Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-01-14

wrapped herself, snlllnS, In tne olu gray
shawl.
Aud at that moment Tom, with his red
shirt cleaning in the setting sun, and a
string Of fish on his shoulder, stood in the
doorway.
He stopped when he saw the guest stand
ing upon the hearth stone, bright fire be-
hind her, and the kettle boiling cheerily.
She nodded to him familiarly. Tom
thought he must he dreaming.
"Tom and are acquainted" said she.
"1re your" responded tie astonished
widow.
"Yes," said the girl. "I'ye watched Tom
many time walking along shore in his
red shirt, and once be took me and father
out rowing. Tom, your mothers saved
my life."
' saved your lifeg' echoed Tom, who
never in all his life had heard Of his moth
er's doing any thing before.
Tom, stupid and staring, hurried OF in
search oi the missing garments. And
meanwhile his mother betook herself TO
making cup of tea for her protegee. 1t
was wonderful how little warmth Of hu-
man feeling had reused this woman to life
and activity again.
When Tom returned, laden with various
articles OF apparel, the two were quietly
slipping their tea together at the old round
table.
He did not return alone, however. Fol-
lowing him came a tall gray-headed gen.
tleman.
Heres father r. cried the girl, spring
ing forward. "Oh, father, this good lady
has saved my lifer'
Lacy! The widow Minton wanted 10
kiss the beautiful rosy lips that pronounce
ed the words.
'Well, my DEAR" said the old gentle
man, good-humoredly, pinching the plump
cheek, "she has done it very thoroughly.
You certainly don't look very near deatL
just now"
Whereat the story, with due enlargement
and variation, was told HIM, with pretty
pout.
"The father smiled, but also he furtively
wiped away tear.
"Well, madam" said lie, courteously,
"accepl my cordial thanks for looking amer
my littlo madcap Belle. She's my only
child, you see, and as full of pranks as any
dozen.'
Belle playfully put her hand over his
mouth. "I won't have my character ira
duced where they've been 50 good to me-"
she cried. "And oh, father, isn't this a
beautiful place-such a view OF the water I!
mean 10 come down here every day and
do my sketchiDg."
"Im afraid" said the sire, shaking his
head, THAT this good lady will have cause
TO wish she had thrown you overheard"
'oh, no, father; she likes me, and like
ago, you know"
Tom blushed painfully. Something
strange and new stirred in his mind. Com
pliments did not sweeten his thoughts as
they did his mothers, for Tom had never
seen better days, and felt as if he was being
made a jest of.
A week passed, during which tho young
girl strolled almost daily 10 the cabin.
When she was there Tom seldom entered
the house. He had grown shy and sulky I;
be sat OH tho shore darkly brooding, or
went OIL silently to his fishing.
One morning Belle and her father depart
ed. Belle kissed the withered cheek of her
friend, and that was all. For when men-
tion had been made of helping her substan-
italy, the widow had drawn herself sharp
ly up, all tho lady shining in her eye.
~ may Lave seen my best days" she
said, "but haven't come 10 that yet. And
IL needed any reward, I've had il now,"
she added, as she felt the soft blood mant-
ling in the cheek that Belle had kissed.
Long aIter the two had left, Tom went
about with cloud ON his face, and in his
ears were ringing those mocking words,
"Pm in love with Tom" A disgust for his
fishing life and for himself and for all their
miserable surroundings of poverty filed
the lads heart with an unwonted bitter
ness.
"Mother," said he one day, as he sat
darkly brooding over the hearth, ''you said
you were born LADY, why didn't you
make gentleman of mel"
"I hadn't any money lelt when you
came" said the widow, briefly.
"Then it's money that makes people gem
tlemen and ladiesG p
~ don't KNOW" said the widow, puzzled;
"they somehow mostly have it,"
One day Tom came and told her he was
going TO sea. There had been a man down
looking for hands, and he had taken Tom
gladly, for Tom was handy fellow at al
most any kind of sea crait, and would
soon make good seaman.
"And you must just bide here patiently
till come back, mother; for if there's bet
ter days any where, shall bring 'em with
me, be sure.
After that the sea looked bluer and cold
err than ever, and the solitary woman lived
a sort of hermit's life. No CHEEKY voice of
gossiping neighbor lightened the dreary
cabin, no children prattled about herr and
only Belle, the bright, blithe-hearted lassie,
letter now and then. Belle was away now
visiting some distant friends, but In her
kindly heart she kept corner, it seemed,
for the poor old woman who had saved her
life.
Three years-iour-passed away, and
daily Of summer afternoon you might
have seen the widow sitting in her door
way, eager and hollow-eyed, looking out
for some possible ship that might be Toms.
Tom was not a good correspondent. but 90
up At the little PoSt-Otile wan