Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-10-16

some thread. He was often in want of a
bit TO sew button on with. "Poor young
lellowp said Aunt Polly to herself COM
miseratingly; "boardimg, l suppose -
And needles2 Would he have needles
lie couldn't get no better than hern any
where. No, TO be sure not. Aud while
the good woman was putting up parcel
sufficient To restore all the stray buttons
in Christendom, her customer sat expect
ant, waiting, but not for the package; per-
haps trim little figure might suddenly
alight in the room, coming in from among
the hollyhocks, or tripping daintily down
the old stairway visible just beyond.
"Did-did your daughter get very wet"
he inquired very abruptly at last, consid-
ering how long he had been contemplating
the query.
"Sairy Jane7 ! hain't seen her to- day
but their house do leak some, that's GER
tain, which il bad for Tom, who's got the
whoop-"
But suddenly the old lady grew enlight
ened, Her spectacles seemed to enlarge
themselves. The frill on her cap widened
out interrogatively.
DleSs Ill SOUL Snt Sdlu Wuhl upOu
airth am L thinking of, to be sure do
get things little confused, what with so
many inquiring afler Sairy Jane and Tom.
And you be the young man that see her
home with the umbarell Miss Wander,
| mean. Oh, bless your heart she only
stopped here to ask after Tom, and 10 get
in out of the wet though she did match
7 .I,,
left them behind her when she hurried off
arter the shower. I'd be obleeged to you,
sir, II you're going that way, to just let her
know they're all safe"
Going that wayl The young man lin
gered as he closed the gate, and the sense
of his poverty and idleness did come upon
him then with a deadly weight What
matter to him, or to any one, which way
he drfledl As he walked down the path
among Aunt Polly's nodding hollyhocks,
he could have found it in his heart to envy
the old woman her quiet little way side
nook, and the undisturbed certainty of her
homely existence.
So it was Squire Vanders daughter he
had escorted SO bravely with the umbrel-
la esquire Wander, who owned, as Aunt
Polly had told him, "no end Of lands in
these parts" "What fool am to be lin
gering about herev' thought our friend, as
he wandered on; "I'll be off by the next
train"
But then, hadn't he a commission to Miss
Wander, wasn't he charged with a message
for her, and wasn't business business? He
heard the resounding whistle of the train
as It swept out Of sight while he still loi-
tered. He passed the squiie's big man
sion wistfully. What right had he to look
in at the pickets-a poor wandering waif
that would shortly be in want of break
fast. The great fields Of waving corn gold
ened in the sunlight, the orchards on the
slopes hung Justify ripe with fruit, and un-
der the trees here and there the cattle stood
cooling themselves in the shade and lazi-
ly whisking of the flies; pretty sun
lighted scene, where probably no comfort
BILE farmer, no hospitable house mistress,
would have conceived it possible that the
decently dressed young man strolling idly
by was without dollar in his pocket or an
object in the world.
Object Oh, well, perhaps not exactly
that. Not If one can translate that gleam
in the young mans eyes, as through the
| trees that skirt Squire Nander's lawn he
catches glimpse of a pretty figure in flut-
tering muslin, sitting and swaying itself
leisurely in great swing under the boughs
of a spreading oak TO aud fro, to and fro,
the airy figure fits, the leaf shadows EN-
broidering her white dress, and glints of
sunlight spangling her braided hair. Should
| he venture in? lie stood irresolute, and
as he stood there came an irruption Of
small boys through a side gate-a pack OF
| hungry youngsters just let out Of school.
81 say, Bessy, is dinner ready?" they
cried.
"Come here and give me swing" am
swered Bessie inconsequently.
As they approached, the boys caught
sight of the watchful, wayworn face peer
ing through the shrubbery.
"Why, that's the chap was down at the
store after situation !" cried Jack, Jim
and Jerry in chorus.
Bessy turned hastily; she knew hel
friend OF yesterday in moment. "oh
come in come in r. she cried. ~ ought
to have thanked you for your kindness last
night"
"I just-just missed the train" said the
traveller, startled out of his lf-possession
and naturally, under the circumstances
giving utterance to the first fib that sug
gested itself.
"Going awayH Why. don't you find il
pleasant here?"
VERY pleasant, but
"But the hotel and boarding houses art
all full, suppose"
'To tell you the TRUTH" burst out the
young man, won to strange confidence by
the frank eyes looking out at him, ant
speaking out the bitterness of his heart
"it would make very, little difference il
my case-they'd crowd me out, whether o
no, for l couldn't pay for ROOM"
Not pay for room! Bessy's eyes look
ed up at the broad front of her father
hoase, where door and window stood open
free and spacious. So much room and I,
spare, while others were 50 straitened. Blu
the shadow on her face was quickly turneC
to a smile at beholding the alacrity will
which Jack, Jim, and Jerry had monopo
lized the swing.
"Now there's fellow could give us
regular toss all togetherl" cried little Jack
his merry black eyes looking out towar,
the tall figure at the gate.
There is no resisting fate, and before b
knew it Mr.. Brownley was fairly in tina
sacred inclosure, the leaf-shadows hutter
ing over his tall figure, and over Bessy'
arch face, and over the rosy, merry boys
as they swung, laughing, skyward, sen
up with a will, once, twice, and again
! And while they were all thus merrlly en-
IL H. 1.