Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-06-06
II have taken this house," said Miss
Briggs, with dignity.
$50 have we" said Mrs. Rellairs.

81 have taken this house," said Miss
Briggs, with dignity.
$50 have we" said Mrs. Bellairs.
$50 have l." declared the bald-head-
ed old gentleman, who had by this time
made his way mp into the ruby light of
Miss Briggs fire, and stood there, close
ly hugging his fiat travelling case.
"Dear me-" said Mrs Ripple; "this
is very singular. And I have come here
because the house wasn't rented at all.
And then ensued a general chorus of
explanations, laugher, and deprecations.
whose general effect was heightened by
a single combat between Master Pierre
Bellair's monkey and Miss Briggs ter
rier.
"What are we to do % said Miss
Briggs, plaintively looking at her hair
trunks studded with brass nails.
"Do?" said Mrs. Ripple, briskly,-
"why there is but one thing to do. that
1 see; the house is big enough for US.
and half dozen families to boot. Let
US all live here together"
al am sure have no objection at all"
said Mrs. Bellairs.
"Neither have L" said the old gentle
man, setting down his fat travelling
case with sigh of relief.
birds in their little nests agree"
quoted Mr.. Bellairs, who had by this
time entered upon the scene with joint
of bedstead balanced across his shoulder.
"And it seems to me as if we might do
the same thing"
So Ripple Grange was let, and good,
earnest Mrs. Ripple and Dorcas estab-
lished themselves in two sunny rooms
giving to the south, where the apple
boughs brushed against the lozenge-
shaped panes of the easement. The
Bellairs family settled down all over the
rest of the first floor, in a miscellaneous,
cosmopolitan sort of way, mixing up old
china, birds, sermon-paper, patchwork
aud theology in a manner which amazed
the precise soul of gentle Miss Briggs.
The scientific man perched himself on
the top floor, where he could have good
outlook with his telescope, and set up
his cases of specimens without let or
hindrance. And Miss Briggs herself
made home-like little home on the Sec
ond floor, and devoted her whole energy
and not without some degree of sue
cess-to keeping the piece between Nip,
and terrier and Chico, the monkey.
Mrs. Ripple, however, got tired of
rural felicity, and returned to the city
in the autumn.
Mr.. Bellairs received call to a Del
aware parish, where peaches were thick
er than blackberries, and he accepted it
promptly.
What shall we do now ?" said Miss
Briggs, who was disposed to take tim
orous view of things.
Mr.. Hyde pushed his spectrcles onto
the top of his head. "Don't you like
the house 2" he asked.
"Yes," Miss Briggs admitted, 81 like
the house."
"And don't you consider the situa-
tion salubrious %
Certainly"
"Then," said Mr.. Hyde, looking at
the edge of his geological hammer, "why
don't you stay here?"
What, all alone ?" said Miss Briggs.
NO." said the scientific gentleman,
with me %
"Good gracious" said Miss Briggs.
"We both like the place." said Mr..
Hyde, ave like the situation and we
like each other. Why shouldn't we set
tie down here for life."
"But have never thought of such a
thing" said Miss Briggs, in trepidation.
Think of it now," said Mr.. Hyde in
accents of scientific persuasion, as he
L.: L. L
black-mittened hand tenderly in his.
And Mr.. Bellairs married them be-
fore he went away. and Ripple Grange
has never been "to lei" ince--Haper's S
| B0zdr.