Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-08-18

Hall, uedr IeSSiopoIU, AiduauLa.
..There," said she, as she slipped
Bridget's likeness, wart, freckles, gilded
ornaments and all, inside the missive,
eff be wants photograph, he shall have
one."
And with laudible precaution she
sealed the letter, in order that there
should be no possible mistake.
Half an hour afterward, she sat at her
sewing, in her own room, the colonePs
voice roared pn the stairway, like the
accents or tffe ~dreaJ Big Deal,=
children's story book:
Rachel! Rachel, say !''
"Well, papa %
"What made you seal up that letter
of Smythe's? I wanted to add a few
words about the fastest railroad line to
the North"
Didn't you tell me to seal it, papa %
"No :" thundered the colonel.
"Dear, dear p said Rachel, ''that was
very awkward of me-
And she began to tremble all over,
for fear the colonel should unseal the
letter again, and discover the Hibernian
countenance of Bridget inclosed therein.
"Did you put in the photograph ?"
irately questioned her father.
"Yes, papa" taltered our heroine.
That's right !" said Colonel Reade,
rather more pleasantly.
And just then, Tommy, the errand-
boy, came round with the post-bag, and
to Rachel's ineffable relief the letter
went on its way, with no further deten-
ton. and the girl breathed freely once
again.
And then ensued period of patient
waiting.
"He'll set the day for coming North in
his next letter." said Colonel Reade to
himself.
Hell break off the whole thing. when
he sees the picture" mused Rachel 'or
at least he'll be no judge of a girls
looks if he doesn't"
"And shall get him to pay my debts
and allow me snug little annual in
come" said Colonel Reade, inwardly
chuckling.
"And shall marry Oliver Oriel. and
we shall live in cottage all covered
with roses, and be happy all our lives
long" pondered Rachel.
Strange it is what different views of
life are entertained by forty y-eight and
eighteen!
And when the letter from Peggisport,
Alabama, finally did arrive, the colonel
beamed, and Rachel turned pink and
pale, and futtered like an autumn leaf,
as she sat behind her big silver-plated
cofee-urn.
"Ah p said the colonel, graciously.
"a letter from Snythe hope, my dear
it won't take you long to get your we'd
ding things made up, in case he's impa-
tient for an earlier date"
"What does he say, papa ?" family
demanded Rachel. re&lessly piling the
sugar into her fathers cup.
"He says"-but here the smiling ex-
preston vanished from the coloners
brow, and thunder cloua stole over its
expanse-'.he says-confosnd the fell
lows impudence that he has changed
his mind, and decided not tocome North
this summer" ~
"How very strange !" said dRachel.
"And that, upon the whole-upon my
word, should like to thrash him The
thinks he is too far advanced in years
to marry, and begs leave respectfully to
withdraw his suit. Why, VIII p' look
ing around with lobster eyes d amaze
ment and indignation. "what DIES the
man mean? He's barely ffty-iu the
very prime of life. It's nothing on
earth but a wretched subterfuge toget
off the match u
Rachel put little embroidered hand.
chief to her eyes.
"Papa," said she, plaintively. "l'm
sure you wouldn't want to force me upon
an unwilling bridegroom !"
"Of course I wouldn't' bristeled ur
the colonel '.The Reades arc much
better family than the Smythe's and
always were ! But / can't imagine why
he has so suddenly altered his views"
"It's the photograph, papa" said
Rachel.
1.-The photograph How can it be the
photograph? never saw better pict
ure, or" incautiously added the colonel
"a prettier girl"
Tastes differ, papa" said Rachel
family.
81 should think they didl" gruntet
the colonel. y4fraa a
but, papa." went on Rachel, taking
advantage of her fathers mood Of hos
tility toward the Southern planter, .'h
must not think We are pining over hi
rejection Ear
Certainly not, certainly not T. crie'
the colonel. aa
where's that young Oriel ? He
, not much of a match, but he's bette