The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1875-05-27


ed 50 very aaEuIarly under bis shining
sztIa vcss tbal 81 wAs sewers minutes be
fore be could make up hls mind to knock
a. ,he dear be walked or and down In
the read past the place several tmes, TO
calm himself and 20 think over the words
be proposed saving when IN The presence
OF Misc Ives. ~.
Atlast he turned Ia At lae gate, and
walking boldly up to the front door, be
made his presence known 70 The Ives
family, by means OF the friendly assist
auoe OF The heavy brass kuocker.
Israel Ives came to the door with a
hariug candle in his hand he gave sud-
den little start Of surprise upon recoguiz-
log bic visitor.
why John, he said, "is this youF
"Is Miss Ives at homer said John,
nervousiy, forgetting in his sudden en-
barrassment to designate the particular
Miss Ives be wished TO see.
Certainly, certainly" replied Israel,
smiling misohievously, "walk right into
the parlor and sit down and she VIII be
in presently
Leaving his hat upon the rack Ia the
hall, John did as be was bid he sat down
upon the outer edge OF the chair and
awaited the young ladiy's coming. He
heard several suppressed giggles in the
adjoining room. aud subdued suggestion n
on the part of Israel that they had best
not to act so silly and foolish. Then the
door opened and in sailed Miss Sophrony
Ives, followed by Patience, Priscilla
Malvins and Lucy Ives, each simultsne'
ously smiling aud trying TO look as sweet
aud pretty as possible. They advanced
one by one and gave John y greeting,
after which they arranged themselves in
graceful group around him; they began
the liveliest conversation John ever lis.
tened to. He began to grow uneasy and
to lose his self-possession, This was rath,
er more Miss Ives than he anticipated
meeting. Ha..
At last a sudden idea occurred to him d.
"Girls," he said, edo any of yon play
blind mans butfp s
The young ladies all suddenly giggled
Sometimes" said Miss Sophrony, with
a sly glance at her other sisters.
"Suppose we have game them" sale
John, earnestly.
Several handkerchiefs were simultane
ously produced, and before John wa
aware he was in midnight darkness.
"But you must be blinded too, Lucy
said Miss Malvina, ''it always makes il
livlier to have two, you know"
So Miss Lucy's sight was temporarily
obscured in the same manner that John'i
cad been.
Then the word "ready" was given, ant
without a word of warning Sophrony
Patience, Priscilla aud MalFua noislessly
glided from the ROOM, -
For awhile John and Lucy groped in
nocently about them, each failing to find
the objects they sought; at last John
spoke:
| say, where are you all2" he said, help
lessly.
No answer came to his question frou
those he was seeking.
"Johu," said Lucy, al believe they're
hiding"
just at that moment the two approach
ed each other with their hands extende,
and they were each suddenly clasped il
each others arms. This was sensation
so new to John that it almost deprived
him Of articulation.
30, is it you, john" said Lucy. "I d
believe they're fooling u.s."
She suddenly removed the bandag
from her eyes, and the next momen
John felt her deft little fingers untyinl
the knot In the handkerchief that wa
bound about his head.
"Look here, John" she said in hal
provoked sort of way, 'just see wha
a trick they've played upon US, | might
have known what they were up to. New
ar mind, we'll have a real pleasant visi
, now"
They sat down side by side on the big
backed sofa, and Lucy talked so pleasant
ly and encouragingly to John that he fell
at home. lie was almost astonished a
, his self possession. The minutes length
! ened into hours, and, well, be never coul
fully explain how it was afterwards, bu
, the fact was that Lucy promised him tina
abe would be Mrs. John Jansen whenye
be was ready to claim her as bis own
and John went home that night very
( proud and happy, and on the followin
he informed his astonished father that an
time that farm was ready he would b
= ready for housekeeping. .a ...
: Peter Jansen kept his word, and job
was often subsequently heard to say tina
, ifit hadn't been for that friendly game (
| blind mans buff he would hardly hay
4 known how to have made choice.
6Nn A MoDEL BOY. ..t.a..
LADY Varkar in n recent work civ,