Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-01-14
emily into chair by her side behind the

nOueybuCkles
Dear madam, dear Mrs. Fries" she said,
in that low, caressing voice which was val
liable accessory of Miss HetheriDgton' .,
don't please worry. l assure you there's
nothing to worry about"
Begging your pardon, miss, think there
is said Mrs Fries 'if you amt iii earnest,
my John is and that's what l want to talk
to you about this morning. l don. say you're
all to blame. It's perhaps just as natural for
you to 90 round trappin' foolish boys like
John as il is for that nasty black and yellow
spider to lie in wait for flies"
Madam !" Miss Hetherington drew her
self up haughtily.
Begging your pardon again-perhaps I'm
wrong perhaps It may be as John hopes
though l sorely distrust it, You amt the
kind of girl to take kindly to farm life +; and
there may be a way to leave the farm behind
the farm and me too, and everything that
might be a trouble to you-if you only love
John. All you draw back. thought you
would. told John so last night John,
says !, she's fooling you that's only her
summers sport : and he tried TO laugh me
of. But 1 talked on and on, trying to show
him the pitfall he was tumbling into, when
all at once he turned on me with white face
and, Mother, hush . SEE he; there's only
this to say, in that case what's fun TO her is
death to me !! And don't say you can help
1t, any more than yOnder spider can help
catching flies. The Lord made you both
and sent you, but wish it had pleased Him
TO send you somewhere else, and spare my
John"
I'm go-Pll go now :" beginning, in fact,
TO gather up her draperies.
"It's too late now. The mischef's done. &"
And it seemed that more mischief was at
hand, for cry arose from the opposite field
and bad sight could be seen from the YER
anda Nothing less than a stalwart man de-
throned from his proud perch on the mower,
and trampled under hoofs that had always
seemed to move only at his bidding.
Miss Hetherington stood there as if turned
to stone. Mrs. Fries had disappeared, and
in the meanwhile they were bringing the
poor young farmer to the house on a rough
litter. / approached Miss Hetherington. 81
think we had better 60" ventured to say,
for was the only other summer boarder.
Come, let us go and pack up and get away,
Kate"
She turned on me quite fercely.
You, woman !" she said land talk of
going at a time like this !"
Il spoke as a boarder Kate, not as a wo-
man. You know we have no right to intrude
any further we we're not wanted in the be-
ginning we forced ourselvesu upon these wor-
thy people"
I'VE didn't know there was a man within
miles, said poor Kate that is, a young man
I mean "a gentleman"
"Of course we didn't" said, encourag-
ingly "but we know now, to our, to their,
to everybody's cost. Let's get away Kate
it's the refinement of cruelty to stay here any
longer"
She stood there quite dazed, and led her
quietly up stairs into our darkened room. The
whole house seemed to be kept in readiness
for any sort of catastrophe. l confess / was
dying to get rid of it, and threw open the
shutters the better to see 10 pack our trunks.
Upon which, Kate ran over and closed them
again. How can you let the sun come in on
her carpet in that way 2" said Kate; land
the flies. Haven't we done her enough inju-
ry already ?"
Speak for yourself, my dear" said and
at that moment the poor little old lady ran
in, crying and wringing her hands.
''He isn't-isn't-" 1 stammered, while
Kate became white as the wall she leaned
against. The old lady went up to her and
grasped her dress. Packing your trunks
Going p she said in hollow whisper
she don't want to CO." l said, coming to
the rescue. shed rather stay, but don't
think it's best. /"
The old lady turned to me, keeping her
hold on poor Kate's black and yellow trim
ming. Il don't care whether you go or not,
she said to me but If you've a soul in your
body, you won't take her with you. He's
asking for her now she may save his life.
Let her save him first for Gods sake. let
her try TO save him !"
There was more force than polteness in
the old lady's appeal, but this was no time
for platitudes.
MRS. Fries" says l, there's one thing
about tiff she stays now, she must stay for
ever"
Kate uttered soft little cry, and put her
arms about the old lady. She looked over at
me with wonderful light in her eyes, and
sudden softness Of her whole being.
''Oh, is that it 2" l said. "Well, stay,
then, dear, in Heavens name, and so will 1
till the worst is over. You wont be incon-
gruous here, Kate you're wonderfully adapt
able"
But she had gone away to John with the
old lady.
1t vas a terrible risk. l waited in great
suspense, placing what hope l could in tre-
panned skulls and the modern improvements
in artificial limbs, for l knew from the first
he wouldn't die-young men like John hold
on to life, especially with a temptation like
Kate by the side of them.
l am writing upon the same veranda
year after the accident in the hay field. The
honeysuckle is in full bloom, and Kate's pet
mocking-bi is shrieking in food of light
that radiates the dining room. Young Mrs,
Fries has substituted nets for the Cimmerian
gloom that used to envelop the house. Now
any one with half an eye can see to the far
thest end of any corridor. and the bedrooms
have a sun-bath every day. The old lady
don't mind. She's all the way of twenty
years younger, and the best of company.
John didn't lose his leg, let alone his life
and the funniest part of the whole thing is
that Kate has made quite a match. John
happened to be ever SO much richer than any
of the manageable men we eknew.-Harper's
Weekly.