The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-10-28
HELEN HYDES GOOD DEED.

HELEN kfDE'S GOOD DEED
eyes" said the doctor, solemnly
".she shows every indication of going
into decline. Rest. relaxation, change
Of air and scens-that's what she ough
to havel'
Mrs. Dardanel looked perturbed
"Dear, DEAR" she said, "what o pity
And she's quite pet Of mine, too, deal
little thing. She is very quick with hel
needle, and really thousand tho
way she puts trimmings on dress posi-
lively reminds one of Madam Antoine
herself"
"The Seaside cottage would be the
place for her," suggested DIR. Midland
"You are one of the lady patronesses
I believe, and"
Eyes, but the Seaside cottage is full, ,
said Mrs. Dardanel. "Not an inch oi
room unoccupied. ! had note from
the matron yesterday !"
"Ah, indeed ?" said the doctor, FUN.
bling with his watch-seals. "Unfor.
tunate-very."
"But," cried Mrs. Dardanel, an idea
suddenly occurring to her much be.
puffed and befrizzed head, "there is
Mrs. Daggett's farm, few miles further
down the shore. She takes boarders
for five dollars q week. and I believe i:
is very nice place. II you think it adj
visable 1 will take months board fol
the girl there. I really feel as II the
dear little thing belonged to me-"
"An excellent plan, madam, an excel.
lent plan," said the doctor, oracularly.
II have no doubt but that month OF
sea air would make quite different
person Of her."
Helen Hyde could scarcely believe
her own ears when Mrs. Dardanel beam.
ingly announced her intentions.
"The seashore |" she cried, her pale
face flushing all over, "the real sea
Oh, Mrs. Dardansl, have dreamed OF
it all my life. And for whole bright,
long summer month Oh, how shall
ever thank you II"
"By getting well and strong as fas
as you can," said Mrs. Dardanel, really
touched by the girls innocent enthusi-
asm. "And here is ten-dollar bill for
you," she added, with smile. Eou
may need some little triHe of dress, or
there may be q drive or picnic or an
excursion going ON, in which you will
want to participate. No, you shall not
give it back-it is o present from me,
and choose that you shall keep it,"
Helen Hyde's heart beat high with
delight when first she saw the Daggett
farmhouse, long, low, red building,
with an immense stack of chimneys, a
cluster Of outrageous maple trees gar
landing il about with shade, and door
yard full of sweet, old-fashioned flowers,
while in full sight of the windows the
Atlantic flung its curling crests of foam
along the shingly shore. Mrs. Daggett
welcomed her warmly; she had been
Mrs. Dardaneps housekeeper once, and
knew the value of that ladys patronage.
I've just one room left, my dear"
said she. Under the caves of the
house. US rather small, but it's fur
nished comfortably, and there's fine
view of the ocean. 1 could have given
you better Accommodations if 1 had re-
ceived Mrs. Dsrdaners letter day
earlier. But four Young ladies. teachers
in the LIwoed institute, came yesterday,
and I'm sleeping on sofa myself in the
parlor. But we'll make you as snug as
possible, and the very first good sized
room that is vacated you shall have"
And Helen was very happy in her lit
tie nook, from whose easement she
couh see the sparkling plain OF the sea,
all dotted with white sails.
Mrs. Daggett was driving, ener-
getie business woman. Farmer Daggett
vas vacant, honest-iaced man, who
invariably fell asleep OF an evening,
Eith his chair tipped back against the
Hall-and every available inch of the
house was filled with summer boalders,
mostly ladies'. There were only three
masculine appendages to the house be-
sides its master "a supennnuated
clergyman, whose parishioners clubbed
together every summer 10 treat him to
six weeks vaeation-a literary man Of
large aspirations and small income,
who had come thither for rest and op-
portunity to study up the skeleton Z"
for his next novel, and old Mr.. Mifflin I
1t was some time before Helen HYDE
fairly comprehended who old Mr.. Milf
fin was. A bowed, bent over little man,
with silver hair curling over the collar
of his coat, rufiied shirt like the pic
lures of our Revolutionary forefathers,
and dim blue eyes which glistened from
behind silver spectacles, he shuilled in
and out to his meals after an apologetic
fashion, and sat all the long bright af-
ternoons under the naples, staring at
the sea.
"Who is that old gentleman ?" she
at last ventured to ask Mrs. Daggett.
That lady frowned, impatientlY.
"Its old Daddy Miflin," said she.
"And wish it was anybody else"
sis he boarder ?" asked Helen.
"Well, he is and he isn't r. rather
obscurely answered Mrs. Daggett, who
was picking over currants for u pud-
ding while Helen sat by aud watched
her. "But he won't be here long. You
see, my dear, be hasn't any fgiends.
When me and Daggett came down from
Vermont and bought this place We 90:
1t cheap because of old Mr.. Milln.
We was to give him tho northeast ctu,el-
Der, and thoy wore to allow US So much
month fog his keep 1t aims oycry.
body, you see, as would be willing to
nave an old man hike that around the
place. But he's harmless and innocent
enough, and I won't deny that the two
dollars week helped along. But now
prices have gone up, and Breezy Point
has got to be fashionable locality in
summer time, and things are altered.
And, what's worse, his folks have lsft off
sending the money"
~ wonder whyT said Helen, with
her large dreamy eyes fixed pityingly
upontheold man, who-saf in his usual