Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-02-20

'lhbAtS htIlitN ~ lllt rs We BO up TIC
hill leading from the railway station at Wire
DO you know, aunt" he continues, IL be-
lieve this will prove to be the most pictur.
esque place that We have yet seen :" for VT
have caught many pleasant glimpses of the
town and its surroundings already from the
car windows.
At the Hotel st. Pierre, where we take our
dinner, We can find no one who knows how
to direct us to the house of Oliver Basselin.
The landlord, i'll response to our looks OF
wonder, at last ventures to add to lis preyi-
Gus statement that he thinks he las heard OF
the name. But what would you, mademoi-
selle Z" he says to me; there are many
names, aud who could remember them all 2
and he goes back, with wave of the hand,
TO his kitchen.
Not much information to be had from that
quarter" remarked Rollie with laugh 'lct
us ask somewhere else for somebody must
know aud we go out into the street. Sup.
pose We question this woman 7" he suggests,
after we have walked short distance "the
one that is bearing down upon US like a ship
under full sail"
Rollie's comparison is not wholly inappro-
PIRATE, for the woman in question is stout
aud broad, and wears on her head an i'm.
mense muslin structure, dazzingly white and
exceedingly stiff. A high muslin cap rises in
u Cbllt 5lhl rum tilt bhCh VI ntE uthu NAV
ing large wings curving round behind the
ears, and large bow in front. In front OF
this aud almost on her forehead, is tall and
very stiff cone, sky blue in color A kerchiei
of the same color is crossed over her bosom
aud held in place below by black apron
tied around the waist of her dark blue gown.
Altogether. she is quite magnificent person
nge, this Viroise matron, and we rather hest
tate to address any one so fine. But she
stops to bow graciously to us as we pass her,
and we seize our opportunity
but no." she replies, in answer to ouI
question, lit is that am miserable at not be-
ing able to inform madomoiselle and the
young monsieur of the right direction but il
they will permit me / will accompany them
to the house of one who knows, | am quite
sure :" and in spite of our unwillingness to
put 30 dignified person TO so much trouble
on our account, she turns about and goes on
with u.s.
square or two farther on, the street il
spunned by an ancient arched gateway sup
porting a tall tower, which bears a clock
about halfway up. On its front just above
the arch is Il statue of the Virgin, gorgeous
in shining paint, with the inscription, Marie
protGge la ville," below.
1T is the Tour dHorloge," remarks our
guide, rs we pass beneath it.
pauses before a curious old house with scar
let geTaniums at its windows. An elderly
man, looking not unlike notary, is coming
out of the door
Monsieur Philippe" says the Yiroise
"here are strangers in Wire who desire to find
the house of Oliver Basselin. Thou knowest
everything that is to be known, and so have
brought them to thee, and with pleasant
"5OR jour" she goes on her way, hardly wait
ing for our thanks.
TT pleases Madame Louchaud to be COM
plimentary," he says us he takes OFF his hal
to us 'but will go with you very readily,
since know very well where is the house Of
Oliver Basselin."
1--WE are surprised" we say to him, as we
walk on, 'that we have met no one till now
who could tell us. We had supposed in Wire
that any one would know"
Monsieur Philippe is little man, dressed
in plain black clothes, and with rather an in
telligent countenance. A triAe of color Gomez
into his cheeks as he responds little eager
ly-
''Mademoiselle does not know us Virois
We care nothing for the old; we are all fo
the making of money. Every day, almost
some house is torn down to make room fo
something new. In few years there will b,
nothing of the old left, he concludes some
what sadly.
Evidently Monsieur Philippe is not an ad
mirer of certain kinds of Norman thrift.
'See there !" he continues, when we hav,
left the more closely built portions of tn,
town, and the valley of the Wire comes int
full view. "That is what we care most TO
now," and he points to various groups o
large brick factories which dis6gure the bank
of the river.
The valley through which we are now go
ing is a deep one, with iyy-covered crags ol
one side and densely wooded hill on tn
other. Here and there the reddish brown o
the rocks is varied by long lines of blue clotl
drying in the sun, for the factories, says Mon
sieur Philippe, are devoted TO the manufaC