Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-05-03

upon the kitchen stove putting and blowing
as If it had poypus in its ugly little pug
noise. These Sabbath donations were impor-
tant items toward the support Of Miss Lovisa,
who, save this house and its humble furniture,
had no assured patrmony. II is true, she of
ten helped her neighbors in their sewing or
household labors, but never for wages. II
would have pierced her to the heart had these
been offered to her. She wanted it distinctly
understood that she only went 'to accommo-
date" II her friends felt disposed to give her
presents why, that altered the ease. She ac-
cepted them with an alacrity worthy of Mr..
Dorritt
As these testimonials usually reached her
on Sunday it followed that, wherever Miss
Lovsa might be during the week, the Lords
Day was sure TO find her in her queer little
cottage opposite the church Hther came
David in the twilight Of the Sabbath of which
have spoken, ambling up the narrow path
with his own peculiar gait, quite like that Of
small boy riding the paternal cane. Lovisa
at the moment RECALLING herself with the dilut-
ed dregs of the company ten, spied him above
the inclined rim of the cup, and in her per
turbation scalded her throat with the boiling
liquid.
Good evening, Lovisa said he, resting
his elbows on the sill, as he looked in at the
open window.
Good evening, Mr. Yopp," returned She
pushing the tea equipage out of sight with
one hand while extending him the other.
A ter-tale crumb of gingerbread in her
palm transferred itself to David's, and he un-
consciously rolled it between his thumb and
finger as he spun q second thread Of conver-
sation.
Its been toleraby warmish day, Lovisa."
Tedious warm" sighed she, adding, gra-
tuitOusly. to cloak her nervousness. ''it gives
me a weak, all-gone feeling
just 30, just so" assented David, with
sympathetic groan which would sound too
cheerful. Constitutionnlly he took life easier
than she. As n rule, he considered this n
pretty nice world, this world of ours but
Loyisa knew to the contrary.
Does the old gentleman feel the heat
much y She asked, presently, uneasy because
David made no move to 90.
Desperately fact" answered he, chuck
ing his chin backward and forward to pump
out the words, which clogged his throat more
and more the longer he delayed his errand.
An embarrassed pause succeeded, during
which Lovisa's fingers steered restlessly along
the two curving bays Of hair that encroached
right and left upon the bold bluff of her fore
head, and David anNiously watched their prog
ress. Once he half opened his mouth to
speak, but it sprang together again like his
own house door in that dog-day weather
Lovisa grew each moment more uneasy.
Nlle was alfhlu II ulu not look wei, MT. 1Opp
standing at her easement in the cleaning
she was equally afraid it would not sound well
should she invite him in and yet he was her
neighbor-she could not bid him Co.
Il suppose grandsr feels your mothers
death good deal = was her next tremulous
remark thrown out as sort of plank TO
bridge over the silence.
Yes, father misses her, and l miss her."
said David. crowding the words out helter-
L. l..
Seems if we couldn't get along without
mother. And was wondering, LOvisa-that
is, want to ask you What say, Lovisa,
amt you willing to take her place do wish
| you would. There's nobody would suit father
| so we'll"
Nobody would suit his father so well as a
| daughter-in-l law. David meant. of course but
| how was Miss Braun to wrest this meaning
| from his words ? How was she to suspect that
| in begging her to be a mother to him he had
honestly intended TO ak her to be his wifey
She was no clnirvoyant, but at that moment a
most indignant woman, with an unwonted
flash in her eye. Marry Grandsr Yopp, in
deed How old did they take her to bey
Father II hardly look for another partner
| his age and infrmitics considered, you couldn't
reasonably expect it, pursued David, in a
considemte tone "and this obligates us to
make some other arrangement. You see it
materially would, Lovisa."
Whatever she saw, she made no outward
manifestation, though her anxious swain
| glanced toward her deprecatingly to assure
himself that she appreciated his domestic ne
cessties, and justified him in contemplating
marriage
We've hadno end ofhousekeepers," "he blum
dered on, ''and none of 'em gave satisfaction
Now want somebody permanent-somebody
| that's agreeable, and II take an interest. You
| | all set "A InYlSa
| Can't / make bargain with you =
A matrimonial bargain David intended and
desred-nothing less. But his stupid tongue
had this time conveyed to Lovisa the impress
sion that he wished to engage her as house
keeper, and she bridled at once.
Il don't know what you can be thinking of,
Mr.. Yopp, to propose such thing! !" she
cried vehemently. II never did hire out for
wages" she was about to add but she recOil-
ed from the mercenary expression to remark,
with severe dignity, II have never lived any
where except as n friend"
''Wen, I'm sure l don't want you to live
with me if you don't feel friendly" respond
ed her suitor, very much hurt I'D sooner
rub along alone-fact"
Il do feel friendly Mr.. Yopp-that is, l
did but as to going to any body's house in
the way you speak of, can't bring myself to
do it,"
what do you mean TO say, Lovisa, that
you have specific objections against getting
married y
1t was not yet so dark that David's eyes,
| peering at her from beneath their projecting
buff awnings, could not see the sudden agita-
ton caused by his words and he took cour-
age.
Because, if you've no specific objections
against matrimony generally, and feel friend
ly toward me Individually, and I'm so dispos-
ed, don't see, Lovisa, what's to hinder our
making n bargain"
'Oh, l couldn't, Mr. Yopp-I couldn't any
ways, though it's very kind in you to mention
it," she faltered, incoherently, while her face,
usually like wax-yelow waI-glowed lurid
red.
Maybe you're afraid shouldn't make you
a good husband, Lovisa, because I'm getting
along in years. and never had any experience" p"
suggested he, turning his averted face
toward her with curvilinear jerk but I'd
do my best, and mother always gave me credit
for being willing AGtooally, now, Loysa, it
does pear to me 'twould convene both ON us
if you was to make up your mind to have
me-"
Again she shook her head, but more feebly
this time David almost fancied the motion
might be only the dying vibration of her
former negative, and went away not altogeth-
er hopeless
At first, us we have seen the thought of
mRtrimony had been TO him rather distasteful
than otherwise but Loyisas persistent refusal
aroused the latent combntiveness of his nature.
The more she would not marry him, the more
desirable she seemed to him, and he never let
slip AN opportunity for pressing his suit till he
had wrung from her a promise to reconsider
hisproposal.
With this weighty subject on her mind,
she came to visit us and help about the cur
rant jelly-and precious little help she was
II feel SO exercised Mrs. Farnsworth -
she confessed to my mother, privately. "Do
you think it would make a great deal of talk
if should get married" Z" The second week
she was lamenting that Mr.. Yopp was not a
professor. Might she not be the chosen in
| sirnment 10 lend him To the lipht2 BY the