Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-12-05
WHOLE NO. Al

She started violently. "Bad news!"
| she repeated.
Eyes, ma'am, bad news. Your ex-
ce(lent son--"
But she turned deathly pale; then,
clutching my arm as we still stood
(tor she had not had the poiteness to
ask me to sit DOWN, she gasped,
"What is it? Is he i'll, or hurt? Do
: for heavens, speak! Don't keep me
: waiting, woman!"
"No, no; he's safe-safe and well"
| said. But she fairly pinched my
arm as she ordered me to tell her
what meant without delay.
lnever saw more naughty, impe-
rious woman than that Mrs. Brown,
and | must confess she conquered me.
| meant to tell my story in my own
way, but she forced me right 10 the
point
"He's married." I answered. Then
seeing her look of incredulous amaze
inert, added, eyes, married this very
morning, not two hours ago, in your
absence, and to that awful little neigh
Dor Of yours, in spite of all my efforts
to open your eyes"
Mrs. Browns face was a study. She
looked by turns puzzled, astonished,
angry, and scornful; then, with very
disagreeable smile, she asked:
care you in the habit of writing
anonymous letters, Miss Greenfield
What you have Just said would seem
to connect you with a contemplate
eplstle OF that sort, received some
weeks ago, which burned, half read
(Just as if she could make a woman
believe that.) "Now, since you are
so interested in my SON, iet me assure
you that he is not married; that Tit
tie more than two hours ago he as
sisted as best man at the wedding of
his old school mate and friend, Lyman
Bertrand, who returned from Ger.
many three days ago to claim his
promised wife, Lucy Barrett, after IN
absence Of nearly two years"
She said all this very slowly, with
her eyes on my face, and, can tell
you, was not comfortable. Still, l
would not give up yet. Ireplied,
"But you must allow that your son
sna Horpenywps' tvtt:uoht know that
he has been spending most Of bis
evenings ,here-writing such long
letters, too, when he didn't go him.
self"
Mrs. Browns smile was more su-
percilious than ever when she said,
"Mrs Barrett, as you have doubtless
discovered, IS poor. Lucy is an ad'
mirable German scholar, and my son
expects to spend the next three years
of his life in Germany. Consequently
she has been instructiBg him for
months past, at my urgent request"
"But the morning you received my
letter, | saw you rush up to your sons
room and hold an earnest conference
with him. Then for days he avoided
going next door. Was not that in
consequence OF my warning?" l asked.
anxiously.
son the contrary, never told my
sob of your letter; but had received
intelligence from a relative in Ger
many of young Bertrands serious ILL
ness, and | went to comfort Lucy that
same day by my sons advice. Poor
girl! she was so distressed that the
German lessons discontinued until
news vf her lovers complete recovery
gave her courage to 60 on. l think
now that l have fully satisfied your
curiosity, Miss Greenfield; but let me
assure you that l never would have
condescended to these explanations it
l had not been afraid that you would
injure Lucy by your imperfect and
garbled version Of all you have seen.
Talk, then, since it seems you can not
help it, but be truthful if you can.
Good mornng!" and with that she
swept out of the room like an en-
press, leaving me standing there like
a fool.
Well, l must say she made very
plausible story, but l always had my
doubts about it.
Srpset Gov has nrenared bill pro-