Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-03-14
CONTRIREMTNDED.

II wonder he didn't take the parson,
muscd the deacon's housekecper rs the dea-
con drove oil alone to the Annual Conference.
"llrs commonly master-thoughtful about
lookin out for folks. What husband he
was :"
Yes, Asa Phoenix had been good hus-
band. All the neighbors agreed with Mrs
Dubbs in that particular. lie had waited up
on his fussy invalid wife by inches for thirty
years, making her as happy AS she would let
him; aud when her summons came, he had
closed h-r eyes tendcrly, saying even with
tears, Poor sufferer, she is better of :"
That h. was better oil he never limited by
word or look. He wore his widower's weeds
with sad decorum he reared in memory Of
the departed Lucinda II monument which the
most flStdious deceased might have cnyied /;
he grieved faithfully for the full allotted year
of mourning. II now, from the ashes of the
funeral pyre, like his feath,rcd namesake of
fable, he was springing up with renewed
youth and freshness, was it not wellI
In truth. though he had not seen fit to con-
tidr this fact to Mrs. Dubbs. Deacon Phoenix
had slighted the minister deliberately and
with malice afOrethought. Nor was it Of the
Confer,nc nee he was thinking that fragrant
june morning rs he whirltd away, tucking
tn lap robe well about his glossy new broad
cloth. For once i'll his hitht rto blameless life
he was esSaying to hide the secular under
meath the spiritual. He did not mean to go
straight to meeting; it was his willy nten-
ton to make wide circuit, and call on Miss
Olive Wayne in the town of Chester. He
had n question to ask her. aud did not want
the parson with him he hoped he might
want him later.
Pretty, cheerful Olive How fond he had
been of her years ago, when she attended
his school If he had not been in love with
Lucinda he was sure he should have fallen in
love with her, mere child though she was
He had never lost sight of her and he thank
ed Providence that lac had been enabled by
money and influence to help her family over
some hard places. Please God, the dear girl
should henceforth have an easier life Girl
Why, little Olive must be fifty The good
deacon laughed at the amusing recollection.
Well she would always seem young to him.
And rs for himself ut sixty odd he was hale
man YET he could jump iive-rail fence as
well rs ever he could-giye him time. His
thoughts continually reverted to Olive so pa
tieutly devoted to her invalid father. She
should bring the old gentleman to his house
if she wished, or he would provide for his
maintenance at her brother Reubcn's. He
was inclined to consider that the better plnn.
The money would be an object to Reuben.
In these cogitations the morning passed,
ana noon lOAhu DEACON IuttllA NJ Tue lttlt
hotel in Chester. Impatient of delay, after
hasty dinner he set out almost mediately
for the Wayne homestead Arrived Mt the
gate, he sped Miss Olive at the window, and
alighted with II youthful agility not altogeth-
er prudent in n man who had twinges of sci
atica. And yet-strauge inconsistency of
human nature he dallcd at the htching
post, and afterward, with his hand on the
very knocker, he paused to scan the distant
horizon, as though he had come mainly for
view of the mountains, Miss Olive opened
the door, her checks flushing like late Octo-
Der peaches. She would not have been
woman had she not OWNED the deacon's tell
der mission, proclaimed by every detail Of
his immaculate toilette, by the grasp of his
hand, by his nervous, expectant air. And,
moreover, Miss Olive was an attractive wo-
man, not unversed in lovers ways.
Happy to see you, Mr.. Phoenix. "Walk
in, said she, flurriedly, ushering him into
the sitting-room, where her aged father dozed
in his armchair.
"Who is it, Olive ?" said the old gentleman,
waking with bewildered stare.
Mr.. Phoenix, father, You remember Mr.
Phoenix, I'm sure"
Il don't know as / do" said he, qurru-
lously, fumbling with the guests Outstretch,d
hand. What's he come for, Olive?"
feeling the hot weather Miss Olive was pos
itively feyersh but she dtftly eynded the
troublesome question by diverting her fathers
attention. His peppermint tea was ready
would he not drink it, As she lowered
about the invalid, straig ghtenng his footstoOl,
arranging his pillows, stcadyng the cup while
he drank, Mr.. PhWnix regarding her admir-
ingly. How young she seemed still Not a
a gray thread in her golden hair scarcely
wrinkle in her face. That was because of
her excellent disposition, He waited till she
had soothed the old man into slumbcr, then
in direct, manly way introduced the subject
that lay next his heart.
Miss Olive interrupted him by an eloquent
glance toward her father.
He is very childish and dependent lie
cannot do without me-
Let me help you care for him, Olive my
house is large, my means are ample"
Il couldn't Mr.. Phmnx-it is like your
generosity to propose such thing but
couldn't have him a burden upon you
"Why, bless your soul, Olive, do you sup
pose | should consider friend of yours II
burden z"
'You don't know how trying father would
be to any body but his own daughter, and
think he is likely to live to n great age, as
grandfather did"
For that very reason then"
Besides, it would make him wrctched to
take him from the old homestead.
"But, Olive"
80 you see I'm engaged Mr.. Phoenix, 4"
said Miss Olive, playfully, while she whisked
away tear. "Pm engaged You must mar
ry some lady who isn't. And may you be as
happy as you deserve to be-" she added, with
little tremor, springing up to adjust the cur
tain.
In vain he tried to bend her to his wishes
she remained outwaIdly firm as the hearth
stone at her feet, till at length he arrived at
the uuwelcome conclusion that she had no
liking for him, or she would have listened to
his pleadings. She had interposed the old
gentleman merely as a sort of cushion to soft
en- the blow of her rejection.