Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-04-16


one Of those washy white girls, can tell
you"
"Oh, indcedr
The subject of discussion was this: Cap
tain Abraham Crocker was to marry Deb
orah Scrid on that very day. While these
young critics expressed their opinions the
following conversation occurred in COM
Portable white house on the main street.
"I guess you've missed 1t for once" said
Uncle Asa.
eyes, and folks can't say that tho.cap-
tain's lost by the bargain, neither" added
mother, querulously. "Deborah's sight
younger than you be, Abby. You're thir-
ty next July, if you're day."
Abby Fowler, school-mistress, stood be-
fore the glass in the sitting-room tying her
yellow bonnet-strings, but she possessed
sufficient dignity to make no reply. The
face reflected in the glass flushed painfully,
| yet sic said nothing. Mrs. Fowler inserting
work-stiflened fingers into pair of new
| gloves, looked eskance at her daughter to
| see how she took it. She married respect
ably in her youth why should not Abby,
when good opportunity had offered, too
Whims, fancies Do not talk to a New
| England matron about girish fancies, If
| you please.
Grandmother came in from the kitchen
"a little old woman, with a nut-brown
false front and black cap of unknown an
tiquity, disposed to take gloomy view of
life since her bit of money, put by in the
bank, had been stolen by robbers, and apt
to consider her old age burden TO others
unless she worked her way.
"Abby's got on her best fixins if she
aint the bride," said grandmother, in her
thin, piping voice.
Poor Abby Even grandmother proved
broken reed on the day of the captains
wedding.
"You be the first old maid in our fam
ily," observed the old lady, pulling down
her spectacles from the false front to the
bridge other sharp old nose. "If 1 only had
my money back, l could leave 1t to ye.
dare say you'll need it yet. Deary me, them
thieves"
Passing along the village street, the
school-mistress ran the gauntlet of public
comment. abby looks mighty solemn
over the weddin.' Guess she's sorry,"
commented Rockybeach, with one voice.
Yes, Captain Crocker was going to be
married, and the event naturally created n
sensation. He was burly in form, forty
five years Of age, and not altogether God
fearing mani for in his maturity he carried
out boast Of early youth not to go to
meeting three times on Sunday, and to sail
chip boats in the cove instead IL he chose.
The village confessed all this with many
shakes of the head but then the captain
was rich, and returning from his voyage,
had built the large house on the hill, with
cnpola and greenhouse. Gossip dwelt
rapturously on the velvet carpets, curtains,
and china therein contained, wondering
who would be mistress of the new man
sion. Lol the captain cast favorable eye
on Abby Fowler, and in his choice evinced
excellent judgment, as Rockybeach boast
ell not of her superior.
II would rather work my fingers TO the
bone, or be galley-slave," she said, in
diguantly. "a woman can always go out
10 service if everything else fails, 1 sup
pose"
Then the rich man in his wrath wooed
and won pretty Deborah, the milliner's
daughter. Belle of the dry-goods' clerks
was Deborah, fond of finery, and impatient
of the snubs of older girls, who never lost
an opportunity of putting her down.
Might she not hold her head high as Mrs.
| Crocker, instead of measuring off ribbons
for other people to wear behind her moth
er's counter?
Mrs. Scrid's psrlor over the shop was
| opened for the grand occasion, and thither
flocked the guests. The room smelled of
vanish, being used only for funerals and
weddings. A portrait Of the late Mr.. Scrd
seemed to stare down in round-eyed sur
prise at the unusual proceedings from the
wall, and little stove erected for the day
blazed spitefully, blushing red on one side,
and emitting a strong odor of blacking from
the other. Flower-pots from the captains
conservatory were disposed about a gilt
looking-glass. Mrs. Scrid and the neigh
bors who assisted her skurried about with
flushed faces, and whispered nervously to-
| geher in corners.
The minister camo with his book then
the BRIDE conscious of her blue silk gown /;
then the bridegroom in white waistcoat
Talk about the worldliness of city life
Condemn the European marriage de COME
nance! Verify, a trife of the leaven must
have crept into our country homes when
young Deborah stood there in her blue
gown willing TO wed bottle-nosed Captain
CrOcker for the house on the hill. The
minister made them man and wife, and
Deacon Bangs overturned ono of the flow-
er-pots by way of conclusion to the cere-
mOny. Perhaps the roses of Deborah's
girlhood were then crushed forever. She
enjoyed her hour OF triumph. Rockybeach
was very respectful to Mrs. Abraham
Crocker Uncle Asa crack ed his joke with
the happy couple. Cake was served, and
lumpy ice-cream. congealed by Mrs. Scrid
in reluctant freezer. Rockybeach did
not taste ice-cream every day. Returning
home, the walk of tho would be spinstel
Abby was enlvened by doleful signs OF
the part of her mother and occasional sniff,
from uncle Asa, more eloquent than words
grandmother piped over the dough she
, was kneading, $50 Deborahs gone, eh
and we've got our Abby agn."
You don't seem very grateful for tht
blessing" said Abby, grimly. And indeed
, it is small wonder if the poor soul was grin
, by that time.
She sought her own chamber and took
bandbox from the cupboard. A faded da
guerreotype and packet of letters were en-
shrined in this hOmely receptacle. All me
} little consolation even here. These relic
belonged to Albert Marshall, lover of he
/ youth, who had Tilted her. At least sh
[ love.
II iS unnlaaSant IN ha M 1onoar wanna