Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-07-27


lightful reverie.
Just there in that chair, Angie had sat
during the evening, and there he pictured
her again, finally going and leaning over 1t
in caressing attitude, fondly cheating him
self. over there had sat Mrs. McLane, and
the chair back at once transfixed him with
two critical eyes till he was fain TO look
away. The brothers were there and there.
Bob chuckled with a cozy sense of sur
Righteousness, as he thought how they
would stare could they see him now. The
subtitle pleasure of clandestine things is
doubtless partly the exaggeration Of the
personality which takes place as the pres
sure of other minds Is Withdrawn. To per-
sons of Bob's sensitive mental atmosphere
that pressure is painful when such minds
are hostile, and often irksome, even when
they are friendly, if not in perfect accord.
So that now it was with positively volup-
tuous sensation that his personality ex-
panded till it filled and felt the whole
room.
The fire burned, and busily flew the
shuttles of his fancy, weaving once again
the oilen-varied patterns of the future.
These shultles had little leisure nowadays,
for all the web must be unraveled aud re-
woven, that throughout it all might run the
golden thread of Angles love. How rare
ly did it light up the fabric, before so dull
aud dark.
The bronze mantel-clock sounded with a
silvery tinkle the hour of two, but the
sound fell apparently unheeded on the ear
of the dreamer 1t was full minute be-
fore the impression reached his mind,
There are times when the thoughts throng
so that each new sensation has TO take its
| place in the cue and wait its turn TO get at
tentiou. Then he stirred and reused him
self, emerging reluctantly from the warm,
voluptuous atmosphere of imagination, as
one leaves an enefvating bath. He had
been lying thus full hour, and it was high
time to return to bed. lie left the library
and started across the dining-room with
hasty step.
Perhaps long gazing at the fire had daZ-
zled his eyes, or perhaps his haste, together
with an undue confidence in his skill in
navigating by dead reckoning, rendered
him less careful than when be had come
which he had easily avoided then, he now
bluudered fully upon.
Every body knows that when one stubs
the toe in the dark, instead Of delivering
the blow when the foot is moving slowest,
at the beginning or end of the step, it al
ways happens so that the toe strikes with
the maximum momentum. SO it was this
time. If Bob had been kicking football he
could not have made a nicer calculation Of
force, aud the shock sent the stand com
pletely over.
1t would have made noise enough any
how, but it must happen that on this stand
the family silver was laid out for breakfast,
and the clangor was similar TO that Of Apol-
los silver bow at the time he let fly at the
Grecian host before Troy
Bob stood paralyzed with horror. Even
The anguish of terribly stubbed toe was
forgotten in an overpowering sense of the
awful muss he had made, and the unimag
Unable consequences that would at once en-
sue. AS the hdeous clangor and clatter
rang through the house, shntteii ing lis sa-
cred silence, be shrank together and made
himself small as if be could impart SYM
pathetic shrinkage to the noise. The rack
ct TO his own ears was splitting enough,
but he felt, in addition, as if he heard it
with the ears of all the family, and he wilt
ed before the conception of the feelings
that were at that moment starting up in
their minds toward the unknown cause of
II.
His first rational idea was to bolt for his
room and gain 1t before any one was fairly
reused. But the shock had so scattered his
wits that he could not at once recOlecL his
bearings, and he realized, with indescriba-
BILE sensations, that he was lost. lie con-
sumed precious moments humping him-
self all about the room before he found the
right door.
As he reached the foot OF the staircase
voices were audible from above, and lights
were cleaning down. His retreat was cut
of; he could not get back TO his room
without being discovered. He now dislin-
guished the voice of Mrs. McLaue in an sg
itated tone entreating somebody to he care
ful and not get shot, the grufT voices of the
brothers responding, and then their steps
rapidly descending the stairs. Should he
go up and take the risk of volley while
anu ouncing himself7 1t would make a
pretty tableau. Presenting himself in such
a guse and under such circumstances,
what sort of reception could he expect
from John, who treated him with undis-
guised contempt in the drawing-room, and
whose study ii was TO place h m at disad-
vantageH He might have hesitated longer,
- - L..
ing down to her brothers TO be careful, de-
cided him. He could not face her under
such terribly false circumstances, and with
out his wig.
All this TO ok place far quicker than l can
write il. The glimmer OF the descending
lamp already shone dimly in the hall, aud
Bob frantically looked about him for hid
ing place. But all the furniture stood up
too high from the floor, and the corners
were distressingly bare. He sprang into
the dining room, but in the dark could not
see how the land lay, and hurried on into
the library.
The dying fire still shed a dim light
around, and he eagerly canvassed the vari-
Gus possibilities of concealment which the
room offered. Youthful experience in the
game of hide-and seek now stood him in
good stead, and showed him al glance the
inutillty as refugees of half dozen places
that would have deluded one less practised
by the specious but oo-easily-guesseds shell
ter they afforded.
Vainly seeking a refuge, he ran round
the apartment like rat in a trap. He al
ready heard the brothers in the dining
room picking up the silver and wondering
to find it all there, when, obeying a sudden
inspiration, he clambered upon lofty