Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-07-21
A Queer Test.
BIT OF GRANDMorHERLY ADVICE AND WHAT IT
ACCOMPLISHED.

married ?" asked Harry Stanhope of his
friend, Tom Meredith, as the two sauntered
along Broadway one fine spring morning.
"Because could never find any woman
who would have me, | suppose" answered
Tom laughingly.
No use to tell me that old fellow" re-
Joined Harry, "girls are not so foolish as to
decline good-looking man like you, with
plenty of money yet here you are nearly
thirty years old, aud no more prospect of set
tling than you had ten years ago. Now if
it were me, why, the case is very different
A doctor just struggling into practice is
scarcely considered eligible by matchmaking
mammas, to say nothing OF their worldly
wise daughters, but they are ready and
eager to smile upon you, and you might as
well make your choice"
"Thank you," answered Tom still laugh
ing, when | find young lady who can
come up to my grandmother's 'andard of
domestic virtues, will invite her to become
Mrs. Thomas Meredith"
"And what was your grandmother's pc
culiar doctrine on the subject 2" asked
Harry.
al presume she had more than one," said
Tom, "but this she particularly impressed
upon my mind: always look at woman s
dish-towels,' she would remark with sol.
emnity. No matter how well she plays the
piano or sings, or how many languages she
can speak, never marry her unless you see
that she uses soft, dry towels, and plenty Of
them, when she wipes her dishes. Be sure
that the girl who uses soiled or wet dish
towels does not know enough to be the wife
of an honest man."
Harry laughed at this definition of house
wifely knowledge, but presently he said, in
a serious tone:
"There is considerable truth in the old
lady's ideas after all, but | don't quite un-
derstand how, in these days, you can apply
the test. Most young ladies that we know
have, perhaps, never seen dsh-towel. Now
think of it, promised to introduce you to my
cousins. There are three of them, all bright
pretty girls, though | think it doubtful
whether they would fulfill your grandmoth-
er's requirements as wife. Still you may
find them pleasant acquaintance, and if
you like we will go there now"
agreed" responded Tom, and the two
friends soon found themselves in the parlor
of Mrs. Renshaw, Harry's aunt.
The young ladies were all at home, and as
Harry had said, were bright, pretty girls
Ida, the eldest was tall, queenly brunette
whose magnificent dark eyes and abundant
raven tresses seemed to compel universal ad
miration, though she had powerful rival in
Adele, the second daughter, whose delicate
blonde beauty showed to fresh advantage
beside her more brilliant sister, The two
were the acknowledged bellies in their own
circles and few who knew them ever paused
to give a second glance at their younger
sister, little Violet. As shy and shrinking
as her floral namesake she avoided the gay
assemblages in which her sisters loved to
shine, and passed her time pleasantly and
peacefully with her books, her music and
her flowers She was not present when
Harry and his friend entered, but when her
cousin, with whom she seemed great favor.
ite, asked expressly for her, Miss Adele de.
sired the servant to call her. Tom, who was
conversing with Ida, did not notice her en-.
trance till aroused by Harry's voice, saying
"Mr. Meredith, let me introduce to you
my cousin, Miss Violet Renshaw."
And turning quickly, he was surprised at
the sight of the tiny creature, so unlike her
elder sisters. There was nothing magnif.
cent, and little that could strictly be termed
beautiful. in the almost childish figure, but
there was something indescribably winning
in the clear gray eyes, and in the rich chest
nut curls that clustered about the broad, low
brow.
Tom had little time for observation, how.
ever, as Ida and Adele claimed all his atten.
ton, while Harry monopolized Violet in a
frank, brotherly way, quite unlike his more
formal aud ceremonious manner with the ell
der sisters.
"Well, what do you think of my two cous
ins 2" was Harry's natural question, when
he and Tom were once more in the street.
81 can only express my admiration by
saying that wish il were possible to divide
myself into three separate and distinct indi-
viduals that | might offer each Of the fair
enslavers hand and heart" replied Tom,
with much solemnity.
"What, without waiting to discover
whether their dish-towels are in proper or.
der 2" retorted his friend.
Tom laughed.
al have presentiinent that shall forget
my reverend grandmother's advice until it is
too late, when the important event of meet.
ing my fate shall arrive"
"And then remember for the rest of
your life, suppose" observed Harry, the
principle of marrying in haste aud repent
ing at leisure Well, hope my fair cous.
ins will not be the cause of such catastro-
phe; but must leave you here, as | have a
patient in this house." And he hastily ran
up the steps.
Left to himself, Tom sauntered slowly
along, thinking of the young ladies whom
he had Just seen. 1t must be confessed that
little Violet occupied but very small por-
ton of his thoughts, which were filled with
Ida and Adele.
"But doubt if either of them ever saw
a dish-towel," was his concluding reflection,
as he reached his boarding house.
Alra n. 4 =
his attentions to the Misses Renshaw. Ru.
NOR had assigned him first to Ida, then to
Adele, and waited with impatience for the
time when the engagement should be pub
licly announced.
Meanwhile, almost every day brought some
good and sufficient excuse for him 70 call at
Mrs. Renshaw's pleasant house new
poem, the latest song, an invitation for a
drive, or plan for an excursion. OF Violet
he saw less than OF the other sisters although
she was very friendly, and he treated her
with the same brotherly frankness as did
Harry.
One lovely June morning he presented
himself at Mrs Renshaw's at quite an early
hour intending 10 invite the three sisters to
pass the beautiful day in long country
drive. He noticed that there was some de-
lay in answering his ring, which was not
usually the case with Mrs. Renshaw's we'll
trained servants but at length he heard
light footstep, and in another moment the
door was opened by Violet. She had
broom in her hand and dust-cap covered
her bright curls; but she bade him good
morning with as much cordiality as usual,
and invited him to enter, adding;
"Please walk into the dining-room for
am sweeping the parlors."
Secretly wondering, Tom obeyed. As he
turned the handle Of the dining-room door,
there was sudden rush, hasty bang OF
the door, and a hurried exclamation of 40