Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-12-01

!
vember for Thanksgiving.
As Mr.. Breese had never seen Miss Mid
dleton's early home, and as he had reason
TO believe that that young gentlewoman
| longed to revisit the scenes of her child
hood, IL occurred TO him TO suggest iourn-
| ey thither; and in order that he might the
more gracefully assume the cost of carriage
hire, he proposed to make the excursion a
family reunion at the old mansion--Mrs.
Middleton, her daughter and himself 10
constitute the family. lie therefore sug-
gosted Thanksgiving Day-he was de-
voutly thankful man whenever hc thought
of Miss Middleton-as n proper occasion
| for the reunion, and this was what pro-
duced the rupture.
1--WE don't keep Thanksgiving at the
South" replied Miss Middleton, when he
had explained his plan TO her.
"True," he answered, "I had forgotten
that; but it will DO good time TO begin.
The custom of observing this feast has out
grown New England and become national
now"
"Yes, in your nation, but not in mine"
His gray eyes looked inquiringly into
her black ones.
81 had never thought OF geography in
connection with you, Ruth" ho said. Then,
after pause, he resumed:
"If you cannot go to Middleton Hall in
honor of Thanksgiving, Ruth, who knows
but that you may hereafter keep Thanks
giving in memory of our trip TO Middleton
Hall2 That will he pleasant reversal OF my
plan. Besides, think you will like, aller
while, 10 join in the beautiful custom OF
keeping this harvest feast. Our sterile
New England should not be allowed 10
outdo this fruitful southern land in the
giving of thanks TO bountiful Provi.
dence.'
One can never say with certainty what a
woman will or will not think in any given
case, else l should say that under ordinary
circumstances Miss Middleton would have
taken no otiense at Mr.. Breese's sensible
speech. The circumstances were by 10
means ordinary ones in this case, however,
aud Mr.. Breese ought to have known II, al
though, as said before, there was no way
in which he possibly could have found out
the facts that mado the ground he was
treading on unsafe. He felt as If he had
been struck in tho face, therefore, when
her black eyes flashed again as she said:
"What have we 10 be thankful for, either
to Providence or you Yankees, that we
should join you in keeping your Puritan
feast? We have been reduced to beggary
and your Thanksgiving Day is the one APP
pointed for the sale of Middleton Hall by
the sheriff."
Mr.. Breese was quiet, almost a phleg-
matte person, in whose character patience
was the most strongly marked feature. lie
was man, however, and logical, where
fore he fell into the error of supposng that
to win pardon for his slip it was only nee
essary TO plead the ignorance which had
caused ii.
II really beg your pardon, Ruth" he be-
gan. "If had known word OF this, /"
"But you ought TO have known it," she
exclaimed, and It was al this point that she
stamped her foot.
"How could / ?" lie pleaded.
Don't let us quarrel" replied the young
gentlewoman, land that we may not we
had letter say goodbye"
"Bu; my dear Miss Middleton"
"There, it's of no use to argue the point.
My mind is quite made up. We ougbt to
have known from the first that we should
never get on together. We shall never be
able TO agree, and 1t is better that all should
end now between u.s."
And with that the young woman swept
past him and into the house.
Fred Breese was resolule fellow, and
before he had fairly quilted the place he
had determined his case for the future.
Hiring horse at a stable in the village, he
rode away toward the railway, and was
heard of no more in the neighborhood.
"Ruth is right" he wrote to his sister the
next night. my cold gray-eyed nature
would never fully comprehend her black
eyed one, and it is better that we should
part now but it is a sore sorrow, and if
had no great purpose in life, 1 fear it would
work me i'll. AS it is, shall be loo busy
aud too much absorbed in my one life's
work TO Giieve overmuch."