The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-02-15

like fast young men she was so innocent
herself that she didn't SO much as sus-
pect anything about the wickedness Of
this wicked world, and she thought Rhett
was oil that fancy painted him and may.
be good deal more. His fine airs were
SO many virtues, and she believed him if
he said black was white. Sibyl was
good and pretty enough for dukes son.
and she he'd bin sent to school by her
great aunt Cover to the seminary at
Great Guns, and want no way lacking
in book learning, She could parse any
word in the language, and she didn't
murder the kings English as I've heerd
some do that's he'd more chances; and
she was q master hand at reading, and
could tell you all about furrin parts, and
do the biggest sums in the arithmetic.
Nobody needn't bin ashamed of Sibyl,
she was that lady. like and fit for the king
dom of heaven But the trouble was,
she had set her poor heart on Jack Rhett
When he neglected her, all the light in
her world become darkness when he was
kind, the darkness divided, and it was
day. Many's the time I've seen Rhett
lettering in the bit of wood near the
school house waiting for Sibyl, who taught
the distric. school that summer and
then, when the scholars'd come trudging
out, he'd seem to happen near all by &C.
cident, and raise his hat and kiss his
hand and walk along with her, and it
didn't need spectaoles 10 see that the
longest way round was the shortest way
home at such times. Well, when he went
back to college be used TO correspond
with Sibyl. and when he came home on
vacations he'd contrive to meet her by
the trout brook or the Witches POOL
pretty puddle enough, that didn't seem
to lead nowhere nor to come from any.
where, all overhung with trees that
reached across aud knit together and
dsrkened the place with shadders. 1t
wss such lonesome place that you
couldn't hire gurl in all Pixies Cleaz.
ing to go there alone, yet it was favor.
lite spot for young folks keeping com.
pany such as amt aieard Of ghosts--it
sint anything but rivals as will make
their hair stand on end. One time Jack
come hcme and didn't go nigh Sibyl for
several days, and she set in the porch 10
ber best pink gown, with sweet pease in
her hair. and watched the road stretching
out to Square Rhett's and grew rosy and
trembled when team or man hove in
sight, and fdgeted 10 school hours, and
didn't sleep O. nights, and got as blue as
a bank Of clouds. On Sabbath day there
he was in the family pew as fns as silk,
in kid gloves and patent leather shoes. q
holding hymn book along Of strange
gurl, who he'd on morey antique gown
and blue bonnet like flower garaipg.
and was all glitter with beads and
buglos and things. She he'd a plaguy
ugly face, for all her good clothes, and
she was singing off Of Rhett's face in.
stead of the hymn book and when meet.
ing was over he give her his arm, and
never looked at Sibyl no more'n she'd bin
a post. We was at singing school the
following Saturday night, and somebody
says;
4" reckon how that there'l be wed.
ding at Pixies Clearing afore hundred
year"
al should hope 3d." says Lucy Ladd.
" And it won't be Lucy's nor Sibyl's,"
says Ben.
Time enough for that" said Lucy
81 jokod Rhett abou! it myself O. Fri,
day." put in John Piker. 81 asked why
he needed to be going abroad for wife
when there was SO many pretty gurls at
home going begging"
II hope you are saucy enough" says l.
"Is ho really sweet on the gurl to
church with him 2" asked our Jane, II
wonder what he sees in her 2"
"Solid charms" says Ben. III heerd
him tell John Piker that it was prover.
bal that beauty'd fade. but money'd hold
H"R sss s4H5SnYfA I'm fss s6y byf one spoke
up little Tim Ladd, who was lame and
petted; II see him kiss her twice. fhe
don't marry sibyl. l will" And then
they all laughed and Hush, Tim" says
} Lucy, for there was Sibyl at my elbow jesi
: taking of her shawl.
The next day Ben and me was down
to the Witches Pool-for father didn',
want me to be keeping company with
, Ben, and him and me didn't agree on thai
subject-and while We was talking to
gether there. hid away by the barberry
/ bushes and the alders and the sumacs, who
should come lettering by but sibyl and
Jack Rhett and they stopped close by
while he threw a pebble into the pool
5 and it went down and down, and is COINS
\ down now for all l know. for there ain'l
no bottom to the pool, folks think.
! There, Sibyl," heard him say, my
e love for you is as deep as that pool
!. Aren't you satisfied What does it siguiiy
il I 10 stay at home and amuse Bertha
r if I'm thinking Of ysu all the time snC
3 wishing [ was heref You don't want IN,
i to be rude to CURL who's visiting ny
mother, if she has got mouth ike ,
!. shark, and she kind Of cousin, too. In
sure you needn't be jealous of her, Sibyl
Q she can't hold candle to you /"
r II am jealous of your good rame
= Jack" says Sibyl. ut hurts me as /
5 they he'd run knife through me when
v hear folks talk Of you as they do"
g "Whst do they say abou. ne p
d "They say you mean to marry her, an,
% you don't love her. | could bear it, yol
Q know-st least ivould bear it-if yol
70 loved her dearly; but it hurts me like
d wound to hear them talk as if you had n
e honor aud no Iowa for anything bu
d money"
b 81 shall set it all right some day
y sweetheart" said he. Tho fact 10, Sibyl
10 my father and mother fret mo to death
y They want you to marry Bertha 2"
Ie That's it, and you aud l must wait til
l. their whim wears itself out. have t
le humor them little"
'e "Oh. then you deceive them, Jack !"
ID "And ia that 20 terriblef | mui
o..Ln Iaoasvo