Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-06-18

10 about way T.
ID "l'm inclined to think did" assen
't cd the deacon, with prodigious sho
d Of candor, "a roundabout way an
: a hard way, Isyour wife with you I
70 "YeS and the widow Vance. ! hay
d to foot 1t up hill, you SEQ, Horse steI
Y ped on rolling stone back piec
It aud lamed himself"
!, "Your load is too heavy lot siste
IS Torey ride with me-
IS But sister Torey being nervous lik
Q Lucinda before her, aud mortally
0 afraid Of tho deacon's spirited steed
i 1t was in tho end Mrs, Vance VIII,
$ nestled into the vacant seat. She wa
s a gushing young widow, whose mitl
. gated grief manifested itself in certain
= coqueltish bows Of pale lavender
She protested she felt already acqusin
ed with Mr.. Ph9niy through her late
. husband, 10 whom he had been SC
: kind. She was so glad Of this OPP
, portunity to thank him, She should
never cease to be grateful for the
many favors he had conferred upcn hel
dear Charlie, etc.
In the morning the worthy deacon
would have smiled inwardly at this
ELUSIVE pancgeric, This afternoon he
huggcd it like Il poutce to his aching
heart. II soothcd his wounded sell
love, and inclined him toward his fair
euloglst, TO whom he recounted pleas
ant anecdotes of her husbands boy.
hood. Indeed, he made himself so
agreeable that she was rather sorry to
reach Churchville, where the whole
party was cordially welcomed at the
house OF Mr.. Zenas Torrey.
A proud man was Mr.. Phpulx.
lie would not for the world have had
his recent disappointment suspected
by his wifes relatives, and during
these three days Of Conference he car
ried himself with resolute cheerful
ness that sone-out of meeting of
course-verged upon frisklness. Mrs.
Vance told Mrs. Zenas Torrey that he
was "just splendid" which compliment
Mrs. Torrey repeated to him with
significant smile, limiting that If he
thought of marrying again be need
not search far for wife. He looked
confused, and hotly disclaimed any
matrimonial intention. AS to the
young widow, was he not double her
age? Would June join hands with
December
Alas what an insignificant trifle
can turn the scale of human destiny
But for horses fore foot. Deacon
Ph@nix might have returned to his
home on the morrow as he had left it
"a free man. 1t was the lame horse
that kicked the beam and decided his
fate. On Friday morning that med
ding quadruped having been found
lamer than ever, the deacon could do
no less than to offer to escort Mrs.
Vance home. She could do no less
than to accept the offer gladly. BY
some mysterious law of sequence this
ed to second offer and second ac-
,eptance, and almost before he knew {
t Deacon Phenix had agreed to escort
he widow through life. When after {
,allantly depositing his promised {
,ride at her own door, he was alone
With his own thoughts, he telt little I
urprised at his own precipitancy r
,ut he told himself over and over
gain what a fortunate man he was, |
ow happy he ought to be. Contrary
0 his usual custom, be had acted s
rom impulse, and the result was h
ighly satisfactory. "Highly salts S
actory,' he repeated to himself as he e
assed the enterance of the cross-road
'hich led to Miss Olives. Somehow W his d
elections were less cheerful after that.
'erbaps the chilly rain storm just set o
ng in depressed him, or perhaps it
'as the empty hearse that he met face Il
, face-for the best of US have our fe
lperstitions. Certain it is, that as al
. alighted from his buggy that even A
e with Teariness of limb and limp in
linen, his countenance led Mrs. m
ubbs to fear the meeting had not
zen profitable. dc
Next morning, thanks to the I'M vi
'ncious weather, he was aroused by ge
iatic tortufes. To an elderly gen. be
sman. newly bethrothed 10 bloom. W.
g lady greatly his junior, such an
'akeniug was peculiarly trying. He d.
ought ruefuly of the early visit he be
d promised Mrs. Vance. Should 1 |
ese pains increase, be must defer it do
definitely, or limp into her presence