Mrs. Woodruff,
:" you are easily satisfied, Octavius. Dutiiul
how can she help being dutiful to these old
men, who are too well bred, suppose, to
contradict their own flesh and blood, save in
the daintiest fashion Then her cousin Lucy
follows the example of her two kinsmen, at
proper distance, and will not presume to
find fault with the girl--as girls who are to
prove worth anything ought to be found
fault with. And as for her sweet temper
and pleasantness all round, that is the very
style which the silly world approves and |
cannot abide-it Is too soft to have a back
bone, too bland to be wholesome"
"Well, backbones are indispensable, "
granted the vicar, " but you must let young
bones have time to grow firm, and one would
not have the frame all backbone With regard
to whoesomeness, there is something to be
said for oil as well as for vinegar"
"Oh a great deal more with you men
dependent, clingiug, devoted being is every
thing with you, till the dependence threatens
to strango you, and the devotion is found to
shift with time and tide"
One Of us must choose wife who had a
mind of her own, and was not afraid to speak
her mind; you will admit that Lefty
chuckled the vicar.
1.-THE better for you, Octavius," said Mrs
Woodruff, with faint smile relaxing the
corners Of her misunderstanding mouth
"Al will tire of his wifes gracious, graceful
! alternatives, before the honeymoon is over
=, My dread is that the absence of straight
forwardness or earnestness in her may driv,
!, the boy from his moorings."
0 81 believe the boy is too well established
t as a man ought to be, though it is not hi
way to say much about it, to be driven on
e of his course by woman, or man either, re
t fected his father, not loosening the hand
8 clasped behind his back in the fulness of hi
| faith. Again, Al never tires Of anything
b aud graciousness has its merits, though i
J. may not have the charm of raciness-o
}, course it must have foundation OF truth
}, but we have no right to question that foun
!. dation here no, Lefty, we have not, in tn
case Of pretty, innocent girl, whose chic
e offence is that our long lad likes her too vel
!, for the preservation of our equanimity."
e 90 The prettness goes without saying, a
the French have it, when the heads of
" young man and an old one are alike turned
We may let the innocence pass too, for wha
/" harm can a girl Of eighteen in her class hay
'e come across, unless indeed the original sin i
Ie her be outrageously rampant? But | shout
g. like to know how you can stand these poo
ct weak ex-squires of a misallance on Gena
'e part, of the unsuitabiity of the match for he
e, with Al, which they-for fancy they hav
TO both voice 10 the question-suffcr so r,
luctantly and conditionaly."
at Why, Lefty, it Is their single indemnif
IL cation TO stand out and dictate terms fro
" the pinnacle Of their former greatness. 1t
10 because the fine old felows-for they al
IS, fne-are a little weak on that score,
. | tuhi nh q tha haU AZ d
at choicest flavor of their good qualities flor
will have no influence deirauded of its due
e. that one is ready to make any allowance f
ut the old gentleman, and to study and hume
r. them, in the disposing of Gena to AL"
or 4" | wish the people much luck of the di
to posal," commented Mrs Woodruff, st
grimly; call | will say is to repeat that
mt wonder what Al can see in her worth Il
he cost of this humiliation"
M There is no humiliation except in fame
he 1t seems to me rather a point Of honor in
ay stout young fellow who is making his oV
It'll way, to pay all Difference to these strand
~ Clffords. As for wondering what ne can 5
nd in her, that is what all mothers wonder
he their sons choice, What | wonder, II
ed dear, is that an original woman like you, ca
not make more original observation"
all The Cliffords with their history could OF
Ird continue to exist and flourish in deica
re- pensive way, like autumn crocuses, in t
art country, where illusions still linger. T
l sharp contact Of towns, their broad glare
IN light, their practically, prone to hardne
ere would have been iatal-so far justly and
y; diciously fatal-to derived and reflect
err shadowy ghosts Of claims. The heads
ant the house were two brothers, one a widow
Bile the other a bachelor, elderly men both,
W. an ancient and honorable family that h
you once held vast territorial possessions 10
ian county in which Fordham Vcarage and q
ford Farm were situated, Gradually