The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-09-22
ON A BLACKBOARD.

Mildred Parmenter sat in the little
psrlor beating her foot impatiently on
the stri ped rag carpet. The August
sun peered into the windows, and at the
sides of the green paper curtains, per-
forated with pin-holes and Tapping in
the breeze, she caught occasional
glimpses of the mountains and the
clouds which made marvellous pict-
ure in front of the old Vermont farm
house. Two neighbors had dropped in
to see her aunt, and the three ladies,
with knitting work and occasional re-
sort to their black paper mache snuff
boxes, discussing the probable fate of
a disagreeable farmer in the vicinity,
whose theft of a "yearling" was the
chief topic of conversation in all the
farm houses within the radius of half a
dozen miles.
can they dew say" was one of the
passing remarks that caught her ear
that they haint never had no idee up
to Goshen what sort of critter twas
he stole, till ole Mrs. Stevens, she said
as haow she seen him agoin-"
Miss Mldred's attention wandered,
she found the conversation dull, but
she looked at the women with new
curiosity. "And this is their life," she
was thinking, "a clean apron, a pinch
of snuff, and neighborly call after
the dinner dishes are done up dis
cussion of old Mrs. Browns paralytic
stroke, Deacon Stehbins' third wife,
Matilda Hines success with her sage
cheese, and the new bell on the town
hall.
One of the thin monotonous voices
began again, "Pd jest sot out to go with
Mary Ann, you know she lives two
miles from that there"
Miss Mildred caught up her hat and
sauntered out of the front door. Only
few rods away were the pine woods,
cool, still, fragrant. She seated herself
at the foot of a gigantic tree, and, lean
ing her head against the trunk, went
off into one Of the reveries which lately
seemed to fill the waking hours of her
life. ....
A wagon came rafting along the
crooked, sandy road. Her uncle was
returning from trip to the village, and
as he drove into the shed he called to
her, 'Letters, darter."
1t was always his name for her, she
was so like daughter he had lost. She
waited for the letters, not very impa-
tiently, till he came by on his way to
the house. There were only two of
them. The one from her sister she
opened first.
"And Mr.. Elson came yesterday"
ran one Of the paragraphs. owe told
him of your fancy to bury yourself all
Summer in the rural districts, but as
sured him you would join us for week
at least, before we returned to New
York. Of course that is the only thing
that prevents him from leaving the
Springs at once. By the way, he heard
before he came up that it is all over
between you and Oscar, and that Oscar
is engaged to that cousin of his, Ella
Hunt, who was always held up to us as
model of all the virtues. l don't
doubt that she is exactly suited to him.
Mamma is delighted that Mr.. Elson is
going to stay withus. You know, Milly,
what she has set her heart on, and of
course you won't disappoint us all.
He has grown little stouter than he
was in the winter"
She threw the letter aside, unfinished,
and sat perfectly still, her hands tight
ly clasped in her lap. Oscar Brant en-
gagged to his cousin Ella J.! Well, that
was according to she eternal fitness of
things. Ella had an amiable DISPOSE
ton, was defined, creme, ladylike al
ways. She never acted on impulse,
never gave away to a quick temper,
and had never said or done, in her
whole life, thing she had reason to be
sorry for. Yes, Mildred reflected, she
was altogether the proper person for
oscar Brant, and with queer little
laugh she thought Of the hopeless diff:
erence between herself and this most
admirable woman. But the laugh was
so nearly akin to a sob that she dared
not to trust herself to go on thinking.
She caght up the other letter from a
young lady sojourning at Saratoga. 1t
was addressed in large, dashing hand,
covering the whole Of the envelope.
Why will she use violet ink?" was Mil
dred's thought as she opened it. 1t
was as dashing inside as out.
You are certainly gay deceiver,
my dear. To think that your health
required rest and mountain air, so that
you could neither give your family nor
me the pleasure of your society! l
understand it all now, and really l
can't blame you. Oscar Brant is more
entertaining than hotel full of people,
sno handsomer than ever. l saw him
i n Just = moment en- route for Lake
ahamplain with his party. Camping
out must be such fun !! And to think