Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-04-05

From Hlrper's Monthly for April
4 PROPOSAL FOR 4 HEATER.
l find that in spite of his fatal experience
Mansfield still clings to his faith in a heater
though | am sure he was never happier than
in the old days when we used to gather around
the old-fashioned CRATE Mary was young
enough then to throw herself down upon the
rug, and | don't want you to think that be-
cause her curly head Graded itself innocently
against my knee once in II while that | was
old enough to be her grandfather: my love
for her increased with the years that went by.
but can't remember the time when it wasn't
almost strong enough for me to die for her
But her father inherited a little money and
Mary's mother persuaded him to furbish up
their snug little two-story house in Twelfth
street and what with velvet carpets upon
the floors, lace finery at the windows, fine
pictures upon the walls and new furniture
throughout the dear old grate was at last put
aside, and "A brand-new patent heater was in
troduced into the front basement. which was
warranted to heat all the parlor floor. When
all was done found the rooms too eXpen-
sive for ry-dny wear, and n sort of banker
ing after the bit of fire that shone through
the little windows of the big black monster in
the front basement, together with the faml-
lar look of every thing there. led US to make
the room our home but there was no rug
for a louuging-place for Mary, who had sud
denly somehow, grown out of lounging, and,
indeed, before l could fully realize the extent
of such n calamity, she was engaged to be
married to IA young fellow IN our notion de-
partment by the name of MacAlurray. We
were all employed in the old jobbing house
down town, and MacMuray fell in love with
her that day she came to the store In fact,
she was the cynosure for many a clerlly eye.
and as l saw some score of them boldly tax
ing an inventory of her charms, | went over
to Mansfield, with the blood getting hot in
my veins He was only second man IN the
white goods, and as the head of the depart
ment was away he was trolling one of his
customers upon the hook of a fall in domes-
| tics 1t was a big Western trader. and Mans
| field had forgotten he owned such n wnsome
bit OF property as Mary. He waved me away
impatiently.
Il wouldn't leave him," said Mansfield,
with u significant gesture to the Western mer-
| chant for n quarter of = second. I'll tell
YOU what. Bruce" he added. IF you're not
| busy, | wish you'd take Mary down to the no
ton department. and introduce her to Mac
Murray promised her a look at some gim-
cracks there. Tell him to let Mary have what
she wants, and charge it to me-
Now MacMurray was the last man in the
store | cared for Mary to know, had no open
ODleCtlOn 10 make save lull ne WIS IA llhlltlSOut
fascinating fellow, who had the reputation OF
| being successful in winning the regard Of wo
men | reluctantly led Mary down the metal
clad stairs, followed by the hungry gaze of my
| fellow -hborers some of whom made pretense,
to follow us, but We're deferred by my unusu
al severity of mien and manner and | wa
sorry to see that, Mary's modesty taking fire
at all this open admiration, her very yexatioI
was making her all the handsomer with every
step that she took toward MacNlurray. Hel
| long lashes swept her cheeks, upon which al
unwonted flush burned and when she RAISED
these lashes to look upon MacAIuuny, | was
not surprised that his cold pale face warmeC
up with n sudden interest. The next thirty
or forty precious minutes of HavershGw ant
| Co MacMurray used to most excellent ad
vantage, even leading the ingenious child tC
chat about her first luncheon in n restauran
that morning, and to tell him, IN her swee
womanly way of how glad she would hay,
been to have smugglcd cranberry tart hom
to Jamie. ''Home-made crust, you know,
she said to MacMurray, '"s so different; 1t
quite impossible to make II so nice and tiaky.
Al this while there was a minor note of costa
sy over the beads and ribbons and yariou
gew-gaws, which MacMurrNy took infnitel,
more pains TO exhibit than if this sale was t.
determine his salary for the ensuing year
His slender white hands fitted from one bau
bic to another, and he managed to make tina
half hour one Of the happiest of Mary's life
| was like bull in a china shop, and serve
as an excellent contrast to this fine lady-killeT
for could feel my blood beginning to boil il
my veins, and my manner was no doubt a
hustered as my face. | put Mary at last j
an uptown stage and as | went through tn
store again. MacMuuhy made some friyolou
excuse to call me, but soon plunged into tn
subject nearest his heart.
shes simply enchanting" he said
1.-THE, vigorous, graceful bit of humanity
Then what magnificent eyes! What sweet
tremulous mouth How natural and naiv
she il Her voice is so low and sweet, wit
that little musical ripple of a laugh! Ho'
prettily she told of the tart that she enyie
for Jamie-dear, generous girl / had IL
idea that Mansfield had such daughter"
Groaning in spirit turned upon my hee
No sooner had reached my own departmeT
than | was pestered with a hundred remark
about Mansfield's beautiful daughter. Fc
wears she had lain in my heart like pearl i
It's hiding-place, and suddenly she was dral
ped about by the many stupid mouths of Hay
ershaw and Co. / resolved to speak to Nam
field about it that very night. But he WI
not at home at his usual hour, and when h
did come he brought MacMurry with hin
They had been detained, he said at the stor'
and he had accepted MacMurray lnNtauo
to dine, as he knew the meal would be over
/, home. AIacMuuay had a pretty little bask
, in his hand which held a huge cranberry ta
for Jamie, and big box of bon-bons TIN
: Mary nibbled upon for the rest of the evening
What fool a man is not to think of the'
y things Sugar-plums of that sort bunch'
of violets that he got for ten cents upon IL
corner; an insidious Tigmarole of poetr,
with neat binding, that he picked up at
book-stand, and read with Mary close by h
side the whole of the evening-they cost not
ing, these little brfbes to an already prop
tious fortune and they go SO far to furth
destiny. From that night forward MacMu
+ ray was one of us, and you may imagil
how bitterly hard it was for me, who had f
wears listened to Mansfeld's interminable st
ries. smoked his rank tobacco, breathed h
hot air in his basement, lent lenient ear
the melancholy whining of his invalid wifi
tipped his boys with countless bits of silye
and even put my. name to a couple of mode
ate liabilities in behalf of the household, {
for the sake of that dear face, to have Ma
Murray come in and gloat upon it night aft
night, to see the faint color deepen in Il
| l. Al, As.aI IN IA