Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-11-26

as he really sweet on the gurl to church
with hlmP" asked our Jane, 81 wonder
what he sees in her?"
"Sulid charms" says Ben. 81 heerd him
tell John PIker that 1t was proverbial that
beauty'd fade, but money'd hold lis own
through fire aud waterr'
az see him kiss Sibyl one day." spoke up
little Tim Jadd, who was lame and petted;
II see him kiss her twice. IT he don't
marry Slbyl, will" And then they all
laughed and "Husb, 1im," says Lucy,
for there was Sbyl at my elbow jest taking
off her shawl.
The next day Ben and me was down TO
the Witches Pool-for father didn't want
me 10 be keeping company with Ben, and
him and me didn't agree on that subject
and while we was talking together there,
hid away by the barberry bushes and the
alders and the sumacs, who should come
loitering by but Sibyl aud Jack Rhett and
they stopped close by, while he threw
pebble into the pool, and 1t went down and
down, and is going down now for all
know, for there amt no bottom 10 the pool,
folks think.
"There, Sibyl," 1 heard him say, "my
love for you is as deep as that pool. Aren't
you satisfied2 What does il signify If do
stay at home and amuse Bertha, if I'm
thinking of you all the time and wishing
was here? You don't want me to be rude
to a gurl who's visiting my mother, if she
has got a mouth like shark, and she
kind of cousin, too. I'm sure you needn't
he jealous Of her, Sibyl; she can't hold
candle 10 your
81 am jealous of your good name, Jack"
says Sbyl. at hurts me as If they he'd
run a knife through Inc when 1 hear folks
talk of you as they do.'
"What do they say about meT'
"They say you mean to marry her, and
you don't love her. l could bear 1t, you
know-at least 1 woutd bear tiff you loved
her dearly; but it hurts me like wound
10 hear them talk as if you had no honor
and no love for any thing but money"
81 shall set ii all right some day, sweet
heart" said be. 1.-The fact is, Sibyl, my fa-
ther and mother fret me TO DEATH"
"They want you 10 marry BerthaH
"Thats it, and you and must wait till
their whim wears itself out. have to hu-
NOR them a little"
"Ob, then you deceive them, Jack"
"And is that so terrible? must either
deceive them or you, sweetheart" said
Jack, kissing her; but Sibyl only sighed,
and then they passed on.
You see was forced 10 play al caves
dropping, because 1 didn't want folks 10
know how l was disobeying father and GO
ing on with Ben.
Well, Bertha she went home, and pretty
soon Jack he went too, TO study something
or other at tbe same place, aud folks LEFT off
talking about 'em, and Jack would send
| Sibyl a necklace or some trife now aud
then to please her and since Sibyl could
MT get the district school any longer, cause
a woman didn't know enough 10 teach in
the fall, she went out 10 sewing, for she
he'd to help herself in those days; and one
| day Jacks mother sent for her to make a
gown at the Hall, and she liked that so
| well she he'd her TO make another for Mrs.
| Rbett was master-hand at gowns. 1t was
| getting on into November; the trees bad
turned 10 flames and burned themselves
away, and the barberries were ripe and red,
and Mrs. Rhett had Sibyl up there to make
her silk perlisse, and they got talking
aboui Thanksgiving beggars, for Thanks
giving had been appointed.
II always give 'em something" said
Mrs. Rhett, "whoever they are. A pie
won't hurt any body. Miss Henshaw al
ways turns 'em away empty ty-handed, for you
never can tell, says she, whether it's one
OF the neighbor's gurls or a needy creature !;
7 iall
deceive me, nor any gurl that ever was
born.'
"Oh, Mrs. Rhett," laughed Sibyl, 81 mean
to send somebody here, and see ii you find
out who she is.'
$50 do" says Mrs. Rhett land ii
don't find out, I'll give you as handsome
wedding gown as gurl need to put on her
back, when you want one."
| Though it was not partick Ter pleasant on
Thanksgiving-eve, but he'd showed, and
threatened to snow more, and not a star
was out, yet a parcel of US hair Drained
gurls got together, and thoughti it rare sport
to dress up in all tho old duds we could
raise and so out begging, and some OF US
was fust-rate at imposing on kindly spin
sters, who hedn't nobody but cat TO care
for. And then somebody said, "Let's go
and get Sibyl."
1t was some time afOre we could per-
suade her 10 join us, for she want none of
the fooling kind; but fiually she got her
self up so you'd died a-laughlng. She
blacked her eyebrows with burnt cork, and
clapped ou a false front of inky curls her
aunt l. bby wore on Sundays, which she
combed out in tag locks, and covered her
head with an old moih-eaten wooden hood,
and put on a torn shawl over a linsey gown
and calico apron, and made mole out of
putty on the side of her nose, and altogeth-
er you'd never hev guessed II was Sibyl to
your dying day. Her own ma didn't know
her when she went into The kitchen, but
slammed the door in her face.
"I mean to go up to Mrs. Rhetts," said
Sibyl; for she'd got into the spirit Of II by
the time we was in the road. ''I want to
see if she'll know me. She thinks nobody
can deceive her." So we separated; and
this was what happened, though I never
heerd the particulars till years afler. You
see, she rung the bell at the Hall, and the
man showed her into room where fire
was burning low on the hearth; and while
he went to call the mistress, Mrs. Rhett,
she set there waiting by the dim fire-light
and watching the shadders, for the servant
hedn't thought it worth while to light q
lamp for a beggar girl. And presently the
door opened, and in strobe Jack himself, a.
whistling of "The girl left behind me-"
He hedn't wrote Sibyl he was coming
home for Thanksgiving and jest as she was
about to cry out for joy, forgetting all her
rags, somebody in the next room rustled
| forward oil shininO in ailk and laca and