Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-08-25

have not told you suddenly, when first caught
sight OF her sitting In the elegant little phaeton,
with the sleek pony all a-glitter In the silver
harness, and the smart groom perched
up in the rumble, glittering like the pony and
Violet holding the long white reins In her long,
white driving gloves, II all came over me like
lash what you bad said about the difference in
our lives as 1t never had before, and there in the
warm sunshine felt ~ II n shadow had settled
down upon me which would never lift; for felt
as II you had guessed II all right-that Violet in
her own world could not care for me as she had
in dear old Sherwood, and should find it out in
a thousand ways
" Even when the dear, pretty creature seized
me and kissed me so affectonately moment af-
terward, couldn't put aside my misgivings.
kept thinking, Oh II this is only the first glimpse
Of all the splendor what will the rest be- and
what can girl who lives in fairy-land want Of a
little plain country girl like me- 2
" We'll, up from the boat we drove through the
queerest old street, right past house
where George Washington had his headquarters
a hundred years ago, and crossing through still
another narrow old street came TO Bellevue
avenue, and were presently at Niolets home.
I've told you before, mamsey, how beautiful it all
was, with its velvet lawn and its piazzas and long
windows and lovely furniture partly of silk and
partly Of that exquisite Wakefield rattan manu-
facture. But haven't told you yet how as we
went in and Violets mother, whom Violet always
calls mamma who was just then coming along
the hall, stopped and put out her pretty, slim
hand to me, and said she was pleased TO see me
and hoped ! had pleasant journey; and how
then she seemed so pleasantly indifferent to me
and to Violet too, as II it was nice polite, little
speech she might have said to anybody she had
never heard OF.
" And then directly after we had dinner in a
great dining room with Florentine mosaics on
the wall, and what seemed to me then a crowd Of
company. 1t was in reality an aunt and uncle Of
Violet's who are staying here, and two other
ladies and one gentleman who had been invited
for that day. OF course they were all older than
md | nd ~ nf IA xad pf
things that were of interest to themselves and
that we didn't know about, or that ! didn't at
least. Well, like a foolish girl, felt this, be-
cause 1t was so different from Sherwood ways
where we girls were all in all or at II jllingsford
where the young people are Of 80 much conse-
quence Violet didn't seem to mind il, however,
and talked to me in her old way in an undertone.
" So things went on from day to day, Mrs Van
Worst, who is a very elegant and accomplished
woman, going into society aud entertaining at
her own house not only fashionable but people
distnguishei d in diff erent ways. Idont know what
thought but suppose expected to be taken
notice of by these people, Just as used to be at
Hongsford by DR., Ryder and Professor Roy
But nothing of the kind occurred They would
speak to US pleasantly, now and then, and now
and then Violet would chat a little with one of
them, but we were really treated good deal like
nice children; and |, who had been used to
speaking up to everybody, and giving my
opinion upon everything, from rennyson's poems
to the latest theological discussions, and to think
IL very smart 10 DO so, felt very mucn aStOnsned
that | was of no more Importance, and began to
have, by-and-by sober feeling that all this me-
glect was because Of my being little country
girl with no fine relations and no money
During this time several of Violet's friends had
been to see me-young girls like ourselves-but
did not feel at ease with them, for the that
had been cherishing suspicious spirit ever since
my arrival
"Well, to come now to the grand point Last
Wednesday, a week ago. Violet gave lawn party
Stretching hack of the lOusp there IL "a bpautifI
great lawn, which Is in full view of the sea, and
on this various pretty tents were put up, croquet
hoops set and all kinds of lovely arrangements.
1t day party, of course, and | wore my
white dress with pink ribbons, and rosebuds from
the greenhouse which Violet brought to me.
Then ! took the black velvet off of my white
straw hat and plated that old white lace scarf
that you gave me about the crown, and twisted
up the ends with knot OF roses and pink ribbon.
Violet delighted with the effect, and think,
mamsey, did look very well.
"And felt pretty well, too, and had a very
nice time until Margie Dearborn, Violet's next
door neighbor here, started new game or play,
which somebody brought from abroad recently,
called The Ambassador won't explain it in
detail now but will just say that one has to know
something OF geography and French to answer
the questions and be successful player. Well,
though ! can read French quite well you know
can't speak it, and geography is one of my weak
points.
"Foolshly enough had allowed Margie Dear
inguist She had found me reading French
newspaper, and something she said I've forgotten
what, irritated me, In my suspicious mood, and
replied, shouldn't think knew much If didn't
understand French, lt'sa great deal easier than
the English language which is true, OF course, in
one way but Margie thought meant it in quite
different way-that of being complete mistress
of it,
We'll, we went on swimmingly in The Am
bassador until had top pay forfeit Then was
sent to France as the Spanish ambassador. From
what country do you come? Then, What is the
capital?
And, o, mamseyl answered Granada
"Only think of it; and there was Mrs. Van
Voorst and her sister and two three other ladies
looking on.
The next thing, was addressed in French
and expected to answer in that language. Sim
Pile phrases enough; for all these girls talk French
very readily, because they have had French
bonnes or nurses and most of their mothers have
French maids, and have lived abroad some time.
But couldn't answer a word, for couldn't un-
derstand them, and forgot what little did know
oh, mamseyl Thought should sink through
the ground with modification as caught Margie
Dearborn's eye, and as faced all Of them so stu
pidly-I, Violet friend of whom she had talked
so admiringly, as knew she had
"And just then when a great wave of color
was blazing into my cheeks Violet came forward
and said softly, The Spanish ambassador has not
been to France before and he cannot understand
our rapid, careless French though he can read it
better than we can.
"And then mamsey--then what do you think
Mrs. Van Worst whom thought such an indiffer-
ent fine lady did?-she rose and came forward
and said sweetly, And must break up the court
at once, and take the Spanish ambassador and all
the rest OF this fine company to the banquet that
is served for them, and she slid my hand over her
arm and smiled down upon me like an angel Of
goodness. And she took us the whole length Of
the garden, mamsey, to give time for one of the
men to whom she spoke to hurry up the supper
for it wasn't nearly ready, though she had pre-
tended that it was just out OF pure kindness to
save me from any further modification And
when supper was really served in the big tent, all
the girls followed her example and were just rs
pleasant and kind to me as possible.
" Afterward when was alone with Violet |
thanked her for her sweetness and told her how
much appreciated her mothers kindness to me,
and confessed good deal Of my own foolish
feeling too. And Violet, mamsey, looked at me
in amazement, and said TO me, Oh Molly, don
praise me for trying to retrieve my great blum
der
81 asked her what she meant and then she told
me that she ought not to have allowed The Am
bassador' to be played because she knew that |
couldn't speak French fluently, but that she for
got for the moment. And mamma was so dis
pleased with me-, she went on eagerly, She said
that she wouldn't have thought could have been
guilty of such rudeness to my guests, as to allow
\ game to be played in which they might be NOR
titled.
"oh, mamsey, doesn't this prove how much in
the wrong ! have bsen In my suspicious judg-
ments? There are, OF course, people in high pO-
stion who are not ladies OF gentlemen, but the
Van Voorsts are not of this kind. They are real
people, mamsey, who believe in the best things
and 1t needed jast this experience 10 show me
what they were and To remove the little scales OF
prejudice from my eyes, that might see that all
the smooth, elegant surface which | thought
lacked our country heartiness, there was really
| the most delicate courtesy | thought sharply,
| the lollingsford girls would have joked and
| teased any one placed rs was-their own fault
partly, too. can see very plainly that these lit
| tie ceremonies and fine manners which at first
seemed To keep me at distance, are really helps
oftenmes to the real, polite feeling toward others.
"Mamsey dear, am coming home To You next
week. with not bit Of envy for all this new life,
but with a new idea for the old life, for which
shall always be better, as | shall always be your
| loving MOLLY.
When Mrs. Harwood came TO the end of
this long letter there were tears in her eyes.
She spoke softly The child is right, she
will always be the better for her experience
aud so shall |, for shan't make up my mind
quite so hastily again about the other
side. "-Nora Perry in August VIDE Apdke
AN EASY PLAcE.-Rsv. Henry Ward
| Beecher some time since received a letter