Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-09-06


loving glance at Bessie, now rosy red, and
then he quickly changed the subject, for he
could not bear 10 see the sweet serenity OF
that fair face disturbed.
Were you reading aloud when came
in he said, turning again to chatterbox
Alice.
"Oh, no we were listening TO Katie's
yarns. You must know she tells us two
stories Of an evening--the most delightful
stories better than any in books and we
get so interested and then she breaks off
Just at the incest bit, when We are dying to
know what comes next
lie looked more earnestly than he had yet
done at the quiet, pale girl at Bessie's side
he noted the little, thin, nervous hands, the
| fragile figure, the tremulous, sensitive mouth,
and oh, saddest Of all, the great, blue, sight
less eyes
81 should like to hear some Of those
stories" said Phil
Well, so you shall, some day, when you
come to see us again. Shan't he, Katie,
dear 2" But Katie would not promise.
soon after this Phil took his leave. and
Alice stood at the window 10 watch him
down into the street.
." So that's the drawingmaster at Beech
House academy That's the old, old man
who brought you home that rainy day Oh,
BESSIE :" She cried and then she threw her.
self upon Mrs. Busbys slippery horse-hair
sofa, aud it would have done your heart good
10 hear her ringing laughter.
But Katie put her arms around her sisters
neck aud kissed her teuderly.
Bess,' she said, "what a nice voice he
has. | hope he'll come again"
Did Bessie hope so too, wonder Be this
as 1t may, Katie was not disappointed. lie
did come again-not once, but many times
indeed, he got into a sort OF habit Of looking
in upon the sisters, between the lights .
and thus it came about at last that he heard
some OF those wonderful yarns the blind
girl was wont TO spin, for the gentle nara
tor got accustomed 10 his presence, and for
| got all shyness in the new delight of a fresh
aud appreciative addition to her audience
and Phil liked the "yarns," and at last sug-
gested to Bessie ION the occasion Of another
showery evening rendering his escort ne
cessity) that one of these stories should be
written out, and sent 10 the editor of GER
tain magazine.
DO you really think they would take it p
cried Alice, radiant, when the idea was
mooted to her.
Yes, do replied Phil. "Your sisters
ideas are fresh and beautiful aud merit
does make its way with editors, without in
terest, though some people will tell you it
doesn't"
How katie's face lighted up when they
told her about this wonderful plan. She
! slipped her hand into Bessie's, and the bright
est, sweetest smile trembled on her lips
If can only help--if | can only be OF
some real use, it will make me happier than
| ever was in my life
"You will be a real spinner now, Katie y
said Alice taking success for granted with
her usual buoyancy,
Yes, said Katie, "a little blind spinner n
The dictation and writing out of that
story was a time full of happy excitement
to our three sisters, and Phil Lushington
and his mother were scarcely less interested
For Mrs. Lushington had called at Paradise
Place soon after Pills first unceremoniou,
visit, and her pleasant, kindly face now
seemed like that of an old friend 10 them all
At last the precious packet was posted 10y
Bessie's own careful hands, and then ther,
was nothing for it but--to wait.
Waiting is hard work enough to all of us
but our waiting comes TO an end some day
here or hereafter; and at last, one evening
at the time of the last post, as the three sis
ters sat round the fire, came the sound o
the postman hurrying up the four steps tina
led to Mrs. Busby's door, and then
"lt's the story come back It's some
thing big and fat 1t can hardly get int,
the box. 1t has squeezed itself through anC
fallen on the floor'' cried Alice, too WILDLY
excited to be able to run out into the passag,
and see what the "big fat thing was like
Even placid Bess colored up aud breatheC
quickly, as she gave an anxious look a
Katie, pale and with lips apart her hanC
grasping the back of the sofa.
Then Bess and Alice made rush for tn,
hall door, but Alice was quickest, and rails
ing the packet from the floor, with trem
bling fingers tore off the covering, and siS
long strips of paper, closely printed, fel
futtering ON the oil-cloth. With little cry
of rapture, Alice gathered them up heller
skelter and clasping them against her bosom
fled back into the parlor.
alt isn't returned Oh, Katie, love, it.,
all printed, every word Oh, my darling, il
you could see it
But Katie had thrown her arms rount
Bessie's neck, and her face was hidden OF
that loving, teuder breast.
How Alice read aloud the precious " slips,
how Katie, dear, sweet spinner of thos'
pretty yarns, passed her fingers foundly ove
the words she could not see-all this anC
much more my readers may imagine fo
themselves. They may fancy, too, the ap
pearance OF the story, and Phil LushingtoI
rushing in, waving the yellow backed maga
zine in his hand, as though it were the it'll
deed of some vast estate to be presently en-
tered into possession of by Katie and he
sisters. But the climax Of happiness wa,
when the editors check arrived, and smal
as its amount might have seemed to Others
it was to Katie as an FL Dorado-the frs
fruits of mine of inexhaustble riches.
And katie's luck did not desert her, fo
yet another short story came back 10 No. II
in those long, closely printed slips that are S,
welcome a sight to the eyes of all of u
slaves of the pen. And at last it was agreed
upon between the two who worked so dill
gently together, while Bessie guided awk
ward fingers over the ivory difficulties, tina
a more ambitious work Of fiction shoul,
be undertaken; one that, when accepted
would feel like having quite sum of none.
invested in the funds, or the bank, or som
such delightful aud secure place.
So as the spring weather merged into sum
mer heat, and the London streets grew no
and dusty, the blind spinner toiled at he
loom, aud chapter after chapter was adde'
10 a fast growing pile of manuscript,
i'ub AhNSt Npuitil bltu tHlluien ilol Nilc
were little more, indeed) began to droop 10
want of fresh air aud green fields, and Bes
sizes anxious eyes noted a hot flush ON Katie
cheek of an evening, and strange palor o
a morning, and Alice spoke of her compan
ions restless sleep and muttered words, tina
showed the active brain was still at work
but Katie, for once in her life obstinate, de
clared there was nothing the matter, AM
worked at her story day by day.
So, at last, just as the dry, baking hea
grew more intense, and when the very pave
ment seemed hot TO your feet, the long stor,
was finished-fnished and posted, and tn
dear blind spinner promised 10 let the loon
stand still and rest awhile.
Too late Too late Some tiny, delicati
wheel in the machinery was strained, aud 5,
the loom worked on against the spinner
will worked on and spun strange, aimless
endless, unconneoted fabrics, and paler by
morning, more hotly red by night, grew
katie's cheek.
" have been 10 blame have let hel
work too hard II" cried Bessie, passionatel,
self-reproachful, as she saw her darling drooI
and fade like some fair flower parched by
drought. But Alice would not hear it,.
"You did your best-you did all you
could it is not your fault. Oh, Katie, dar
ling, you will soon be well again, won't you p
And Katie smiled, and held a hand OF