Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-07-15

% 1t is all right now, Mac, b" said he your
course is as clear as day. Send ''chit' to
materfsmilias N. (; tell her that you are we'll
to-do in the world, own lands and cattle,
men-servants and maid-servants that you
want to settle that as a whipper-snapper
you liked-no, better say loved-Miss Effe,
| and ask her in plain English to come out and
marry you. Above all things, though, be
sure and send your photograph you are not
such very, very bad-looking chap, Sandy, if
you would only dress like a Christian and
not like a coolie.'
80 the letter was written, submitted to lie
Gestes inspection, sealing, posting, and in
| due course was received by the Mediums in
whose little household it created no small
amount of astonishment and was much spelt
and pondered over, especially by the damse
most conoerned-still a comely il even
somewhat pdSse body-and who, after while,
consented to go out and wed her suitor.
latter all, mother dear, she said, he has
house and home for me maybe, by and by,
for you too, Jennie; and I'll do what can
TO help you It's the best thing for me.
And really Mr. McPherson--or / suppose
ought to call him Alexander-is yet young
and not bad-looking Quite the contrary
very, very nice-looking; see the photo he
has sent U.S..
"And Miss Jennie quite agreed with her
tlutT blbItT llhl MI. was u Dehu-
| ty.
"'Wel, my BARNS, said the old lady, 4
can't gainsay you but that the portrait is
winsome and douce enough but as call to
mind the boy Sandy, the son of the minister
he was not nearly so seemly and well favor
cd. But it is, indeed lang syne since 1 set
eyes on him, and likely he has got handsomer
as he got older some men do.
Then everything being settled, Miss
Medium accepted her ksmet agreed to go
out, and her lover-open- handed honorable,
true, as 1 have already told you he was
sent the wherewithal for passage and outfit.
''And pending the many, many weeks that
elapsed, and while the good ship Queen of
Serendib was sailing round the Cape for her
destination, change, radical change, came
over the life and habits of our bride expect
ing friend He cast into the limbo of things
done with his coarse 'cumlies, rough ''dun-
garees," and other country clothing, and
burst out into Europe linen, tweeds
and serges. He purchased largely house
furniture and nicknacks he bought lady's
horse and Peat's side e-saddle he whose
equine proclivities had never extended be-
yond shaggy mountain pony, and a tattered
and torn pigskin. He told his old flames and
chums that he was going in for the Benedict
and bashfully listened to the 'riles" and
jeers of the one. and the chaff and laugh of
the other.
"But, barring The Great Unwashed' him
self, no one was more taken aback at the
course of events than Tamby, his long -serv-
ing "appoo" or butler. That functionary
saw coolie after coolie arrive at Ailsa Craig
with load upon load of unknown and unusual
goods and although in the Lines and 9TH
er native resorts, he might have expressed
his bewilderment yet in his masters pres
ence he reserved a stolid silence. But when
one day a string of handles (carts) drew up,
and from beneath their leaf-covered tilts
| there were dragged out mats and carpets, So
fas chairs, tables, what not, then his appar-
ent Indifference and his niger tongue could
hold out no longer.
"'Why master kick up all dis bobberee
What for he want all desc tings on waffle
| (estate) he inquired.
" A young lady is now on her way from
! Scotland to marry me, Tamby.'
Marry Doray (master) going take wife
after all dis plenty long time do too well wild
OUT?
Yes
" Den, master, please, 1 discharge you,
sar. No my custom stop wild lady in bunga-
low. Masters missis come, masters sppoo
| go. Master take choice.
'As the time for the arrival of the Queen
of Serendib drew nigh, awful were the fidgets
VI OuE ueEO, anu uhuy uhyb DelOTS IL HhS
| possible for that slow and sure craft to reach
her port, he was there walking about with a
big binocular in his hands, looking out sea-
ward, and entreating all sorts and conditions
| of men for the very earliest news of her be-
ing sighted. The fact was that the rough
seasoned old fellow was on the very tenter-
hooks of anxiety and expectation, as nervous
az a school girl, and behaving himself as
such.
''Then at long last it was told him that the
vessel was in the ofing, was rounding the
| point, was at anchor in the harbor; and in
the Master Attendants boat, cushioned, flag
| ged and bedecked for the auspicious occasion,
Sandy Mcpherson, Esq, of Ailsa Craig,
planter, rowed alongside same like he Gov
ernor, the native spectators observed.
"Scrambling up the side, he took hasty
| glance at the many passengers assembled on
the poop; and, instinctively guessing that
Miss Efie was not among them, he dived be-
low, and confronted the stewardess.
9. Miss Neednm on board and well 2 asked
he.
&" Yes, sir, replied the matroni and a
very nice, good, kind, pleasant young lady
she is, and I've taken the greatest care of
her. She felt sure that the gent was Miss
| Ms husband to be, and that there was mon
| ey in his purse for gratuity, notwithstanding
that. according to the terms of the passage
money, stewards and stewardess's fees
were included a fiction gentlemen, a pleas
ant Fiction, which you will find out when
you go down to the sea in ships.
Take this card to her, said the pale and
| trembling gentleman. Pll wait her coming
| up in that far corner of this saloon.
'Glancing at the pasteboard the woman
disappeared; and presently there assembled,
step by step, from the regions below, first
neat straw hat, trimmed with bright ribbons,
| beneath that hat face somewhat worn with
| years and cares, but still fresh and comely
enough then slight compact figure, draped
in plain well-ftting garments, shawled and
ready for the shore. Miss Efhe, IN prOprid
persona, stood before her hand-seeker, blush
| ing celestial rosy red
| 'He advanced from his ooign of vantage to
greet her; but as he drew higher, instead of
the warm affectionate welcome he looked for,
there was a fixed stare, shudder, hasty re-
| treat, and loud scream which resounded
from stern to stem of the big ship, and
brought everyone from decks and cabins into
| the saloon.
+" Miss Needum-Ehie, my dear girl, what
on earth is the matter ? hurriedly stammered
out the astounded Sandy.
"Shiver my timbers, what ails the lassie 2
put in the captain. Look out for squalls, if
you've annoyed herI And all the by-stand-
ers echoed the words in more or less threat,
ening terms She was evidently a favorite
on board.
"'Oh, take him away cried the lady pit
eously-'take him away from me, someone
1 don't know him I've been misled, de-
ceived can't marry him-indeed, indeed
l can't He is not Mr.. Mcpherson who wrote
to me, TO whom l came out TO be marble is
so ugly Oh, such dreadful fright I'll
return him his money I'll work my way
back to my poor mother I'll do anything,
but can't be his wife I'd rather die first 7
"'Miss Medium, don't indeed understand