Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-12-11
.NOMEREILLE & .NON.


"Go:ng to that dreadful factory again p
said Mrs. Somerville, looking up as her
daughter entered the sitting room, dressed
for walking. 81 declare, Nellie, you might
as well be boy as a girl for any
pleasure have in your society. Every
day you are at the factory, leaving me
alone.'
81 will come back soon If you want me,
mother; but l promised father TO come
down and give him my opinion of some
patterns for holdings that are to be sent in
to-day"
"As if the opinion of girl Of your age
was Of any value. do not want to force
you to remain at home. l can bear the
sorrow of hav ing a masculine tom-boy of
girl, instead of a gentle, refined com pam
ion. Co."
Nellie Someryille pressed a kiss upon
the fretful face pettishly turned away to
evsde the caress, and then went out very
gravely. Her step, strong and elastic, was
unusually slow, as she walked toward the
factory where her father waited for her,
and for the hundredth time her face was
couded as she debated in her own mind
the vexed question of her duty. Not her
inclination-that pointed steadily one way
but her duty.
From the time when, grasping her ia
| theirs strong finger, the little girl toddled
| by his side, Nellie Somerville had been
that fathers pride and the cross of her
mother. Child after child had been taken
| from the home of John Somervile to fill q
| little grave in the churchyard-the victims
of an over anxiety to guard them from ev-
cry breath Of air to fortify their constitu-
tions by incessant dosing; to force health
| by combating imaginary weakness.
When Nellie was born, the father assert
ed his authority, and the babe was brought
up almost in the open air, and found per-
feet health and strength in constant exer'
else, good food, and a total deprivation o.
all cordials and narcotics. II she cried she
was not dosed on the supposition of pain
but comforted by ride on papa's shoul
der. or a race in the garden.
When childhood was passed, and schoo
days over, the girl came home from thu
seminary in distant city, and shocked hel
mother anew. A good scholar, fine plan
list and promising linguist, she was averst
10 embroidery or worsted work, fond o
riding and walking, and while essentially
refined in thought and action, had no af
fectations or fine ladyisms, such as Mrs
Somervile considered the crowning charm
of womanhood. She entered into the de
tails of house keeping with hearty zest
though her mother declared she beat egg
like a ploughboy, and stirred cake like
milkmaid.
"You see, papa" Nellie said coniden
TALLY to her sympathizing parent, 81 can
half do anything, and mamma thinks an
awfully unfeminlns. If eggs are 10 b
beaten l beat them, not dab at them as if
were in decline. l do try to please mann
ma, and sat all day, yesterday morning
working upon horrible combination @
zephyr canvas for a loot stool. But man
ma says stab the work, and between yo
and me, papa, 1 did wish the foot stool il
a sufficiently advanced state to warran
me in kicking it. l wish 1 was boy
then could be at the factory all the time.
John Somerville could scarcely look g
the handsome, healthy face raised to hi
own, and wish it different in any way "
the hidden grief of his life was that ther
was no son to inherit the name upon th
factory sign for three generations. "Son
erville q Son" were known for mile
around the village where the great factor
was located, and their names were good
many of the great cities of the counlr,
John had Inherited the business from b
, father and grandfather, but his own son
three dark eyed boys, lay in the churc
yard, and Nellie alone remained of 81
children.
, More than once the thought had crosse
his mind, "if she were only boy" as Ne
? ! lie followed him over the great buidin
with the keenest interest in every depar
ment there.
The business was the manufacture
frames of every description, and Nellie b.
came familiar with every ietail, from Il
purchase Of lumber TO the criticism Of Il