Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-07-01
"what do you sdy, Tinio ?" said her moth

| miHs A1lulH nulbutu lTOHluk u COllhF UeIOfe
she spoke; then, with pleasant lighting ur
Of her worn face, she said
III you want to stay at home because you
have nothing to wear, stop worrying dear,
for I've thought it all out. I'll press out my
old black merino for you-the rustiness wont
show at highland wen cut up your little
old white dress and make fancy apron like
the one had here to do up for the young la
dy that boarded at the hotel last summer ;
and well take the ribbons off your hat to put
ON it you can put them back before Sun
day"
cloud at the idea of the disreputable old
merino, a moments doubt at the possibility
of the fancy apron, then a full burst OF sun
shine at the quick mental picture of her
blessed mother, with
"Oh, nanny, darling How good you
are I"
Low as the misery of a drunken husband
had made Mrs. Blairs position, she was a la
dy by birth and education, and had brought
up her two children with all the refinement
possible in their misfortunes
She was proud of her pretty daughter, and
felt most keenly the sighting coldness with
which the young ladies of OGport treated her.
She was glad now that taste of pleasure
seemed to be thrown in her way.
But, although the plans were made, not
step could be taken toward their execution
| tiAA n ohihiA DoshNb VI ClOtuth COulu DC unlbutu
and sent off to the hotel but they were
quickly done and despatched by Bobby, IT,
MES small but very wide awake brother, and
then both mother and daughter gave every
thought and energy to preparing the simple
costume the latter was to wear
Bobby proceeded on his errand after the
usual manner Of small boys, who have so
much business of their own to attend to that
it is with difficulty they can keep their atten.
| EvaI i
they are sent.
| He found the young gentleman to whom
he was to deliver the clothes, and, plying
| the benighted ignorance of a stranger to the
| village, kindly spent half an hour of his valu-
able time enlightening him concerning its af-
fairs, the fair quite naturally coming in for a
large share of attention.
The handsome young stranger listened
with fattering attention, and when Bobby
was beguiled by his interest into giving an
| account of his sisters social snubbing by the
other girls, and told of the meanness which
had assigned the poorest position to her, his
| sympathy was outspoken in language, which
although less pious than energetic, much de-
| lighted Bob.
Yes, it must have been the apron that
made TIME so irresistible that customers hung
around her vicinity, apparently unconscious
that just opposite a black-eyed Rebecca wait
GU " hAhH ltllOuhut ITOLQ an unTalllQR
spring for their delectation, or that Flora's
temple, just beyond, was crowded with at
tendant vestals, eager to supply button-hole
bouquets at ten cents apiece and pin them on
without extra charge.
TIME was downcast at first and felt like a
weed in garden-bed when she saw the cold
scorn in the eyes of those who thought her
pushing and forward. They gave her little
thought, however, being busy talking of the
expected crowd that evening would bring.
There were strangers in town, stopping
while their yacht was being repaired from
the shock of collision and the hope that
the gentlemen would seek to while away the
tedious hours by sauntering into the bazar
animated the gentle bosoms of the chatterers
Even If the strangers came, TIME thought
there would be but a dim prospect of their
looking at the ponderous volume she presid-
ed over, neither would any one else, she said
to herself, ruefully, half inclined to give up
and run home.
But the dear old face of the rector showed
itself at the lower entrance, and he, the first
visitor, came in with pleasant words and
smiles dispensed upon all sides, but walked
straight by all the booths to hers.
His stay was short, but he left her pretty
face bright with smiles and flushed with
pleasure. She forgot her annoyance, and
before she had to encounter any moro looks
of disdain her attention was claimed by fresh
visitors. She had forgotten all about the ex-
pected strangers that the others were on pins
and needles to see, till her eyes caught
tiutter of excitement among the fair sellers
of fancy wares at the other stands
-Four young men, with that unmistakable
air of cultivation and fashion that makes such
fierce havoc in the rural heart, were entering
the hall together.
They separated into couples after they
Il.
hall but, like most of the unfair sex who
had been in before them, were drawn by
some force of attraction to the album table,
where TIME faced afrowning world, as repre-
sented by the matrons and maids of Offport
Murmurs very fattering to his prOtege be-
gan TO reach the old clergyman's ears, and he
dragged a chair to her side, and took his seat
behind the table to lend the shield and pro-
lection of his presence, just as the diplomatic
first directress sailed up to the floral temple,
and seraphically suggested to her own ma
ture daughters and the other attendants, that
as some peoples effrontery was disgusting to
all decent people, it might be well for them
to take pity on those who were puTposely de-
tanned at a certain stand and carry them
about.
So Flora's fair nymphs game out of their
neglected bower, and fitted artlessly hither
and thither with an eaborately studied
NHO IL Dul cApTebslOu On lneT VARIOUS
faces, and full baskets of 6OutOHniers in their
hands.
Tinie thought her success in getting names
had melted the ice, and the girls were gath
ering about to congratulate her ; but they did |
not even seem TO see her, so busly were they
pinning the easily sold 6OutOnniers to the |
coats of her patrons
The commodore" as the rest of his party
called one of their number, was easily en-
Aak 4 \ -. a..
mented, but made anxious inquiries for larg- |
er bouquets, and broke of his gay little con-
versation with TIME to rush of to the floral |
temple with one of its nymphs.
TIME was too unversed in the ways of the |
world to feel any resentment at his defec- |
tion but she was sorry enough for the alb |
rupt break in the merry chat they were hav-
ing while he insisted upon her turning the |
leaves of the big album for his inspection.
She tried not to show any feeling, but |
there was e suspicious little drawing down of |
the baby mouth, and grieved look in her |
wide blue eyes that infuriated him as he |
dashed back in a moment with a huge ar
rangement of flowers in his hand, which he
begged her 10 accept.
"He must be a remarkably charitable
man." was her little remark aside to the rec
tor, as the commodore proceeded to take un-
limited shares in the autograph album.
The rector had been watching the frank,
high bred face of the young fellow and, un-
worldly as he was, he knew enough to trust
him so he paid no heed to the mods and
winks from his wife across the hall who was
being informed by the able first directress of
the dangers a girl in Tinie's peculiar posi-
ton ran from the over-familiarity of the
strange young man.
Bobby, the candid young brother, hovered
about Tinie's stall, hoping for a recognition
from his friend of the day before but much
scrubbing, hair-cutting and clothes brushing,
had so transformed the ingenious youth that
he passed unrecognized till he forced himself
into notice by whispered demand to know
if his sister wasn't just as he had said, elev-
enty thousand times handsomer than those
old cats who wouldn't speak to her because