Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-03
CLANS.
A Story OF Early Days in New England.

$50 now you have the whole story, Rich
ard Palfrey have kept back nothing-not
the inmost thought Of my heart.
"And love you all the better" answered
Richard Palfrey, gravely, but with joyful
light in his eyes
And you will not be jealous, or think my
heart is going back" Elizabeth did not com
plete the sentence.
"Not l, sweetheart. Perhaps it is my self
conceit but l hardly think should be jeal-
Gus Of that same gallant, if he stood here be-
fore u.s."
And you would have no need" answered
Elizabeth, signing with the manner of one
who throws of heavy load and then,
smiling, she added Yet be was persona
BILE man, too, and wore his clothes in the best
court mode, and understood all the best
graces in the management of horse and weap-
on. were loath that he should challenge
you to the combat"
"And so were |, answered the young man,
laughing II would not have you see your
two swains tied neck and heels together, and
set us for a laughing stock, as was done with
the two duelists down in Plymouth. But as
TO the fight / should have no fear. The
choice of weapons would be mine, and |
would give mine adversary an axe and set
him at yonder great oak, while attacked the
other. We would soon see who was the best
man. But here comes your honored father
to interrupt our conference"
"well. my young ones, have you come to
an accord 7" asked Mr. Rosseter, as he drew
near. Then smiling, as he looked at them,
"But see l need not ask. So then, daugh-
ter Elizabeth, you accept this mighty hunter
this lifter-up of axes upon thick trees-as
your husbandy p
Eyes, my father, since such is your desire,
answered Elizabeth demurely Il have no
wish to oppose your will.
'See what it is to have dutiful child. She
ever does her fathers will when it jumps
with her own :" said Mr.. Rosseter, and then,
more gravely, 'but to forbear jesting, which,
perhaps, does not become so grave father,
thou hast ever been a good and faithful
daughter, and doubt not will prove faith
ful wife. give thee great treasure, Rich
ard Palfrey see that thou abuse it not"
Heaven deal so with ne as | am true to
her" answered Richard Palfrey, as he met
the iron grasp of his future father-in. laws
hand with pressure equally fervent.
And now to other matters" said Mr..
Rosseter Richard, have you any corn or
meal?"
Neither grain or kernel" answered Rich
ard, with a sudden change of expression. II
believe few are better of, save perhaps the
governor"
"And he will not be so long, since he di-
vides his store with all the sick and old peo-
pie. / know not what will be done unless
some ship comes quickly TO our relief But
for that dependence which never fails,
should say that we are in a desperate case.
Here are the fishers come home all but empty
handed after four-days' trial"
1--WE have the cam-banks, my father"
said Elizabeth. They seem to be ine1haust-
ible, and the clans are wholesome and agree
able"
What was it Elizabeth had told Richard
Palfrey as they came together from the ''eX-
ercise" that winters day in Boston. She had
said to her father that she could not give her
promise to marry the man of his choice and
her own till she had had private talk with
him, and her father had consented and even
approved gently checking his wife when she
murmured that by-gones had best be by
cones"
What was this "by-gone" which good Mrs
Palfrey dreaded Merely that Richard Pal
frey had not been Elizabeth Rosseters first
love-
Three years before, in the garden of gray
old manor house in Devonshire, two lovers
had talked together in the sweet summer twi-
light, as these two had been doing in the
gloomy cleaning of the short cold February
day in Boston. One was Elizabeth Rosseter,
girl then just blooming into womanhood,
pale, with eyes full of grief, and face alive
with pain, shame and anger at the man she
loved. The other figure in the group was
that of handsome man, richly dressed in
the extreme of the ugly and unmanly fashion
of the day, with stuffed satin breeches, long,
carefully curled lovelocks.
''Tut tut let us hear no more of it 2" said
he. ""Tis but a girls whim of self-sacri-
fce"
''You ever treat me as a child" was the
| passionate reply.
because you are child, and naughty,
unreasonable child to boot !" said the cavalier.
| Elise you would never think of leaving such
| a home as this, where you may reign as a
queen, to follow your fathers broken for
tunes to Leyden or the ends of the earth.
Let us hear no more of it. Wipe those tear
stained cheeks and bid your woman braid
your locks and bind them with the pearls
| brought from London"
Elizabeth Rosseter drew herself up and
her eyes flashed through her tears.
''Hear me, Sir Arthur Patmore, for this
matter is graver than you think. have con-
sidered well, and my mind is firmly made up.
My father mas ever been the best of fathers,
and his wife the best of mothers. l will wed
no man who is ashamed of them. will fol
| low my fathers broken fortunes to Leydsn
| or the ends of the earth If you take me al
all, it must needs be from my fathers house
and with his blessing"
"Then Mistress Elizabeth Rosseter, you
must needs take the consequence" answer
ed Sir Arthur, growing angry and speaking
in a cold, hard voice. II have borne with
your whim because l thought it would not
last. The matter is here. If you are to be
my wife, you must forget that you have any
family but mine, any duty but to me. There
are those who tell me that, with my position
in the country, to say naught of court favor,