Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-06-15

wild cry, and started up; but Phoebe, will
the instinct Of her love, was before him
"Stop, Philip ~ she cried "ls 1t the boy
you mean2 He's safe, thank God !"
"Thank Godi" breathed Philip, and he
let her lay him down again, and put he
cool hand on his forehead, smoothing back
the curls that had grown so gray since the
spring, and then they were both still.
Whether she fell asleep, or whether she
was only "dazed" by grief and pain and
wearness, Phoebe could never tell bu
when they reused her In the morning, and
her eyes turned inslnctively to where lay
Philips restless head, she saw that he had
"entered into life" She was tended very
gently and very lovingly by the many who
grieved for her in the village, but she told
Ms one for long time of all she had learn
ed on that last night Of Philips life-only
TO her II was quite clear; and, If possible,
she loved little Philip more after she real
lied at what terrible price his life had
been saved for her.
So little Philip grew up into boyhood in
the prejudiced light of his mothers eyes -
grew into health and strength and beauty
"but no book scholar" as Mrs Leigh used
to say TO the Squire, shaking her head sor-
rowfully, when he was giving the boy an
easy examination into his tasks "but a
very imp for mischief" she would think,
looking fondly after the strong young fig
ure as he went running over the common.
Yet he was clever with his fingers tor all
that, and "likely" boy, the farmers said,
who saw him standing for a while, some
times, with his hands in his pockets, watch
ing the ploughs and the teams at work.
When he put carved rockers 10 his moth
et's arm chair, the nei9bors coming in TO
look and admire, said that she ought to be
proud of such handy lad for a son but
Mrs. Leigh, thinking Of the money she had
laid by years ago TO send him to college,
thinking of the way his face bad lightened
half an hour before, wben he put his les
son-books away, said "yes" half grudsing-
ly, but smiled a minute later when she met
Philips wistful, questioning eyes, and read
there shadow Of disappointment.
So the time went on until he was four
teen, and then Sir James Garnet, who had
always taken an interest in the lad, irst
or his lather's sake, and then for his own,
offered him a place in his stables, and
promised him schooling in his leisure
hours, for the first year or so; but though
his mother fretted and scolded, and even
went the length of crying, Philip made up
his mind, and kept TO it.
''I'm not fit for groom, Sir James," he
said. 1.-THE only horses that have turn
for are cart-horses. I'm going on the farm,
Sir, and I'm going to make it pay"
But pays now" said Sir James "your
mother has made a good thing out Of it for
years."
"But it shall pay better, Sir James," the
lad answered, "becsuse shall learn the
work, and wen do without bailif."
well, have your own way" said the
Squire, seeing how the boys mind was set
upon the scheme-"only the learning's
hard work for a boy like you, for you
might do better, Philip" the old man went
on, kindly.
So, from watching The plows a. work
from comfortable stle between the two
fields, Philip was promoted 10 guiding the
strong teams over the soft brown ground,
and TO sowing the seeds in the spripg-time,
and harvesting in the autumn; and If his
mother sighed sometimes over her vanish
ed dreams of greatness, still she was thank
ful too, when she looked at the bonuy face
on the other side of the table, and at the
hands that had always some work to keep
them employed.
"He might have done anything, Sir
James," she said to the Squire fretfully
once, when they were having talk over
the boys future-'hS's so sharp aud bright
he might have done me credit any where,
If he'd only taken TO hooks; and though
I'll not deny but what he's good lad, still
he has no book learning, Sir James,"
"Never mind, Mrs. Leigh" Sir James
answered, "he'll do you credit yet, no
doubt. hear down in the village that he
carpenters and carves wood of an evening""
And that he do, Sir James," said Dame
Leigh, Frightening "but, when alrs said
and done, its work that any carpenter could
do"
"Not quite" said Sir James, lining the
chair with the carved rockers to examine
it more closely; "there's fine work here,
and well DONE"
Hes always after queer, out of the-way
things" said his mother, half proudly.
"He fixed me upa spinning wheel the other
day, out Of his odds and ends-not 10 use
so much, for I've no call 10 use such queer
things, but for model, he said and it's
clever thing, Sir James, take it,"
"a very clever thing" Sir James an
swered, moving over TO look at the curious
complication OF wheels aud ropes and
traadiac at ugn h,r ba 10
as Mrs. Leigh had said, out of the merest
odds and ends. "Why, my boy has been
taking lessons in carving and carpentering
for these last five years, and he does not
come any where near this yet. Take heart,
Mrs. Leigh, it's such a gaeat com fort when
boy has turn for work of any kind"
"Its better than nothing, no doubt" said
Mrs. Leigh, grudgingly. "Good-day, Sir
James, and thank YOU" And then, her
heart misgiving her that she had been
wronging her boy, she went TO stand aud
watch for him at the door, so that the first
thing TO welcome him home might be the
sight of his mothers gentle face IN the
doorway.
Every thing that Philip Leigh touched,
the neighbors used to say, turned to gold.
The farm nourished, and they added to it
field by field, until it was one of the larg-
est in Eversham village. There was mon
ey to lay by, too, agains: a rainy day, and
money to add TO the cottage every comfort
and luxury for which they could lind room
or need. Mrs. Leigh grew stout and COM
Portable, and lost, in a great measure, the
worried look that had deepened on her face
while she was still young and as for Phil
ip himself, he worked steadily on at the
farm, until the months grew into years,
and he was eighteen. Then the bailiff was