Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-09-14

"For Of all sal words of tongue or pen,
The sadlcsl are iheso II might have
beon,'"
"Gorty, GOrty how can you say such
thingsY"
"What things, Mrs ClintonY" said
Gerty, turning pair OF langnid gray
eyes In the direction Of tho lady from
whom tho rcproof came, "What have
| said that IL 40 very shockingY am
perfectly unconscious OF having uttered
anything offensive 10 anyones nervous
system. Pray relieve my anxiety by IN
explanation, l was only giving my
opinion upon certain points OF con-
science which appear TO trouble Lizzie.
but will certainly never cause me to
trouble, for this reason, | have discover
od them not, | suppose Lizzie feels
thom IN the princess did the pen under
the icather.bed, in what.do.you.call.
him's fairy tale-I never can remember
names"
Mrs. Clinton. to whom the query was
addressed, was sitting in low chair,
busily engaged with n morsel of delicate
lace.work, and 40 absorbed was she by
il and her own thoughts, that she had
not noticed that two young and prettily.
dressed girls had entered tho room. She
was reused by the remark which drew
forth her rcproving exclamation, and
her roproachiul glance rested upon n
captivating tableau.
Gerty and Lizzie Nolan appareled in
simple yet charming modern seaside
! costumes, which make pretty faces yet
prettier, and even homely ones pleasing,
were about to wander forth for morn.
ing saunter.
Gcrty rather impatiently repeated her
question -
"What was it said that annoyed you,
Mrs. Clinton9"
"You said, my DEAR that it was only n
white lie. DO you think there is such a
thing? There is no white sin and black
sin-sin is ever black. How, then, can
any untruth be less than wicked
ness y
Thus obiecting, the feeble, yet right.
thinking lady, leaned back, quite un'
nerved by speaking with so much de-
cision, and by the idea of having to
battle with such opinions.
Mrs. Clinton having delivered her lee
ture, took up her work with the air ol
one who has sown seed on stony ground
and therefore expects to have no har.
vest, yet in 50 doing has performed O
duty.
The girls, vainly and thoughtlessly
triumphant, departed to walk along the
promenade and through the town, tc
them much more attractive ramble
than walk on the beach. They cared
not to listen to the receding surge OF
the ever.restless sea, as it casts atoms
from its mighty stores at the feet OF its
admirers. If music is not, how can we
expect an echo? These two had more
pleasure in studying the faces OF theil
friends and acquaintances than the
beauties of any phase of inanimate crea
ton that Dame Nature might throw in
their path. .,
Mrs. Clinton and Gerty had one trait
in common-al although it was beautiful
summer morning, and the glorious sea
was shimmering with light, presenting
pathway of gold stretching into the fal
distance, it could not charm Mrs. Gin.
ton from her easy chair. She certainly
had delicate health, and allowed it to be
humored perhaps more than necessary.
1t was unfortunate that circumstances
should have placed the girls under the
I weak control Of pretty, placid Mrs Gin
ton. Their father, a medical man, in an
extensive but remote country town, had
thought her fit substitute for the
mother they had lost in childhood and
when he discovered that the widow OF
much. priced friend was without home,
he thought that Providence had sent
the help he needed in educating his
children.
"Lizzie," said Gerty, "did you notice
those two young gentlemen who were
on the promenade. last night when we
were walking with Mrs. Seaton, who, by
the way, is great nuisance with her
much-vaunted rules of fpropriety? l am
sure, from such young married lady,
it sounds quite ridiculous. She might
think everyone was used to being i'm
prudent except herself; for my part, l
do not believe in prudes. We ought
to enjoy ourselves while we are young"
Meantime, during this one-sided argu
ment, Lizzie's eyes had been rowing in
their usual restless fashion along the
rows of seats, and resting but for mo-
ment on all varieties of countenances,
without encountering single glance of
recognition, until, just as Gerty had
finished her soliloquy, to her own satis-
faction at least, gentleman among the
loungers raised his hat, and she invol-
UNFAIRLY bowed, but with some confusion,
vanity whispering that as the gentleman
was not one of her friends-indeed, had
been seen for the first time the previous
evening-admiration of her could alone
have caused him to forget that he was
transgressing the rules of society. The
thought showed the insult in quite
another light; it appeared not as an
impertinence, but as an act of impulsive
alteration of her own pretty self
"Who was that Lizzie?" said her
sister, who at the moment had been
looking another way.
81 don't know" answered Lizzie.
"Not knowl Why, you acknowledged
someone's salutation."
"Still I don't know who it was it was
one of those gentlemen who landed last
night"
"Was it / wonder why he bowed !?