Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-12-31

through the waters. A guilty pang smote
the little woman at the sight Off In all
these years of hard work and lonely wild
owhood the aquarium was the only extrav-
agance she had allowed herself, and often
would she spend her time of rest gazing in
to the miniature water-word. II she could
now give the money it had cost to the Plat
familyl
A white gleam came softly through the
window from the snow-covered street;
winter seemed to mufIle the town Of Stone
port in a mantle of silence, setting each
household in a separate atmosphere of in
dividualty. Up on the hill, where genteel
Stoneport dwelt in large, oldlashioned
mansions, the music Of slegh-bells and
merry voices were to be heard, but down
here ON he main street the afternoon fell
in quiet cold, deserted by traffic as soon as
the sun quilted the narrow thoroughflre.
Miss Simmins, the milliner, peered from
her window, and Mr.. Peyton, the druggist
opposite, polished the door panes mechan-
ically with bit OF chamois leather. The
harbor, now dark and wind-fretted, lapsed
up to Mrs. Bamber's very back-door. Pr
rates might have landed and carried her of
at midnight, if they had been disposed, al
though Mrs. Bamber was not daunted by
fear Of such violent abduction. In the old
days piiatcal crews in rakish craft from
the Spanish Main had not been unknown
in the waters ofthis very harbor, and Stone
port had been more intimately associated
with the slave-trade than was good for its
r.,, l,to I
towns on the coast OF New England, pros
perity had ebbed away, the bud Of prom
ise bad been blighted by some mysterious
luctuation Of commerce. There were those
who detected righteous Nemesis in the
decay Of Stoneport, and here it was left to
crumble away in the sunshine, moss
grown memory Of the past. The shop bell
rang suddenly, and a girl entered.
"Oh, Mrs. Bamberr she cried; and
throwing her arms impulsiyey about tile
little woman, burst into tears.
The grl was taller and larger than her
companion, and yet clung 10 her.
"Has any thing more happened?'' in
quired Mrs. Bamber alarmed. "Now don't
give way, my dear"
81 can't help it," sobbcd the girl, exclt-
edly. "Mr. briggs has been to see me again.
He came TO the school-room, with all the
children staring, and told me that he would
not foreclose on the Plat property if 1
would marry him. Oh, what a cruel, cruel
bareain!'
"You never promised" began Mrs.
Bamber, breathlessly.
The girl drew herself up.
IL said no."
Charlotte Eaton was very attractive, GER
tanly, even in her anger, with flushed
cheeks and fearful eyes. a little scarlet
hood covered her golden hair, and gave her
something of childish beauty. At this mo-
ment there was a stir in the deserted street
people appeared like magic. 4 sleigh,
| curved like a shell, and lined with robes of
| fieocy white fur, drawn by spirited black
| horses in flashing harness, and drl ven 'Dy a
solemn negro coschman in livery, slowly
| passed. The sole occupant was a small man
wrapped in sable, with n keen narrow face,
who gazed down on the commotion his
| splendor had excited with irrepressible ex-
ultalon. This man was Hiram briggs,
and to show himself oslentatiously to his
world Of Stoneport was a pleasure which
mad not yet palcd on the rich man.
"Hls mother learned her trade when
did," said Miss Simmins, the milliner. 81
am sure nobody thought her son would
come TO owning every thing"
| The elder briggs bad, indeed, work ed in
secret many years, directing little rills OF
wealth, Cleaned from any humble source,
TO his own dingy warehouse. Misery and
reticent in the extreme, Stoneport had not
OWNED his riches until the son, now forty
five, suddenly emerged from the bondage
in which he had been held by his stern pa
rent while living to assume the role Of mil
| liouare. Hence the astonishment of the
town; hence Hiram's love of display.
In Mrs. Blmber's shop the two women
grew rigid as the sleigh passed, the widow
with in ndgnation, and the young school
mistress with a curious admiXture OF envy
aud repIlsion. Had she not been urged
nay, almost threatened in all that she held
dearest-her pighted troth with Charley
Platt-to share the sleigh with its neecy
robes? Might she not save the Plat home
stead, indeed, by paying this very price oI
| l1lldll DIlESss hlSs DdulDSi
took her hands.
Charlotte, let us go to this man, and beg
him to release them," s5e said, earnestly.
"You must have influence with him.
~ am afraid TO 60" said Charlotte.
"Afraid! When you are to be Charley's
wife? We must fight for him, my dear"
These two companions saw the sins o
Mr.. briggs in the light of intense partisan
ship. He was Il mean man, and the powe
of money would naturally make him tyr
annical; moreover, he had selected Char
lotte Eaton to fall in love with as the sweet
est and most blooming young lady ID
StonepOrt. Hiram briggs could certainly
afford to please himself at last UnverseC
in tho delicate phases of romance, he coulC
by no means win a smile from Charlotte
aud discovered in wrath and consternaliol
that Charley Plat was his rival. lie woult
foreclose, and 4 axe possession Of the house
Stoneport saw iu this measure only tn
grasping tendencies of the man who wishe'
to establish a home, while the victims de
tected revenge. Probably both faction
were wrong.
Mrs. Bamber with trembling Charlott
by her side, presented herself before tn
tyraut. lie still dwelt in the wing of tn
warehouse where his father had been con
tent TO abide. Perhaps he was chagrine
to be found in the small parlor, which b
had furnished with yellow satin curtain
and sofas, when he would so soon take pos
session of the house on the hill. The mis-
, sion was scarcely successful one, althoug
Mrs. Bamber made herself spokeswoma
f on the occasisn with all possible energy
She even offered to give up her shop sine
DIR. Plat had given it originally, and wa
, | lannhed at for her mains. Mr.. HiIam Drigg