St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-04-08
Impounded.

Sunset ROck-almOst all New Eng
land villages can boast of Sunset Rock
was low, gray tumulus, crowning
the top of the long hill on whose east
ern slope lay the hamlet of TevertOn.
Hamlet, | call it, but it called itself a
town, even as a dwarf may call himself
an old man by virtue of the years he
has seen but for all its century of ex-
perience, TevertOn was, for size and
Importance, Il hamlet still. Standing
on Sunset Rock and looking westward
the first thing that met the eye was a
low stone wall, pierced with iron doors,
above which rose the head-stones and
long uncut grasses of a neglected grave
yard. Beyond lay tract of meadow
land, Oh whose surface granite powders
were more conspicuous than was the
crisp, stout herbage that imbedded
them. Further still the land dipped
into an orchardhung valley, beyond
which rose a group of nObly formed
hills, belted by forests, and raising
sharply defined pointed crests to the
sky. To north, to south, stretched a
far blue eXpanse of distance, clothed
with villages, with here and there tracks
of dark woodland, and in one or two
places the silver gleam of distant ponds
1t was beautiful landscape, especially
in the afternoon light of golden Sep
tember, and the wonder was that only
two persons had cared to take the easy
walk for the purpose of enjoying it.
These persons were girls of about the
same height and age, who, as they
climed the long hill side by side, kept
close together, as though contact was
dear and desirable to them both.
OF the same age and height, yet moth
ing could be more dissimiar than the
types to which Judith Adams and Kitty
Roach respectively belonged-a dissim-
ilarity which however rather helped
than hindered their friendship, as diff
ferences in type often do. Judith was
strong and fair, with honest blue eyes,
and a steady, sensible face, which
without beauty, had the attraction of
thorough womanlinesS in its every line
and curve. Kitty, vivid, impusive
quick tOngued, with the dew of feeling
and the CLEAN of fun always ready to
leap to her brown eyes and mobile
mouth, possessed alike something of the
charm and of the defect which is pOpu-
lAA oNlllpuNOt w liIC al liSllC
meut. Without claim to absolute ge-
MUS, she had undsputed talent, and of
very versatile character. Attempt
ing many things. she, up to certain
point, succeeded in all. Her quick. deft.
nervous fingers found nothing difficult :;
but this very facility was Il diSadvan-
tage and danger, and held her back
from real proficiency. TO Judith, whose
mind and body were of slower habit
Kitty appeared miracle of cleverness.
Kitty herself knew better, and had mo-
ments in which she dispised her own
shortcomings most heartily. This af-
| ternoOn she was in an especially dis
pirited mood.
$50 as / am sure to make a mistake
either way, and to do something |
ought not, and which | shall repent of
afterward, have decided to GO she
was saying to Judith.
"But why, if you feel so badly about
it T. persisted her friend.
1--WE told you already. | go because
am afraid to stay. If do, | shall get
into some sort of awful scrape, | am
convinced. Either shall say yes and
be sorry. or else ! shall say no and be
sorry still. The only safe way is to say
nothing till my mind is made up, and
can't do that without going away; 4; but,
oh dear! it's great bother, when we
are so comfortable here, and l do so
hate the idea of joining Susan, and get
ting in with the Rippons and all that
set! -
"Well, must say again that do not
understand it," persisted the practical
Judith. "YOu don't want to say yes,
and You don't want to say no. and all
the time yon like Benz am sure you
do. If was in your place, think
should know my own mind better, and
what | wanted to say, Kitty
"Of course you would, you wise old
Ditha. If it was your Ben instead OF
my Ben, don't | know exactly how
things would be 4? You would weigh the
matter duly, taking the afternoons for
1t, so as not to interfere with your
nights rest; you would take it to
church with you and pray over it, or
perhaps open the Bible at random and
read passage 'for direction as Aunt
Persis used to recommend; then, hav-
ing made up your mind, you would
bring your Benjamin up here some fine
day, sit down there (taking the precau-
ton to spread blaket-shawl first. for
fear OF dampness), draw off your glove.
fix your eyes on Middle Mountain, and
utter pensive yes. And you would
come down the hill on Ben's arm, and
be happy ever after, and what is more.
deserve 1t. But, oh dear me and nv
Ben
kitty, for shame Well, what about
you aud your Ben ?"
Nothing. Only | am /, and he is he,
so we can't and we won't settle it in
that fashion. | wish could be you.
Ditha, and do as you would do; it
would doubtless be great deal better
for me. But what's the use of wishing I
| can't be it isn't possible. 1 am, and
! must continue to he, my bad, foolish,