Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-11-03

tlOB rcuuer anu reuuer
Finally sumnoning up all his resolution,
he slid off his chair, and muttered out that
he guessed he must go homo.
"Must you go so soon Pm so sorryp
said Mrs. Phelps graclously. "You have
made us ever so nice q call"
He stood a moment, getting very red,
and then blurted out indisIinctly:
"Mr. Phelps, I rang your bell for fun,
but I'm sorry" and with that he slid out Of
tue room.
~ fancy he won't trouble us again" said
Reginald. "If that's what you call Goals Of
fire, 1t is iolelably effective treatment"
"I suppose It's called Goals of fire be-
cause II scorches ones cheeks 80. thought
he would burn up" said Kate.
"Fm afraid it wasn't exactly Goals OF FIRE
in the apostles sense" said Mrs. Phelps,
"for Freddy thought we misunderstood
him all the while"
at was a much more effective kind than
the apostles, for that very reason"
"Why, Reginald r. said his mother, for
IL was he who had spoken.
"Thercs no why Reginald about it,"
answered he. "When you act as II you
didn't know person had intended to harm
you and do a kindness TO him, II makes
him five times as ashamed as If he thought
You knew what he bad intended, and were
being good 10 him in order to shame him."
"The boys right enough there" remark
ed his father. "In fact, for my part,
think nothing is more impertinent than be-
ing good in an ostentatious way to your en-
emies. Returning good for evil Is fine
when you don't seem TO know you are do
ing II, either as a point OF manners or NOR
ais, for believe Goals OF fire are capable OF
being used as Extensively as any carnal
weapons. l have often answered an ugly
speech in sharper tone than otherwise
would, because thought should less an
ger somebody that way, than by assuming
to be better than he."
"Oh, by the way, what was that joke be-
tween mother and you last nightf" asked
Bill, lounging on the sofa.
"Oh, yes, TO be sure; you know you said
you would tell u.s." said Kate, "and now
Reginald is at home, il. would he good
tune. Please do"
"Would you tell them, Adaf"
"I suppose they will not give us any rest
ill we do" Mrs. Phelps replied, with a
smile of resignation.
ar you really don't want TO tell us,
wouldn't" said Reginald.
"why, no, of course I" said Kate. "I
didn't mean TO tease"
"Oh, 1t isn't so serious a matter as all
that" remarked Mr.. Phelps. "It's no Sc
cret, really. don't believe in secrets. The
only really secret things about people are
the things they don't know themselves.
We needn't be afraid OF telling too much
about ourselves, five only tell all we know,
for that's mighty little, and generally mis-
taken al that"
"Pm not al all sure that 1 remember
enough of the story TO tell il ALL" he pur-
sued, collecting his thoughts; "you should
have heard your Aunt Kate. never
knew anybody who loved joke as she did,
poor girl. Well, it happened in this wise
YOnr grandfather was living In Piltsfeld
then, half grown city, one Of those hob
bledehoy communities that combine the
disadvantages Of city ard village. Kate
and were The Two oldest children, az old
dOoub as AeSludlu Npu hdtIs
One evening, 1t couldn't have been much
later in the year than now-she and 1 were
coming home from evening meeting it be-
ing about nine o'clock. Kate had ona white
dress that remember distinctly"
'Then it must have been considerably
later in the year than this, father, because
girls don't put on white for a mouth or two
yet" said Katie.
VERY likely; I'm not particular about
the season,".he replied. "The dress was
white. anyhow. Well, Kate and 1 were
walking along in the bright moonlight,
laughing and talking, and having a high
time. She was always full of fun when
coming home from meeting or any other
place where she had been Obliged TO be So
Der. Such places never damped her spirits
as they do some peoples but only bottled
them up, and when she got out you might
expect an explosion. She was mimicking
some of the personal peculiarities or the
| good brethren who had participated in the
meeting. She was an excellent mimic, but
so tender hearted that when she had been
taking anybody of, she always ended with
saying, I'm sorry for him.
"Some little scamps were around ringing
door bells just as they are tonight, and
Katie, having exhausted the material of the
prayer meeting, took a crazy notion into
her head that II would be good fun for us
TO try 1t just for once, and dared me TO ring
somebody's bell. 1t was In vain argued
with her, and showed her how seriously II
would compromise persons of our age and
responsibilities 10 be caught in such @
prank. She would not listen TO reason.
The risk, she said, made II all the more fun.
| There is nothing crazier, tell you, Regl-
nald, than girl who Is bent on a prank.
She actually scares man by her foolhard-
iness.
"All my efforts TO reason Kate out of her
freak" continued Mr.. Phelps, "were use
less, and she finally declared that unless
would take my life in my hand and ring
somebody's door-bell, she would and she
meant it, too for, suddenly dropping my
arm, she was half way up the walk to the
stoOp Of house before saw what she was
bent on. Then whispered: Come back
Kate, come back. I'll do it,
"How we'll 1 remember just how she
looked under the bright moon as she paus-
ed and glanced back at mel can see heI
black eyes dance now. She was standing
on the grass by the brick walk, daintily
holding her dress up from the dew. For q
moment she seemed irresolute whether ol
not to keep on, but finally came back to
me.
"'Not this house, said I, anxious to gair
time, and inyentlng fb for the purpose
There's somebody sick here.'
"The next was Deacon Tuttle's, whose
| Gin for prayipR and talking against time