Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-08-04
VOL. 75.-3S51. NO. 43.


Who'd have thought'of seeing you here2"
But where's my luggage ?" answered.
"and | wonder how long / will have 10
watt
"The luggage, miss-why, Mr. Wins
lows got it. He are not been out Of the
station-yard six minutes"
"Gone, and without me I" / exclaimed
perfectly thunderstruck.
"Why, Miss, he came and asked after
you. ! said you had left your luggage here,
but how it was my belief that you had
walked on because he had KEEP you so long
waiting. Whereupon his man whisked
up your luggage, and they started off after
you.
was in absolute despair, and asked il he
could by short cut get to any point where
he could attract their attention by shouting
or waving handkerchief. At our place at
home il was possible 10 resort to move of
this kind; but the railway porter only
grinned, and explained that it was quite i'm
possible. Then, having caused me this in
convenience and annoyance, the fellow
touched his cap and unconsciously expected
tip.
| was in great quaudary. What would it
be best to do Surely, Mr.. Wilmslow would
return after he had gone few miles and
found that | was not TO be overtaken. Per-
haps it would be best, after all, TO hire fly
and go after him. It would be annoying to
spend one of my few precious sovereigns;
and it would be also annoying to meet Mr.
Wilmslow returning to meet me, perhaps az
soon as ! had started. This part Of the
question was speedily set at rest by the por-
ter informing me that it was impossible to
| hire any anything No fly was to be OBJ
tained nearer than Manningham so | de-
termined to walk, If necessary, to Manning
| ham itself, and hire from there. We Leslie
| girls were strong, and | had done my ten
miles walk often before to-day. But it
| would be much pleasanter TO be picked up,
and / persuaded myself that it was this
which was going to happen did not know
that few miles before you came to Man
ningham there was a road which left the
town on the left, and went on to Donning-
ton, saving three quarters of mile 1t after
ward transpred that Mr. Wilmslow, with
a mans natural stupidity, took this by-road,
supposing that every one must needs know
the road which he knew best himself. If
girl had been driving she would have had
more sense.
So l walked on, a solitary damsel, along
that interminable country road. walked
in good spirits, and am always delighted
when | first see new prospect unfolding
before me. But | had somwhat miscalcu-
lated my physical strength. 1t is one thing
to walk out in the fresh morning, and an
other thing to make forced journey after
the mornings work is done. / got quite
angry with myself for feeling tired almost
on the outset of my walk. l felt that
should be very glad if | could make friends
with any good-natured driver who would
, give me a lift. Sometimes when we came
back on a market day father did not at all
mind our carrier, who was also parish clerk,
giving us a lift in his covered wagon. But
this seemed to be a lonely road through an
uninhabited country There drove up per-
fectly white man in cart full of meal bags !;
but there was hardly room for himself among
his bags and besides did not want to be
! ! perfectly white. BY the irony of fate there
also came by coal wagon, but had as lit,
tie wish TO be black as to be white. Then |
: came to little roadside inn which had a
board with painted remark about being
"drunk on the premises" | rather quick
: ened my pace, for such an announcement
. suggested that there might be roughs ahead.
: Then / listened, but listened in vain. l
should have been glad of the company OF
any good old market woman with whom |
could have chatted as we walked along, and
;, in fact | would not have minded carrying
y y her eggs for her oompany's sake.
. Presently heard the sound of wheels, the
? sound of rapid driving. A turn of the road
= discovered to me young man driving tan
e dem. The horses were spirited aud fresh
{ and he had some difficulty in pulling them
up when he came close to me.
"Well, my pretty maid," he cried, " are
. you all by yourself? Shall give you lift?
u Take drive with me in my trap. 1t will bt
y a lark for you"
- Now | really was very tired. But it wa.
y very impertinent of him to call me prett,
y maid, which, indeed | was not. Then
,e knew that my father quite disapproved O.
,; !, young men driving tandem. Then it wa
~ disrespectful, to say the least of it, to maxi
= that remark about "a lark" Besides, tn
u young mans eye and voice and manner wer
ia not at all to his credit They suggested tn
al idea that he had been at the inn which
:, had left behind me, and had carried out tn,
IL IL idea of getting drunk on the premises"
y So | made up my mind in a moment.
~ "No, thank you, sir, | had rather walk.
AZ "Where are you going ?"
y 1t was no business of his, but | answeret
y quietly. 81 am going to Manningham."
u, $50 am |, And it is more than sever
miles. You will never be able to do it. Ge
nc up, my dear; 1 will lend you hand"
o. a. This was very insolent-I mean callinl
as me "my dear" / gave no answer, bu
!, walked forward briskly He was up in
us moment and jumped out of his gig, keepin
e the reins in his hand.
- "At any rate you will give me kiss"
as | shrieked and ran away from him as fas
%. as | could in the opposite direction, goin
lg over the ground which | had toilsomel
IN travelled little while before. My knee
IT, bent under me, and thought should hav
10 tainted. A glance showed me, however, tina
u, he did not dare leave the two horses, whic
hu were champing and fretting to be off. How
les in my heart OF hearts, blessed those hor
'ss est horses. Then the wretch actually shoe
his fist at me, uttering very ugly words.
ie Presently, and with feeling of great jo
ar and relief on my part, he was out of sigf
50 as fast as his two horses could carry hin
ay In the meantime, had sank down exhauste
ne by the wayside. The road had wide ma
ny gin of grass which rose at this point into
sas hillock shadowed by copse of trees. Thei
.aiu au was literally messy couch where recline
Ivy and | also literally watered it with my tear
IN In all my life had never been so gross
,nt degraded and insulted. Was this, indee
ne the beginning of my entrance upon IL
world 2 Surely the world was somethir
sh- infinitely more vile and evil than my father
vas sermon had ever told me it was. | felt Ill
'ur some poor damosel in the days of Arthuris
"n romance whom some wicked Earl Doom hs
hg- insulted; but, alas thought, in these vi
ayy; torian days there is no knight Gsraint " ri'
'l,i ing abroad, redressing human wrongs" sa
Sh ing fair ladies when they are lost in per
gu GUS paths. But it will be seen that d
les the Victorian days au injustice.
au- rcoScluDEp MKT wRKK.l
les -
III NM