Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-04-11
THE BEST or IT.

CEDAR June Il.
"Dcar PhH When are you coming; Ce-
dar is in full feather. Picnics set in to-mor-
row strawberries just right; two delightful
widows losts Of girls and the whole house
crying for you. Come along by return mail.
/ meant to say the picnic was day after to-
morrow. | shall be at the late train to-mor-
row. Yours, rs usual,
HARRY."
Philip Norton laughed as he read this let
ter 1t was so like Harry Carke-"Hal
Headlong,' his father used to call him-the
brightest, handsomest, gayest fellow Of his
class at Yale, now n country doctor at Cedar,
a town in the western part of New England.
Having lost all his property by rash specula-
tion, except his wife's farm at Cedar, which
her father left her, the elder Mr.. Clarke went
there to live and one of the local physicians
being near death with old age Harry thought
it II good place to begin what he called his
medicinal career being young man who
had no reverence for the English language,
but made light of it, and used it in his own
way as another outlet for the oyerfiowing fun
of his nature.
Philip Norton had been his chum at col
lege, and his friend ever since. lie was Of
graver nature, and had gone into the minis
try. With the gifts of keen intellect. ready
language, and good looks lie found life easy
enough, and his first parish was in New York,
where, in q tirst-class boarding house, rcceiy-
ing large salary, he did not seem so much IA
modern apostle as a very lucky man. But
good fortune could not spoil his earnest and
truthful character. He preached as sharply
to his flock Of sinners as if he had five hun
dred a year instead of five thousand, and did
as much hard work among the city outcasts
as if he headed a mission to the Digger Ind
ts.r. 1.-Two tr,o o.la Of lutu
Ralston's elaborate establishment.
He had Just recovered from "A severe attack
of typhoid fever consequent on some Of these
excursions into the dark places Of the earth,
when Harry's letter came and was glad
enough TO accept his invitation. There
were only three children in the Clarke family
besides Harry-twin girls of twelve and a
younger boy-and they all loved Philip as
well as if they were his brother and sisters in
stead of his friends There is something in
n sudden journey Of pleasure that is inspirit-
ing and when Mr.. Norton left the train at
Cedar lie felt stronger and better, in spite of
the long days ride, than for many weeks, aud
the next morning declared himself quite
ready for the picnic. though Mrs Clarke, a
motherly soul, always devoted to her "other
boy" scolded him well for the idea. But be-
ing persistent man, he went his way, and
by ten o'clock had joined gay party in the
car they had chartered for the day, and at
tached at Cedar station to the train going to
Patton, a little village above whose quiet
street lowered Gray Mountain their place of
destination. The day was day in June, ="
fair as ever poet celebrated. There were ff-
ty pleasant people-pleasant for picnic that
is-and Philip was put in charge of Mrs.
Boyd.
zone of the widows" Harry whispered in
his ear a very bright and agreeable woman,
with n pleasant face dressed neatly enough
in brown holland and black hat-a costume
adapted TO the OCCASION but not becoming.
She was evidently not vain. few seats be-
fore them sat a beautiful young woman, dain-
tily dressed, though evidently she considered
herself in mourning; but the shower of soft,
fair curls that dropped from the back of her
head, the sparkling ornaments of cut jet, the
rings on her little white hands of pearl and
diamond and onyx, all seemed out of keeping
with the Grape on her dress and hat and
when that coquettishly looped head-gear was
laid aside, triangle of Grape with the con-
yentional widows ruche about it, pinned on
with diamond and onyx pins, looked a real
absurdity, and every woman in the car
laughed at Nan Boyd's attempt to assert her
widOwhood for she was the other of the
two widows. Yet if she was a little absurd,
who cared? When ones skin is tinted with
the warm glow of pink apple blossoms, with
lips scarlet as fresh Strawberries, great clear
blue eyes, delicate features, teeth of pearl,
and abundant gilded-haX hair falling every
where in long loose curls, what does it mat
ter what one wears? Nan Boyd would have
been lovely in brown holland and a cheap
black hat, though her cousin and sister-in-law
was not.
Nobody had ever supposed the Reverend
Philip Norton was susceptible. He had new
err given a tenderer glance to any lovely girl
in his congregation than to the old woman
who swept the crossing before his church
but he fell in love like a sohool-bOy during
the next six hours with Nan Boyd. Courtesy
obliged him to attend to the lady placed in
his care, and the obligation was not disagree
able. She was natural. intelligent, kindly,
with an artists eye for the wonderful scenery
about them, and moreover generous woman
for when Philip asked her as earelessly as he
could put question that thrilled his lips,
who the beauty before them was, she answer.
ed, quickly;
my cousin and n-law-another Mrs.
Boyd. Isn't she lovely? l like to look at her
as l do at a flower she is 80 exquisite"
Mr.. Norton assented grayely, and turned