Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-03-10


Fuller's hint about his clothes. So he went
home, put on a gorgeous vest-kept for state
occasons-rubbed a handful of hogs lard on
his hair annointed his boots with the same,
and set forth with renewed vigor on his wife
hunting expedition.
Miss Charity looked up grimly as he en-
tered her neat kitchen, and placing a chair
for him, herself took another at the opposite
side Of the room.
It wasn't her custom to receive the visits of
single men alone in her house, as she often
said.
perhaps because they never come !" said
the Deighbors.
you're looking uncommon well, Miss
Hobson," said the captain, placing his hands
on his knees, and gazing at her with what
he meant to be an amiable smile-mindful,
from his last experience, that it might be
necessary to do a little in the courting line
before popping the question.
'Tm pretty well, thank YOU" responded
the lady dryly.
"Ahd monstrous snug and comfortable
looking" resumed the suitor, gancing
around. But amt you little lonesome at
times7'
mot 1 I've got dog and two cats-them
as you see there; and mean TO have a mock
in bird as soon as Jabez Long can get one
for me. So I've got no reason to be lone
some"
"But cats and dogs amt human critters,
Miss Hobson," said Captain Tiller, insinua-
tingly.
II reckon don't need to be told that, Cap
tain. They amt human creeters, but some
thing better, if anything"
Not equal to a husband, may be, Miss
Hobson-or a baby"
"a what :" shrieked Miss Charity, fercely,
glancing over her spectacles.
"Oh, nothin' particular. Only I'd think it
would be melancholy thing for a woman to
be all alone with a lot o. cats aud dogs, as
she's gettin' on into the down hill O. life, and,
he remembered Mrs. Tyron's expression
land the valley o. the shadder. Cats and
dogs can't lick away the wrinkles from her
face, nor bring down her grey hairs with
pleasure to the grave"
"Cap'n Tiller," said Miss Hobson, laying
down on her lap the stockings she was knit
ting, and looking at him with flush on her
salow cheek-"Cap'n Tiller, I'd like to know,
once for all, what you mean!"
He saw that she was angry. He didn't
know why-but felt it incumbent upon him
to soothe and please her.
So he drew his chair across the floor, and
sat down close beside her.
Come, now, let's you and me have a
friendly understanding together" said he,
leering coaxingly into her face. I'm sure
I've got none but the softest kind O. feeling
toward you, and don't see why you should
not reciprocate." And, to add point to his
words he put his left arm across the back of
her chair, and with his right forefnger
touched her delicately on the ribs.
Miss Charity Hobson bounded down from
her chair, as though bombshell had e1plod-
ed beneath it.
''Git out o. this house!" she shrieked. "Pll
let you know how to come round sassiDg a
lone woman, and in her own house, too =
Here Blinker, at him, ketch him !" and with
Blinker at his heels, and Miss Hobson wrath
fully following in his wake, the innocent
minded Captain Tiller made his exit from the
house which he had entered with such ami
cable intentions
Very dejectedly he walked home II was
MT such very easy thing, after all, TO get a
wife and he felt for the present completely
discouraged from any further attempt in that
line. Moodily he sat on the bottom of tub
he rarely took a chair unless he was COM
pelled-and mused upon his adverse fate.
He felt humble and forlorn.
'Please, sir, missus have sent you some
| supper" whined a very small voice behind
him, and the captain, turning, beheld Miss
Hesper Bittings' very srall servant bearing
in her arms a very large .ea tray laden with
things. There was a pitcher of steaming
coffee, a plate of hot buttered cake, a nice
steak with onions, and other good things
done 20 the point of perfection. Poor Cap
tain Tiller's heart warmed at the sight, ever
in the midst of his astonishment.
"You don't mean to say" he remarked to
the very small servant-''you don't mean to
say that she-that Miss Hesper Billings sen'
me this ere fxins p
Eyes, sir, she did, SIR" responded the di
minutive handmad eagerly. "She said she
couldn't abide to see even dog livin' in sich
a way and eating such victuals."
The captain wasn't offended. He felt too
much subdued for that now and, besides
| the sight of that supper-tray would have over
come any feelings of rising wrath in hi
bosom. He was even sensible of a glow o.
gratitude, and, under the influence of thiI
emotion he took down from the mantle shell
a stuffed green parrot, glued to a sea shell
and thrust it into the hands of the small
maiden.
''There, my little gal" he said, "ther'
something for your trouble, and say to you
missus that I'm highly obliged for the kind
ness"
He emptied the contents of all the plate
and dishes into crockery of his own, and
without thinking of washing the former
sent them back to their owner together witt
a small model of fishing smack, wrought b.
himself in his hours of leisure while on shore
Miss Hesper laughed when she beheld thes
things,
''Poor man." she said, "he hasn't got bs
heart, after all and it would be pity to lie
him starve."
So next day she sent him daintily cooke'
dinner.
Miss Hesper," said Captain Tiller, tina
afternoon, rather shyly, addressing her a
she sat at her window sewing, wouldn't yo
like to hev your fence pslings fixed up bit
l see they're broken through"
"Why, it would be convenience to hav
them palings mended," she admitted
Whereupou Captain Seth set TO work, an
with hammer and nails manfully repaired tn
fence.
'Jest call on me when you are in need {
sich Jobs" he remarked amiably, when
was completed.
''Aud I'll do your cooking for you Will
you're ashore, Captain" responded the graft
fed Miss Bittings,
A sudden light flashed upon the mind G
Captain Seth. Why had he never befor
thought of this2
"Giiss Hesper," be said, ''you don't mea
to say that you'll forgive Pickle for worryin
your Pink"
"why, he's worrying dog" the lady re
piled obviously.
'I'll send him away" said the captai
magnanimously.
la! what an idea, Captain Oh, no! Il
the critter alone. dare say they'll yet b
friends, after while. It's all our duty TO b
friendly to one another, you know"
''To be surel" aoquiesced the captain
heartily. Wherefore it follows that you an
me ought to be friends as well as Pickle an
Pink"
'Pm sure I've no wish to be otherwis
with anybody" said Miss Hesper, lookin
down at her knitting.
"Then," said the captain, slowly an
somewhat difidently, "mebbe you wouldn
object to-"
, ITO what, captainT
''To enter into kind of partnership, yo
see-you and me together-to be help
one another?"
Aftar tbis fav words were necessary an