Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-05-21
How I Said " Yes. "

was my norman cOnultiOn. L 10 not re-
member my nurses, but have grace enough
TO pity them. The mildcst Of my teachers
called me unruly,' and you can ask
Geoifry what he thought Of me year ago.
Now it is different. | have found my mas
tor, and believe rather like it. This is
how it came about
Geoffry had asked me three times to
marry him, and three times | said F." No."
in the most decided manner. But that new
er made the least difference to him. lie
only laughed, and said would know better
next time.
/" | suppose" / sid, you mean to ask
me once quarter"
" Is that often enough p
" Too often, great deal, sir"
A" Well, then, we will say once in six
months, Miss Olive"
And then he walked smiling away. and
began some nonsensical talk with father
about Dr. Darwin and his bewidering the-
ories.
This last asking was just at the begin.
ming Of warm weather, and father, who
thought Geofry's opinion infallible. asked
him where he would advise us to 90 for the
summer.
| had made up my mind to go to Long
Branch, and | said so very distinctly; but
Geotfry proposed some out Of the way place
in the Virginia mountains. Then he paint
ed it in such glowing eolors that nothing
would satisfy father but personal invesii.
cation. 1t was all Geofrys doing, and I
told him so at the railway station.
=" Il is your doing, | shall remember you
for it,"
Thanks, olive" he replied; there is
nothing fear but forgetfuness.'
wanted to speak sauciIy to him, but the
train moved, aud felt it would be only
waste Of material.
At the end OF the second day we got to
our destination. 1t was a very pretty
place, [ must acknowledge that Nature
had done all she could for it, but art and
civilization had passed it by. The men
were simple "frights,' and the women we're
well not too good for the men. The
houses were log cabins, through which day
light poeped and the wind blew as it listed.
But there was, Of course, big hotel
there always is. | have no doubt if we
had gone to Thalequah or Bannock city we
should have found hotel and proprietor
the institution is ubiquitary. We pro.
cured rooms, and my trunks were with some
difficulty, got up the bill and the flight Of
wooden steps into the hall.
III suppose" said. with a resigned look
at father, "there is no use in taking them
up stairs. can have no use for my dresses
here "
Gas you like, Olive" be replied, in one
of his meek aud mild ways; "as you like
dear; that gray thing you have on looks
pretty well aud does not show the dirt"
After this remark, of course | had every
trunk, bonnet-box aud satchel snatched "
stairs, and the noise and confusion, and
even the occasional bad word their size and
weight called forth, asquite grateful to me
It is not my fault" | exclaimed. I'll
people will build stairs like corkscrews an
not responsible"
In this amiable moo, we took possession
aud | think if Goeiiry had known what
was thinking about it, as | did up my hai
and put on my white evening dress, b,
would have lost a trihe Of his self-com
placency-that is, if men ever do make
loss Of that kind. The first thing tina
pleased me was the supper 1t really wal
good, particularly the berries and cream
which are a speciality with me.
"But sir | inquired, care there auy
Christians here besides ourselves?
at is to be hoped so, Olive. saw ,
little church in the valley"
"Pshaw, father did not mean churct
Christians | meant society Christians"
"Ah they are different, are they
Well, what do you think Of Augusta PEN
nington for Christian ~
Augusta Pennington Is she here p
| asked, amazed.
"No, she is not, but her brother live,
within two miles, aud he has daughter
about the same age as yourself Mrs Pen
Dington wrote them we should be here to
day they will doubtless call 10 the morn
ing"
Well, | did not care if they did The
dresses in my trunk were sufficient to in
spire any woman with comfortable assur.
ance. The next morning | made a beauti
fu toilet, but neither Mr.. nor Mrs. Lacelle.
called. Just at lamp-lightiug heard d
little stir and hustle on the stairs, a rip
pling laugh, the rustic Of silk robes, and
leaning on her fathers arm, Miss Lacelle,
entered. She was beautiful; tall and pal,
and lady'likc, reminding ycu of "A fail
white lily, We soon struck up friend
ship-a girls friendship, | mean.
Some one has said that there is no friend
ship between the sexes, and some one i,
mistaken, think, for the world holds nc
safer friend for a woman than an houorabl,
man. A womans friendship is very likely
to be the result of convenience, contiguity
or Of being, as my father sneeringly re-
marked, "the only Christians within hal
of each other" Mary showed me all her
secrets, and returned the compliment
mindful Of Burus advice to still "keeE
something 10 myself | wal no tell to ony.'
Life settled down into an unexciting bui
endurabe routine. Mary and | visited
each other, and arranged our next winter,
campaign, for had invited her to pass the
cold weather with me in New York Onc
day, in the middle Of these pleasant chats
a servant came iu and handed me card
The name on 1t reused all the antagonisu
in my nature. 1t was "Geoifry Garduer =
Now il SO happened that the existence ol
this gentleman was the one thing kept
back in my confidence with Mary. SO |
had now to explain who aud what he was
| wanted her to come into the parlor with
mc-but no, she would 90 home first aud
dress but she promised to be back to tea
disliked Geoifry, yet | was glad to see
him, My mental faculties were rusting for
want Of attraction. Father would not quar-,
rel with me, aud Mary was my only face
card. ! could not throw her away. Be-
sides, rather liked to see his great baud
some figure in the room he was SO full OF
life that he seemed to vitalize the chairs
and stools they tumbled about aud got out
Of the way 10 the strangest manner. told
him about Mary Laceles, aud warned him
that he would lose his heart He gravely
told me that he had none to lose.
lmague six feet two inches without a
heart
We waited tea for Mary but she did not
come till quite dark, and we had begun tea.
She said she had been detained by company,