Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-05-23

] ,
/ the polishing precincts Of n law uillco-an
| immaculate man. u man for all tlIe world like
a new. sheep bound volume Of criminal prac-
/ ticc, So clean and orderly without, 50 plninly
/ uruurr in HE way Of sheep skin, so neat IN
! It's scrap OF blnck leather and crimson letter
! ing 40 nicely marble white and smooth about
/ the edges. and so chuck full Of yillany IN
side Friend Sheppard passed an hour III the
/ villa, became Possessed Of the facts III the
case, and then acc, pied the undertaking, and
| undertook u little som, thing for himself.
/ Miranda, tail, skinny, muk. and bloodless-
| hollow of ch, st and ,uuktu Of eyes-hOlding
! uunccmh,r,d nm estate of $500 600, was not
a party to be dcspised Ephraim went direct
| to the house Of the village doctor, and under
pretext of making some inquiries concerning
| The health Of Beumh's mind, learned good
| deal Of Miraudas physical condition.
Going to try and break old Behemoth's
| will, is she - chuckled DR.. Blake. Why, l
| don't know. Sir just how she can. Little
| Bcuinh is not over and above wise, but she
/ isn't out ot her head by long way
"Shc is surrounding herself with unfit as
sociates, according to her sister, remarked
| Mr.. Sheppard.
shes going according to Scripture. The
| stone cottage is big rambling place on the
s,ashore, and from time to time the sick and
needy have been taken in to-day, believe,
| she has a dozen poor dependents around her,
aud rhe enjoys herself among en-, and it's
not ody's business, is it p
Miss Miranda argues therefrom al unfit
ness to manage the large fortune left by her
father, and is pre- pared to show her weakness
Of intellect from her youth up, and the failing
| of her parents faculties before making this
will, retortod the astute Sheppard.
Nothing will come of it, be assured, and
| the very accusation argues something not
| quite right in Miranda Beldon.'
"Ah ~ exclaimed the lawyer, ''is anything
amies with that lady she is not very stout
aud still she seems rugged-is there any
trouble with her health =
The doctor eyed the speaker in a suspicious
manner as he made answer:
"Yes, she's got n fatal malady, an iucura-
hle disease :" or, he added to himself, "she's
got temper the devil couldn't cure her Of
but which won't be the death of her in 40
years.
An incunble disease = echoed the law
yer. What is it Z"
Il am not at liberty to disclose A physi-
clan is as safe repository for secrets, Mr.
sheppard as prost-or a lawyer
Il understand yes thank you the conf
donce of patient should be respected. Poor
woman, poor woman ~ And very much en-
couruged by the diagnosis OF this case the
legal gentleman departo d-to appear and re-
appear in the village from time to time
gradually dropping the character of solicitor
and adopting that of suitor.
All this while Boulah pursued her pleasant
life with an old nurse, who had been in the
family from the Beden girls early childhood.
! With an energetic country "help" the little
| household at the stone cottage passed qui-
ct, peaceful existence.
The various ailing mortals, to be found in
all places, had discovered in the rich Miss
Beulah u sympathzing friend aud cheerful,
ready helper What wonder then, if the Ia
dy had become the Lady Bouutiful of the
village and was wasting her patrimony (ac-
cording to Aliranda) in red flannels for rheu-
matism and quinino FOR chills and fever.
The decp-laid schemes Of the elder sister
had not been, as yet made public. Lawyer
Sheppard saw less advantages accruing to
| himself in conducting Mirandas lawsuit than
in conducting his own courtship, and was
bearing his whole influence in the latter di-
rection.
The "stone cottage" as has been said.
fronted on the sen, and many ordinary fish
| ermon's houses stood about on the low level
lands lying below. From one Of them one
stormy night late i'll the autumn, a poor
woman had come for Miss Beulah's help and
advice.
ITS a hard case, dear lady" sad the wo-
man, standing on the porch Of the stone cot
tag. My old man, coming in from days
fishing, found h,r wandering uncortain-l like
among the rocks. What's Rniss = says he.
An the world, says she, and going on for to
speak he comes TO the truth. She's wrong
in her head, and was straying about with
murder on her mind
Murder =
Murder to herself, Miss Beulah, and she
| only | : year old it's pitiful 80 pretty and
SO young. She lays beyond at the boat-house,
where the men fetched her"
The men fetched her to the boat athouse
and not to you:'
why. lady, dear" rejoined the simple
minded creature, I'm not telling my story
at all. After she spoke with my old man she
turned and walked away toward the town,
and John just pulled in his nets and was COM
ing comfortable toward his supper, when lie
see something whiteish futter off the big
rock We calls the Pulpit, and in a moment he
| thinks of the young woman, and just then
something was alight on the water of the
rock, like a wild duck, and in goes my old
man. and the wild duck was ashore in no
time, for he's strong arm, has John, and
this poor young creature don't weigh more'n
eighty pounds"
| This poor girl attempted suicide =
That's what I'm trying to get at ma'am.
I've not the wherewith to do if l had the
whereby" rather ambguously explained the
| boatman's wife. Therefore every one said,
There's Miss Beulah, go ask her !" and here
am"
Beuah Belden made answer very directly.
Bring her up to the cottage at once it's
raw night A delicate young girl wet and
miserable will perish in that drafty old boat
house"
Il knew it would be so, Miss Beulah. God
bless you. You'll have your reward in heav-
en-, dear lady"
Beulah interrupted her humble friend and
hurried her away. Then blankets were heat
ed, a hot bath got ready, n cup of tea pre-
pared and the charitable soul awaited her
| newly y-assumed charge.
Not for long. Through the early evening
| two or three rough men preceded dozen OF
the fishing colony, bearing slight, dripping
! figure on an improvised litter, steadily up
| the porch and into the attic sitting, room,
! Beulah walking beside il the last few steps,
| and LAYING her hand on the covered head.
! At last, as the burden was tendery laid on
| the lounge, and the lamp turned up, the men
| fell back, and Bcuah looked at the face of
the would-be suicide.
She almost exclaimed at the pallid, marble
beauty disclosed-it was the face of an entire
stranger. She had expected to see the famil-
lar features of some unhappy village girl, but
!
mouth, the dripping masses of yellowish hair,
! had never met her gaze before.
zone of you go for DIR. Blake, said the
mistress of the cottage. II hardly know
what is to be done in such a case" The OBJ
iect of their solictude moved, reached out
feeble hand, and murmured weakly, mo,
no please do not send for DOCTOR l do
not need one"
She appeared so distressed that Beulah
| yielded.
''At all events you must get dry things on
and have bowl of hot tea and some warm
supper; it's enough to give one their death
to stop in your condition
And then recollecting that her patient had
been seeking DEATH Beulah abruptly turned
and dispersed the curious crowd, still hang
ing about the place, and then followed the
servant and strange woman into the room
prepared for her.
| t.T ,,;u ,,of asl vou what dreadful strait