Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-01-02

"NNAN .HN AVAh mg nehNio AhN hhANeh htH
And be Oh to my syrie in g,Iopins haste"
"And il you did," Will would mutter be-
meath the window, "there'd be the very deuce
to pay! J"
1t was when affairs were in this posture,
viii pursuing, and with the vantage ground
Of residence in the house, Betty retreating,
yet half relenting, that Mr.. Valerino, the
young exile, came TO Freneborough TO give
lessons in music and in his native tongue.
OF course, his supposed story fred the Frene-
borough heart-the feminine article of it
and all the romance of Betty's dreams rose
to meet it. AS for the young exile himself,
he was the very creature of romance-so tall
and pale and dark and melancholy his i'm
mense dusky eyes seemed full of the strange,
sad memories of wonderful adventure and ex-
perience in the Appenines, and on the Cam
pagna, and among the brigands of the Rom
agna, and the light of heroic days and nights
made, as one might say, halo around him as
he walked
Certainly, now, it was hardly Mr. Valer-
mos fault he never said he was an exile he
never said he was a patriot he never whis-
pered of conspiracies among old ruins and
in the catacombs; he couldn't help being
tall and pale, and melancholy and there
was no reason why he should mention that
his father had for forty years played the pic
II people chose TO take him up and make his
way easy for him, il seemed all right and
natural. After he discovered the reason, his
lessons being nearly through, and his vanity
too sensitive for an explanation, he quietly
left town on ending bis engagement But
meanwhile this little Betty Wilmarth was
frightfully beautiful-to a man who knew
she was as much forbidden TO him as though
she lived in one of the fixed stars. It was
very pleasant to receive the admiration of
such a being he had not the the strength Of
mind TO undeceive her; and Betty went on
making a simpleton of herself, studying, and
conversing of such Italian literature as was a
terra incognita to the teacher asking the
youth unanswerable conundrums concerning
italian history, which he evaded with what
she deemed delicacy of reticent modesty
and when she saw the slender, sinuous shape
of the young exile and the proud sad beauty
of his face, beside Will Maunder's burly
thews and sinews, his bluff and commonplace
honesty of countenance, she grew impatient
at the contrast, and wondered at herself to
think she had once been almost on the point
of relenting and being kind to viii. 1t an
noyed her, at that time even, TO look at Will
the sight OF him may have been n reproach
to her folly; his hearty ways offended her
so much higher breeding there seemed to be
in the insinuating air Of the Italian and
then his affection irritated her, for she was
on the point of a grand poetic passion for an
unhappy exile whose consolation she was to
be. And thus the man who belonged al
ready to her prosaic every day life, and
would have bound her down to 1.-THE life
she had always known, without charm of
imagination, of the unknown, or the ideals in
it, and toward whom she felt kindness that
might possibly grow kinder, and make her
yield one day to his persistence, il he were
still here to continue, that mau was becom-
ing intolerable and sho wished him out Of
her way. And out of her way she became
determined he should go.
She couldn't stroll with Mr.. Nalerino down
q lonely lane, talking nonsense far too high
for the youths comprehension, but there was
viii stepping over fence. or lying under n
tree, or very possibly laughing at her-if he
was not angry What right had he to be an
cry She had never given him any She
couldn't go into n church on a week day, and
take her seat in pew alone, to hear Mr..
Valerino practising in the organ loft, and
making roof and rafters ring and vibrate with
delicious melody, but there was Will before
her in the porch. II like music too, said
Will. She couldn't pass an evening with a
friend, where Mr.. Nalerino was one of the
company, but as soon as the time for parting
came, the bell rang, and there was viii to
act as escort and spare Mr. Nalerino the
trouble. Once on such an occasion she gave
her arm to the exile and suffered Will to
stalk on in silence beside them, while she
talked broken lingo of Italian phrases with
the young master which, for the time being
she felt put Will Maunder entirely outside
the pale OF civilization. II won't be super
vised in this way! !' cried Betty to herself,
for her sisters were not of fit age to receive
her confidence Its as bad as having a spy
at ones feet. can't endure it another day,
and shall tell him So" And, unfortunately,
Just as she was iratcly brooding over these
wrongs, her father sent for her that he might
ascertain her feelings in regard to a PROPOSE
ton he was inclined 10 make villa propo-
sition to take him into his business, allowing
him an interest now for his work and over
sight, and finally retiring in his favor. Ow-
ing to her mothers health her father had
fallen into the habit of consulting Betty
occupied with her ailments.
"Oh, father, father You don't mean that
you ever thought of such a silly thing" cried
Betty in free disgust "And when he pes
tors me so l never should have another
days peace in my life. You might Just as
well put me in prison with spy and master
over me. Oh, no, indeed Give him any
thing, but send him away. Start him in
business in Australia, buy him a farm in the
West, but don't, father, pray don't keep him
here"
And Bettys voice settled it, Mr. Wilmarth |
told his wife's young step-cousin that he had |
changed his mind and had no place for him |
in his business, but knew of an opening and |
would establish him in it, in western city. |
''Is it Betty's wish" said viii. And he re-
fused the proIer and one evening, catch
ing Betty's hand, as he bid her good-by, and |
lifting it to his lips with kiss that burned in |
upon it, he left the place, and buried himself |
unknown, among the southern mountains |
with some hocks of sheep.
One might suppose that Betty would have
been satisfied then. Not she. She WAS as
restless as a bird. Perhaps she missed the
pleasure Of having Will behold her conquests
perhaps she missed the adoring slave perhaps |
she missed the constant tender service. A
month afterward, when Mr.. YalerinO drew
his lessons to a close, and betook himself TO
other fields-vexing and mortifying her it
may be, but not grieving her particle-she
certainly missed the old friendship and SYM
pathy, the kindness in which she could con
fide, and with which she could advise and
little Betty Wilmarths black lashes were wet
with tears that she could not account for, and
that surely she never dreamed she should be
because Will Maunder was away.
She had reason, presently, to miss that kind
ness to some purpose, Her father was in
that same year thrown from his wagon and
he lay partly unconscious for weeks after
ward, and for months he never left his room
nor quite recovered his intelligence. In
those weeks and months unfaithful clerks
and book keepers enriched themselves and
Mr.. Wilmarth and when he
finally recovered, it was to the wreck of what
once bid fair to become great fortune, "If
viii Maunder had been with me" said Mr.,
Wilmarth, strangers and hounds would have
had no chance to fleece me-"
1t was true. Betty heard it with a shiYer.
She had thought as much many u time, yet
had put the thought away but now, her
father declaring it so seemed TO make the fact
sure. And why was not viii with her fatherH
For no reason but that she had IN reality