Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-01-08


and the children, until care and anxiety
have rurrowed his dear face aud blanched
his hair, while have been 50 sheltered and
projected that time has left me almost un-
, touched. "About as young US when mar
ried you, Lis and a heap better locking
lie said, last Sunday, when | had on my
new blue and white calico for the first
time.
Before long Billy got leave Oi absence,
and went 10 SACRAMENTO, whence he soon
returned, bringing his wife. Sue was will
/ Ing-even anxious--to help inc with the
| house-woTk aud soon, with big-hearted
| tyranny, she monopolized tall. or course
l could not rest in my easy.chair feeling
| all the time that was imposing upon her
kindness and so, amer comforting with my
| husband, II was decided 10 pay her fair
wages for her work.
She was remarkably handsome wo-
man, with a "head-piece" on her. Fifteen
years older than Billy at least; two she
called it, but he was young in years and in
the Vaccinations of our charming sex, and
took her word on all subjects. 1 never
SAW IA man so much in love in all my life
aud though he made no effort TO conceal ii,
| there was nothing maudlin or sentimental
in his exhibition 1t. 1t was love 50
! trusting, so beautiful and honest, that II
semed TO lit him out fihe common mean
nesses and insincerlties OF humanity.
Alice had bee widow-uf that type
which Philosop. Somebody advises a
man TO marry her husband was in the
state prison for life. according TO Philo-
/ sopher s., he should have been hanged
! but in either case the object is attained,
! namely 10 render 1t difficult 10 erproach
! No. 2 with the contrasted excellencies of
30. ~
! About six weeks after she came, our boy
! brought out the mail, and handed Billy
/ letter. without glancing at the super
scription, he opened ii and read nearly
( page, when he took up the envelope and
/ looked at ii.
! Alice" he said, this is your letter. l
! opened ii by mistake, but it is SO queer /
should like 10 read il if you don't object.
Here you read ii first and see what you can
make OF it,"
IL don't understand 1t at ALL" she said,
afler glancing hastily through it. II reads
/ like love-elter, and the signature is neS
| 10 me. George Thorndke'-I really don't
know any one Of that name.' Then she
went 10 the stove and raised the gridiron
on which the meat was bruiling. In do
ing 50, she held the open letter in such a
position that the flames caught it and
sprung up round her hand, so that she was
forced to drop il into the fire. Was II an
accident' She said 1t was and uttered
many regrctful exclamations.
But three weeks aller there was another
letter in the same hand. 1t was given 10
Billy as before but afler looking at the
address, he brought 1t to her.
you'll let me read that one, won't you, ,
Alice ?" he said. "If any one chooses to
persecute you with unwelcone letters,
ought TO know IT,"
She opened the letter and read aloud the
liist few lines, and then closing II, she told
Billy that supper was Just ready 10 put on
the table, aud that he should see the note
before bedtime.
"All right" he said 4; "but don't let it
get burned this time, will you?'
She promised him. and he went to the
table with the other men. AS soon as he
sat down she lii a candle and went to her
room. She was only gone short time,
but when she returned she burnt the let
ter unobseIyed by her husband.
Amer supper, when the men had all gone,
lie asked her 10 read the letter / 0 him.
"Why, Billy" she said lnnocently, al
burnt it up; but saved the signature, as
you told me, and hero it Is"
Billy burst out into tempest OF sus-
picious anger and disappointment. "Why
didn't you read that letter 10 me, Alice p
he said. "Your conduct convicls you oi
completely with this fellow. / know now
that you answered his last letter. that you
know perfectly well all about the man who
wrote IT,"
"Why, Billy" she said, II read the let
Ter to you, and you told me to save the
signature, which l have DONE"
"Alice," he cried, turning as white as a
sheet, and trembling all over; "my God
how you have deceived me! You are tell
ing me lie, and you know 1t. o, Alice
tothink how trusted you and now
He sat down from very faintuess, ant
wiped his cold face and shaded his eye,
with band that looked palsied and dead
went TO him and touched his curly hail
caressingly. "She can explain it Billy, nc
doubt" suggested.
explain it," he groaned bitterly, "Sh,
can explain hell away, and darkness, ant
all the sin and hypocrisy of this miserabl,
world. o, you don't know how this little
, thing throws light upon 20 many otheI
things that were mystery 10 me before
But trusted her so took all for grant
ed. would have been ashamed 10 insul
: her by a suspicious question"
/ Pretty soon my husband came In anC
tried 10 comfort him. His confidence II
, Alice was unbounded, though must con
c fess that had become distrustrul of he
! honesty. That she was cognizant of my
distrust she betrayed in many ways, bu
f chiefly in the desire she manifested (
>, dodge my eyes when they were fixed upo
= her. had told Mr.. Brown how iel
E toward her, and he blamed me seVerel
for it. "You women are always so unjus
. to each other" he said. Like most goo
men, he yielded In great degree to tha
9 superficial charm or manner that wome
y OF extraordinary tact acquire by associs
: tion with many men, and, without know
h ing 1t he was evidently just little bit In
a fatuated.
Y II know there Is a plausible explanalIo
q of this" he said to Billy Il am sure yo
q have not boon deceived in Alice. II sh
y isn't good, true-hearted woman, don
q know of any," He should have said, Z"
d she isn't a good-looking woman" etc,
1 bat she had spun web about him out