Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-10-07

| why, L suppose his turn. over is about hal
million year--the iron trade, you know,
added the old gentleman by way of explain
ing that Mr.. Blagden was one of the metal
kings of England.
''Self-made man, too" said Mrs. Spaldng
"began life as foundry boy"
/ From what l saw of Mr.. Bagden within
tho next few weeks, his origin could have
been pretty accurately guessed from tho
manner in which he imported the foundry
boys" manners into the sphere in which hi
industry and success had led him He wa,
essentially vulgar man, who bullied his sis
ter, a meek silent little woman, with goot
heart and a kindly nature, rs discovered
later on.
As we drove home from lunch that day jim
was strangely depressed. 1 guessed bis
thoughts pretty accurately, for he burst oui
into a TRADE against Mrs. Spalding on our ar
rival at home.
'I shouldn't wonder, Regy," said he, I'll
that fellow Blagden hasn't been invited down
here as n suiior for Nellie. He's a friend OF
Mrs. Spalding, know, because she herself
comes from the Black Country"
Jim's state Of mind from the moment he
broached this theory may be better imagined
than described. For the next three weeks
am bound to say that his temper was well.
nigh uncomfortable. One evening at dinner al
| Mount Grove, felt half afraid that he was
| going to iuhict personal chastsement upon
| Mr.. Blagden a feat l should have much re.
| joced to have seen skilfully performed, after
| the iron masters coarse invectives against the
medical profession, which had been called
! forth during some argument concerning doc.
| tors fees. Nellie's attitude toward Jim ap-
| peared to have undergone no perceptible
change. She was gentle and loving as be-
fore but fancied that Mrs. Spalding con-
~. ra1 H. A.. nj =
| Nellie as frequently together as possible and
thus Jim's tete-d-tetos were reduced to mis-.
cradle minimum. Worst of all, as Jim re-
marked 10 me one day, Nelly had confessed
/ that her step-mother had on more than one
! occasion hinted that Mr.. Blagden's visit and
stay were not prompted solely by friendship
to her parents. Mrs. SpaldiDg was, in other
words, clever woman, playing n nice little
game of diplomacy, and while keeping on the
most friendly terms with Jim, was, to my
mind furthering her own aims and ideas of a
matrimonial alliance for Nelly with the elder.
ly iron-founder. ] know that most of my
readers will say that Miss Spalding should
have settled the matter for herself, and have
given Mr.. Blagden to understand that his at
tentions were unwecome and hopeless
So things went on at Northampton, with
diplomacy at Mount Grove and despair at No.
Ia High street, where DIR. James Brooke an
nounced his willingness to relieve the afflicted
daily from 10 to IL A. NJ. and from 6 to p.
NJ. had been sitting cogitating over mat
tiers one evening at the Red Lion-Jim hav-
ing been called to distant part of his parish
when an idea, founded, believe, on quo
tation from an old French author, occurred to
me. The quotation was TO the effect that
''when moral suasion fails from any cause to
change an opinion it is lawful to appeal to
the most trivial of our emotions" Happy
idea, thought l. / shall see whether or not
can work it out to the advantage of DIR. James
Brooke and-shall add it ?-to the confusion
of Josiah Blagden, Esquire.
My plans were then rapidly matured. Morn
ing, noon and night find me busy in the old
church. / am hard at work on q canvas in
which the interior of the ediice grows under
my brush day by day. There are no sounds
of the "Kyrie" now; nor are the iubilant
strains of Mendelssohn heard, as on a bright,
sunny day not far gone by. Nellie does not
come to practise her old favorites of yore.
Blagden, l know, hates music and painters,
as he once expressed tin shocking bad
taste-are usually "a seedy lot" Iremember
Mr.. Josiah's white vest and cable chain, with
enough appendages attached thereto to have
set up small jeweler in thriving business.
The aisle and gallery of the church are now
complete in my picture paint it as 1 sit in
the aisle. In the distance you can see the al
tar and chancel and the vicar, who looks in
upon me occasionally, says it is as like as can
be. He is curious, however to know the ma
ture of the figures have roughly sketched in
There is group passing down the aisle from
the lter-rails where the vicar can still be seen
at his post aud there is figure standing
alone and solitary in a pew, as if facing the
advancing party. The vicar cannot quite
fathom the design. The church he can un-
derstand, but the meaning of the picture puz-
zles him. l bid him wait patiently for the So
luton of the mystery.
When my study of the church was COM
pleted, l went to the Red Lion, and there |
painted in my figures. There was little need
of models, for my sketch-book was full of
studies. Turning to my picture, now pro-
crossing rapidly, find that there are heads
of two elderly men, and also q careful sketch
of young mans face. There is fair girls
face and matronly countenance, and anoth-
er face which seems not unlike that of Miss
Blagden. At last my task is completed. The
picture is a mere study" but it is careful
study withal The old church you recognize
at glance; the figures Well, we shall
see.
The vicar has been busily spreading re-
port that have been painting picture of the
church, aud there is curiosity to see il. 1
Rockhampton friends shall come to see my
work. The circle is very select. have in
vited only Mr.. and Mrs. Spalding, the great
Josiah, Miss Blagden and Jim. l contrive,
with diplomatic cunning for which | have
not before given myself credit, that Nellie
Spalding shall be admitted to private view
She has been all anxiety to see the picture,
and pretend that by great favor she shall see
it before any one else. Mine host of the Red
Lion has prepared a nice little luncheon, even
to some dry Pommery, which the great Josiah
AS l have been accustomed TO call him, pos
sibly from the magnitude of his waistcoats-
says he dotes upon. l make a malicious and
unkind but perfectly just suggestion that in
early life the great Josiah was better acquaint-
ed with the merits of "'alf-and-' 'alf" than dry
champagne. My host has done his best, and
now / wait my guests. l feel nervous and ex-
cited; why, l can hardly tell, but confess to
myself that shall be glad when my little
symposium is over.
Here at last They troop upstairs into the
large room where my luncheon is spread. Mr..
Josiah is looking very large to-day. There is
an air of jubilant triumph about him as he
bustles about Nellie, assisting her in taking
off her wraps and saying ''nothings" which
are anything but soft as the great man ex-
presses them. To me his air is simply pat
ronizing. Mrs. Spalding is gracious as usual,
and Mr. Spalding seems to regard the near
prospect of lunch with more evident satsfac-
tion than he does the prospect of an artistic
treat. Mr.. Blagden suggests that we had
better step in to see the picture-lunch evil
IDENTIFY has its attractions for the great Josiah.
But tell him await DR.. Brooke, at which
announcement he subsidies. Isuggest to Miss
Nellie that, with her mothers permission, she
may now have the picture all to herself for a
momentary peep. Mrs. Spalding, who with
Miss Blagden is deep in the mysteries of the
manufacture of rhubarb jam, readily consents.
Nellie follows me into the room where my
picture stands, covered with crimson cloth,
on my easel. 1 close the door and unveil it.
Nellie glanoes at it, then, growing deadly
pale, sinks, half fainting-not into my arms
but into those of DIR. James Brooke, who has
most opportunely come upon the scene. In
speeehless astonishment he Razes at me, but