Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-03-31


at times that she believed that | loved
her,"
Il hope you have not triaed with her,
Fred % said the lady.
81 assure you have not" answered
he. very calamity Il could not do that
especially as I am promised to your fair
self. sweet ma belle Maud"
They moved away presently, and then
poor Anne slipped unobserved out of the
grand parlors.
She sobbed little when she at length
reached her own room. Her last illusion
was gone, but had left her much wiser
and much less hurt than might be sup
posed. She was only eighteen, be it re-
! membered; and, after all, her fancies
had not been more extravagant than
those Of many others who, unfortunately
for lack of this salutary lesson, have
remained fools to the end of their lives.
And she was quite certainly, not too
much Of an idiot to know how foolish
she had been, nor to feel womanly,
resentful desire to confuse the elegant
and vain Mr.. Fred Fitch with some
pretty and seemingly ingenious sally of
strategic wit. She thought of noble,
manly Joe Sanders. and smiled content
edly as bright plan suddenly took
shape and form in her giddy, egotlstical
brain, so rudely stung to defensive ac-
tion. She sprang to her feet, and hur-
riedly flung aside the golden-tlnted silk
the crimson carnations, and the set of
rubies borrowed from her indulgent
Aunt Crowly-all of which fnery had
become to her, in her abruptly-awakened
sense of taste and discernment, correctly
and odiously unbecoming and incongru-
Gus. Then, still smiling with strange
and new feeling of satisfaction, she put
on plain, pretty dress of cashmere,
arranged an exquisite affair of soft black
lace about her neck and shoulders, fas-
tened pale pink rose in her fine dark
hair, and so went again down to the ell
egant and crowded parlors.
"Auntie, please do introduce me to
that charming young lady whom Mr..
Fitch is entertaining" she solicited,
slipping to the side of her relative at a
moment timely chosen.
Certainly. my dear child" complied
Mrs. Crowly, at the same time favoring
her niece with glance of sincere but
surprised admiration. "Really, Anne" "
she whispered. ''you are looking remark
ably we'll this evening. What fairy
helped you to dress with such exquisite
simplicity ?"
The compliment was very gratifying
to Anne, but she had no time to respond
for Mr.. Fred Fitch and his stylish be-
trothed were very near. And that GAL
liant young gentleman was somehow very
attentive to Anne during the hour that
followed. He thought her very pretty
and graceful in her simple dress. and he
began vaguely to wonder if she were
really quite as much of a country SIM
pleton as he had supposed her to be, al
belt her new mood, that was charmingly
maize and slyly coquettish, puzzled and
piqued him.
Il protest, Mr.. Fitch" said Anne,
with an arch and saucy smile, when his
soft fattery became somewhat profuse'
al must not listen to such nonsense"
"Why must you not p. he asked, ten.
derly.
Because" she returned, demurely,
'the dear fellow who is to be my hus-
band, would certainly object, if he
knew"
"Ah, indeed" observed Mr.. Fred
Fitch, dropping the little brown hand ;
and Anne smiled and mentally blessed
the woman wit that had helped her to
nonplus him who had ridiculed her.
She went home the next day, quite
convinced that she preferred the rustic
life she had once thought so prosy and
f,,thfu1 hos o. tbo ak;oD
"Has my little girl come back to be
my wife ?" he asked, lovingly, reading
Alright the expression of her tired and
wistful eyes.
Anne's answer must have pleased him
nightly for he kissed her then and
there, regardless of the gaping crowd.
Her father was delighted.
81 knowed how it would be- he de-
clared; "'cause the gal was bright and
hanson, the rest of ye made her 'b'lieve
she could beat all creation at the big
things them kin do as was born to 'em.
Many is the gal as would make right
smart and happifed wife as has been
poked into citi6ed ways for nuthin' but
misery. But tell ye rale genius is
alters satisfied with the life the good
Lord pervides. Kiss me, my little gal,
and God bless ye.''
A little three-year-old in town, who
observed her grandfather writing post
| al card rennested that che rninht be