Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31

the first revelation 50 pleasing To every Wo-
man. Returning after a long absence OF
three or four years he blurted out: why,
mother, Cindy has grown n regular beauty
bring her up to town next season and she'll
make you all the fashion !"
Don't fill the childs head with nonsense
my stepmother said Grossly. 1t wouldn't
have suited her for my head to be filed with
anything but the making and mendng of her
daughters clothes the ordering and arrang-
ing of the dinners for which Cornelia and
Adelaide got the credit of being such famous
housek eepers and the floral decorations,
which attracted even Lord Lavenders fastid-
ious eyes and drew from him the remark that
they must be the work of perfect artist
MY girls are both thoroughly artistic,
says my stepmother. She hadn't quite made
up her mind which of them should 60 in for
the prize. He was little too young for
either but after all few years more or
less don't matter in the long run. "Adelaide
is our musician. She has wonderful voice
three octaves and the register smooth as
velvet. She has every advantage; masters
everywhere. You like music p
Doesn't care Il tap for the finest voice in
creation !" cries Jack who is a great ally of
the young lord Lavender don't humbug
my mother. He'd rather have a waltz with
pretty girl than examine PATHS register
By-the-by, where's Clndy p
Gone to bed, should hope, returns my
stepmother, in icy tones
"Confounded shame! :" mutters Jack under
his moustache but this was no time for
making stand He returned to the charge
next morning.
II say, mother Cindy's coming to Layen-
der's ball of courseI'
"Cynthia's not out :" cry all three ladies in
a breath
"Then it's a good time to begin goodness
knows she is old enough. Let me see, she
was between six and seven when you married
Sir Wiliam-thats dozen years ago-why,
mother Cindy must be"
"What business is it of yours what age she
is p interrupted his mother quickly. II
shan't take three girls out it's time enough
to think about her when your sisters are
married"
Jack gave long low whistle. 'Poor
Cindy"
Cornelia and Adelaide their faces flushed,
their nostrils shifting, spoke together.
Jack is always rude to us--he likes Cindy
because she Aatters him."
II like her because she's young and pretty,
and take it that's the reason you hate her.
But you women are all alike, jealous as the
devil!"
jealous! jealous of poor little Cindy
Well, you really might find us something
better!"
"Cndy is as pretty as any of the fashiona-
BILE beauties" returns my champion stoutly,
land if you only gave her fair play would
beat them all. l bet you five to one Laven-
der would be spoons upon her, if he saw her.
She's Just his style !"
This injudicious speech sealed my fate as
regarded the Lavender gaieties-that is, il
ever l had a chance. From henceforth
was kept more closely to my needle than ey-
er.s Indeed, it was in constant requisition,
for the demands of my amiable sisters were
increasing. Never had l known them to be
so exacting. Everything seemed to be going
wrong with them. From all their gaieties
they returned out of sorts, and their i'll hui
NOR and disappointments were vented upon
met was all the fault of my bad dressing
my bad taste, my ill-natured advice.
| Meanwhile Lord Lavender convulsed tbs
whole country by issuing invitations for a Sc
sizes of festivities. Morning parties, a ball, {
tableau were to succeed one another. covey
of relations descended in a flight to assist the
young lord in astonishing the provincials
and astonish them they did.
A dream of fair women in impossible to
lettes, accompanied by handsome Guards
men, drove and rode about the simple coun
try roads and startled the simple village folk
The arrival Of these great people put the fin
ishing touch to the ill-humor of the Spicers
Both my stepmother and her daughters wer
il fever of anxiety, hoping for some notice
They were forever throwing themselves il
the way, longing for admittance to the innel
circle at the Hall, of which such delightful
stories were told by Jack, who was hand-and
glove with the whole set Long and lou,
were the disputes between him and his sis
tiers, and bitter their indignation at his refus
al to get them into the tableaux, of which b
was the stage-manager.
"Just like his ill-nature. Never were tw
poor girls so little helped. They would hav
got good husbands long ago if they had had
kind brother" and so on.
On the day of the ball they were furious
Their dresses had come down from London
they were very handsome, and although NOR
suited for sixteen than six-and- thirty, ha
cost a little fortune. The afternoon wa
spent in trying them on. 1t was weary wor
on this fine summer day, pinning this, length
ening here, tightening there, hustled by on
sister, scolded by the other. My head wa
weary, my legs were aching; I felt utterl
depressed and humiliated. 1 had for tn
first time asked favor, and been not onl
refused, but refused with scoIs and jeers
Jack had proposed taking me to see the re
hearsal of the wonderful tableaux, arrange
after Mrs. Freake's style. l had prayed
be let go; Cornelia had drawn me in front {
the long glass, and she and Adelaide ha
laughed over the notion of my presentin
myself in such garb before the people up {
the castle.
They would take you for kitchen-maid,
Adelaide had said, still giggling.
II can fancy Colonel de Molyns putin
his eye-glass into his eye and wonderin
where she came from!"
"Cindy thinks herself so lovely that ever
one would bow down before her. Look
her face! Oh, child what temper yo
havel"
Don't attempt to show me any of yor
airs, miss, said my stepmother, turning o
me suddenly. 1--WE know why you want
go to the rehearsal; don't we girls? It's
shame of you to turn son against his ow
) mother and sisters You are designing III
, grateful creature, and outside these doc
you shant stir"
III H. Of, lon,