Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-02-27

timbered, almost grove-lke in character, and
with an avenue of fine branching elms
Moreover, the church doors were unlocked
with every appearance of that being the nor
NAL state of things and the church was gent
ly filled with dim suffusion of religious
light. l paced that avenue, and sat quietly
in that church, and my eyelids being heavy
with little wholesome crying, it is Just pos
sible-I admit this conhdentially- may
have slumbered for q few minutes in n most
comfortable large square pew, which | CRATE
fully recall to the present day. At last the
thought occurred to me that might in my
turn be keeping the Wilmslows waiting at
the station. and so somewhat hurriedly l re-
traced my steps.
When got once ore upon the platform
l noticed with dsmay that my luggage had
vanished.
"Well, porter" said, what abou. my
luggage2 | suppose you have put it in the
cloak-room p
"Eh miss be that you ?" said the porter
who'd have thought of seeing you here"
"But where's my luggage p | answered,
and | wonder how long shall have to wait"
"The luggage, miss-why, Mr. Wilmslow's
got it, He are not been out Of the station
yard six minutes"
Gone, and without me ?" 1 exclaimed,
perfectly thunder-struck.
"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 await
ing. Whereupon his man whisked up your
luggage and they started off after you"
| was in absolute despair, and asked if he
could by short cut get to any point where
he could attract their attention 10y shouting
or waving a handkerchief. At our place at
home it was possible to resort to move of
this kind but the railway porter only grin
ned, and explained that it was quite impos-
sible. Then, having caused me this incon-
venieuce and annoyance, the fellow touched
his cap, and unconscionably expected tip.
was in great quandary. What would it
be best to do ? Surely, Mr.. Wilmslow would
return after he had gone a 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 1t would he annoying to
spend one of my few precious sovereigns
and it would be also annoying to meet Mr..
Wlmslow returning to meet me, perhaps rs
soon us | had started. This part Of the
question was speedily set at rest by the port
er informing me that it was impossible to
hire anything. No fly was to be obtained
nearer than Manningham 80 | determined
to walk. if necessary, to Manningham itself,
and hire from there. We Leslie girls were
strong, and had done my ten miles walk
often before to-day. But II would he much
pleasanter to be picked up, and l persuaded
myself that it was this which was going
TO happen. did not know that few miles
before you came to Manningham there was
road which left the town on the left, and
went on to bennington, saving three quarters
of mile. 1t sfterward transpired that Mr..
Wilms1w, with a mans natural stupidity.
took this by-road supposing that every one
t,lrl IL Enpug the road Nlipl he knew
best himself. If a girl had been driving she
would have had more sense.
So | walked on, a solitary damsel, along
that interminablo country road. walked in
good spirits and am always delighted when
first see a new prospect unfolding before me.
But had somewhat miscalculated my phys
ical strength, 1t is one thing to walk out in
the fresh morning, and another thing to make
a forced journey after the mornings work is
done. got quite angry with myself for feel
ing tired almost on the outset of my walk.
felt that l should he very glad to make
friends with almost any good d-natured driver
who could give me "a lift Sometimes when
We came back on R market day father did not
at all mind our carrier, who was also parish
clerk, giving us lift in his covered wagon.
But this seemed TO be Il lonely road through
an uninhabited country. There drove up "a
perfectly white man in a 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 little wish to be black as white Then |
came TO a little roadside inn which had
board with a 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 l listened, and listened in vain. l
should have been glad of the company of
any old market woman with whom l could
have chatted as walked along, and in fact l
would not at all have minded carrying her
eggs for her compauy's sake.
Presently heard the sound of Wheels the
sound OF rapid driving A turn of the road
discovered to me "a young man driving a tan
dem The horses were spirited and 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 ?
Take drive with me in my trap. 1t will be
a lark for you"
Now l really was very tired. But it was
very impertinent of him to call me a pretty
maid which, indeed, / was not Then |
knew that my father quito disapproved Of
young men driving tandem. Then it was dis
respectful, to say the least of it, to make that
remark about "a lark" Besides the young
mans eye and voice and manner were not at
all to his credit They suggested the idea
that he had been at the inn which had left
behind me, and had carried out the idea of
getting drunk on the premises"
So | made up my mind in moment
mo, thank you, Sir, had rather walk,
where are you going?"
1t was no business of his but / answered
quiotly, II am going to Manningham."
80 am l, And it is more than seven miles
You will never be able to do it. Get up, my
dear I'll lend you hand"
This was very insolent-I mean calling me
my dear" l gave no answer but walked
forward briskly. He was up in a moment
and jumped out of his gig, keeping the
rens in his hand
AT any rate you win give me kiss
/ shrieked and ran away from him as fast as
l could in the opposite direction, going over
the ground which had toilsomely trayeleda
little while before. My knees bent under me
and l thought | should have tainted. A
glance showed me, however, that he did not
dare leave the two horses, which were champ
ing and frettng to be of. How, in my heart
of hearts blessed those honest horses. Then
the wretch actually shook his fist at me, utter
ing ugly words,
Presently, and with feeling of great joy
and relief on my part, he was out of sight as
fast as his two horses could carry him. In
the meanwhile, had sunk down exhausted
by the wayside. The road had a wide margin
of grass which rose at this point into hillock
shadowed by copse of trees. There was
literally messy couch where l reclined, and
also literally watercd it with my tears. In all
my life l had never been so grossly degraded
aud insulted. Was this, indeed the begin
ming of my entrance upon the world Sure
ly the world was something infinitely more
vile and evil than my fathers sermons had
ever told me it was. felt like some poor
damosel in the days of Arthurian romance,
whom some wicked Fart Doom had insulted;
but, alas thought, in these Victorian days
thera Is no kninht EerninL .ridinn nhrnad.