Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-05-05

days" aud lie went to his overcoat and
drew from its pocket the last new magazine
to show her when she came in.
Entering with her work basket in her
hand, Mrs. Merwin began, "Such time,
Frank, as I've had 10 day; wouldn't tell
you before, you locke so tired but Bridg-
et went of this morning 10 see sick cous-
in, aud did not get back luntil dinner was
ready, so that had everything to do, aud
| Minnie to take care of beside. She has got
double tooth coming and is awful cross.
Right in the midst Of my work Mrs. King
fisher called, and had TO leave everything
and dress to see her, and she stald SO long
that my kitchen fire got low, and thought
never should get dinner In time; then
Henry came home from school with the
earache, and thought never should get
him quiet, but did at last. oh, dear, such
a day as I've had"
"Tve brought home the new magazine,
Mary" was Franks only response TO this
long catalogue of ills but his mind ran
back over the tolls the day had brought 10
| him, heavy business anxieties, annoyances
that pierce to the quick, disappointments
that involved more than he cared TO COM
pute, and he looked on his pleasant sur
roundings with a wistful air, and half won
dered why they brought him so little pleas
urc. If he had not taken off his coat and
boots, he would have made an errand into
the street. and dropped into his club, where
he was sure OF meeting half a dozen jolly
follows, and hearing only cheerful and
pleasant things. But only that night, az he
walked through the gathering twilight, he
thought OF the days of his courtsbp and
early married life, the long evenings he
and Mary had spent in reading Milton and
| Homer and Scott and Plato and Bacon and
| Thackeray and Dickens; how he had
dreamed that she would always be his cho-
sen intellectual companion, no less than
the partner of his life; but now she SEEM
ed settling into a mere nursery maid, a
humdrum housekeeper, good seamstress,
with no other thought than TO provide for
the physical well-being of her household.
What could he do about ii? He would
buy the new magazines aud read aloud to
her, and see if they couldn't have taste Of
the old, sweet wine Of their early conIpan-
ionship.
SO, as she took up a new embroidered
sack she was making for the baby, he open
ed TO a story, and asked her if she would
not like TO hear it. Why, yes, she'd be
very glad to she got so little time to read
now, there was so much sewing to do, and
so many things TO see TO, and SO many in
terruptions, that she never had time TO open
a hook, hardly.
a. sI.,. "a. Al
but when he read gorgeous description OF
the boudoir of the heroine, Mary inler-
rupted him:
"That makes me think, Frank, that we
must have new carpet for our best cham
ber; that's been on the floor ever since we
were married, and it's all faded; 1t will do
very well for one of the other bedrooms,
but think we must have a new carpet for
that room and curtains to match; you
know carpets are cheap now. 1 saw an ell
egant ingram at Sloan's, last week, just the
thing, aud II wouldn't cost over $50; the
room isn't very large"
"You shall have it," said Frank, as he
went on with his reading. Presently he
looked up inquiringly TO Mary, and said,
doesn't this spirited fellow remind you of
Tom Bowling, my old college chum-your
cousin Tom, you know T. seeing that Ma
ry looked little doubtful.
"Why, yes, guess he does" said Mary,
who had been thinking, not of the story.
but how she would arrange the new cur
tains and embroider toilet set to match
tue carpet.
1t was easy enough to see that the road
ing would be failure, and when the story
was completed, Frank reclined on the
lounge and read 10 himself. "Its no usc,"
he thought, 81 can't get her interested in
anything but trities, aud I'll go back TO my
club"
So, on the plea of business. Frank alb
senied himself more aud more from home,
until he rarely spent an evening with Ma
ry, unless visitors were present. And she,
absorbed in her domest iseares, careful for
his physical comfort, uriV0nscious that they
were so rapidly growing apart, gave her
self more and more TO her household du-
ties and the constant oversight Of her chill
dren.
Handsome children they were, and Mrs.
Merwin must see that in dress aud manners
they were no whit behind their neighbors'.
Though she had a sewing machine, her nee
die was constantly in use while her hus-
band was at home, embroidering or finish
ing the garments she had prepared in his
absence. In case there was nothing else,
the crochet or tattinG needle filled up all in-
tervsls.
"Abominable croehet-horrid tatting,'
Frank would say 10 himself, until all the
paraphernalia ef Tides and lampmats, wall
baskets and sofa pillows, became inexpress-
IDLY odious to him. "If Mary would only
knit up the raveled sleeve of care which
bring home daily, with kind personal at
tentions-lf she would give me herself, and
let me rest my weary head on her heart.
No doubt she loves me, but that love does
MT satisfy me. / want sympathy; l want
her to go with me above these low-hung
skies of care and petty ambition into the
clear light OF those early, happy days
when We read and talked SO much togeth-
err"
CHATTER II.
A year or Two after the opening of ouI
story, Mrs. Merwln, worn with constant
confinement, accepted .he invitation of an
old schoolmate, and taking Mimic went to
Vermont TO pass the warm days of sum
mer The other children remained at home
with tried housekeepor, who would bC
sure TO look after Them carefully. Frank
had his club, and would occasionally come
to Vermont and pass the Sabbath during
Mrs. Merwin's stay. He had known Mr.
Banks, the husband Of his wife's friend in
| fo.,,,o. ,lays aud haA infar,