Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-28
GENA.
BY Sarah Tyler, author of "Citoysnns
JaqueIine."
CHAPTER II. OUT OF SIGHT.


Gena Clifford was only eighteen when she
engaged herself to Al Woodruff. He was
six years older, and had played with aud
petted her, while she had looked up to and
been fond of him, as coming nearer than any
other to the position of brother to her, since
the two-both only chidren-were children.
Gena had been very much pleased and fat
tered by declaration of love for her from a
young fellew so clever and good as Al Wood
ruffe. She was an impressionable, affection
ate girl, rather amiably vain, and with an
odd mixture of meekness in her self.impor.
lance. She had not the guile in her which
Mrs. Woodruff had suggested. Gena was
really singe-hearted, but she was volatile
and shallow as yet-not altogether unheard-
of or objectionable qualifications of the vir.
tue and wisdom of eighteen; dangerous
enough qualifications nevertheless.
For the first three months after AIS de-.
parture Gena remembered him very senti-
mentally and faithfully, and what was more
to the purpose, set herself to follow his coun-
sells, read the books he had recommended.
avoid the practices he condemned, and to
DSA W III opplShelOtoulp III ubT 10 1OuSe-
hold management under Cousin Lucy, and
such parish duties as ought to fall to the
share OF cergymau's vile, under Mrs.
Woodruff. AIS mother, however much she
might disparage and undervalue Gena, in
her mothers heart was honorable both to her
son and Gena in rendering the latter all the
assistance in her power, and was capable of
being won, while she was worth winning, by
proper pains on Gena's part.
At the end OF three months Gena began
to relax a little in her estimable efforts.
Three months is ongish period of time to
eighteen; why, it was long enough for grain
to be cut and fruit to fall for the stubble
to be broken up into red ploughed land and
the snow to whiten the earth long enough
for the playful kitten and puppy to have
grown the tolerabe sedate, responsible cat
and dog; long enough for Helen Darlington
in the next country house to have been woocd
and married of in coup de main by a
spare gun" who had been brought down by
her brother for the partridge shooting, and,
like more famous men, had come, aud seen,
and conquered"
Gena's efforts were entirely voluntary
Her father and uncle, who treated her with
the utmost caressing distinctness and indul-
geDce, would never have dreamt of bidding
her be useful. Cousin Lucy followed suit
Mrs. Woodruff had not sufficiently over
come her piqued, sighting dislike, or &C.
quired in its place a sincere regard for
GeDa's self, to move her to caution and stlm.
ulate the girl. 1t is to be feared Mrs.
Woodruff had mildly malicious satisfac-
ton in poor Genas falling off and probable
discontinue. The good vicar was 80 father
ly as to remind his future daughter-in-law,
in gentle, half bantering way, that if she
made one in the choir, she ought to be
punctual IN takiRg her place in it, aud
that her class in the school would hardly
profit by double lessons the one week
and none at all the week following. He
would praise Gena, too, for the improvement
she had wrought in the other choristers, and
the trouble she had taken with some of her
scholars; but he was too much occupied
with graver duties, had only scraps of notice
70 spare for Gena, and was not at leisure to
see how far matters were going wrong. As
for Cousin Lucy, in her simple Difference,
phO was maIIoI-Ol-lact duu JlTesOne 10 the
last degree in the nitiatory process OF rear
ing fowls, preserving fruit, aud gathering and
drying garden herbs-the very departments
which, for time at least, till Al consented
to subside from the toll of town curate TO
the comparative repose Of a country vicar,
were not likely to be of the least consequence
10 Gena.
Must young turkeys be always guarded
against the pip, Cousin Lucy?p
Yes, indeed Gena,"
Is it absolutely necessary to hang over
boiling raspberries till ones face is scOrch-
cd 2"
To be sure, child; cook might neglect
them, aud you would have your preserves as
thin as water"
"Of two evils choose the less" groaned
Gena but at least, Cousin Lucy, cannot
see the call for going out into the broiling
sunshine to pick bOrage, when we never put it
into our claret cup"
But you can never tell Gena, when you
may haveto put in borage. Mr., Al may
not like his as Mr.. Clifford and Mr.. Devil
like theirs; and gentlemen are 50 particular