St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-11-24

the conversational ice," she said.
"You are merciful," ;" answered, Won
dering if she was laughing at me.
cam ? | saw you was stranger to
us, and Mr.. Phelan is being instructed
in the pedigree of the MacFums, | sup
pose, and cannot get away for a quar-
ter of an hour to introduce YOU" she
said, with a friendliness that set me at
my ease at once.
"Will you allow me to do myself that
pleasure 2"
Il think can spare you the trouble"
she replied, i'll the most musical of
voices. "You have come from London
to stand godfather to baby ?"
Il have" | answered, wondering
how she knew, and watching with
pleasure the arch look that suddenly
darted into her wonderful eyes. | be-
gan to think that she had one of the
most interesting faces | had ever seen.
Her lips were red and saucy, and were,
| thought just then, made to kiss and
be kissed.
"Shall point you out the godmoth-
er p she asked, watching my face as she
spoke.
"No-that is, yes" | replied, think
ing of what Tom had told me, and just
ii little curious to see his beau ideal of
my future wife.
"There she is, at the other side of
the room in gray silk dress, talking
to that stout little man with the brown
wig"
''DO you mean"
"Yes, that tall, angular lady, with
IL Il ,f .,rl, nt aaah siIn of
her face. She has been Il beauty i'll her
day, and has just come in for thou
sand year, since which time she has
had six proposals of marriage, and has
stood godmOther to a hundred and
twenty three children. Before she
came in for that legacy no one ever no
ticed her; and though her manners
have not changed in the least, the
world has only now suddenly discOv-
cred that she is one of the most amia-
bic women living. Now, | always
knew that fact, and stated it openly,
though no one would believe it."
While my new friend spoke | felt
that she was watching my face keenly.
This, then, | said to myself, was the
woman whom Tom Phelan had assured
me would make me IA happy man. The
lady was at least twenty years Older
than was but any disparity in that
way Tom evidently thought would be
made up to me by the fact of my future
wife possessing il thousand year. |
began to think that my friends ichar-
acter had undergone il change. | had
always considered him far from mer-
cenary; but probably the cares and
expenses of his new life had made him
regard money i'll different light from
what he had done i'll the old days ; and
he thought he would do me il friendly
| turn by marrying me to woman old
enough to he my mother because of heI
wealth. When | considered over these
| things | was sorry for Tom Phelan.
Marriage, | thought, had not raised the
| tone of his mind. | looked over at him
| then, and saw cheerful look on his
round, pleasant face, as if something
| had occurred that made him very hap
py. Probably, said mentally, it is
one of Mrs. MacFum's tales that makes
| this most goOd-tempered of men de
! lighted. When next | looked at my
neighbOr, she, too, | thought, had q
merry expression in her eyes that
seemed to spring from Il look she ex-
changed with Tom Phelan.
$50 that lady is to be baby's god
mother?" | said presently, directing
my gaze to the lady in gray silk, witt
the little bunch of curls confined by
tortoise-shel combs, edged with a row
of pearls, at each side of her thin, pale
face.
eyes. You must let me introduc,
| Il.
is one of the best and kindest of wO
men,"
began to wonder if my friend wal
in the plot, too, and if she were en-
gagged by Tom and Mrs. Tom to leuC
her assistance towards the desired enc
of marrying me to this spinster. | fel
as if | should like to get up and rur
away out of the house and out of tn,
tolls that these good people evidently
sought to ensnare me in; but the voice
of this girl with the gray-blue eyes
that now sparkled with humOr an(
anon melted into tenderness, almost il
the same minute, as only Irish eye
can, held me a prisoner. | was unwll
ling to move from her side.
Though she did not tell me her name
she told me all about herself in IA frank
native manner that completed TIN
charm she held over me and made M
her bOnd-slaVe from that hour to thl
day. Her father was i'll India, she said
she and her mother were living in Bra'
during his absence. She expected hin
; home next year, when she feared the,
would leave dear old Ireland and g
on the continent.
Then, suddenly, in the midst of he
confidential chat, she asked me one
, more to cross the room with her AM
, get introduced to the lady who was t
be godmother to Tom Phelan's baby
, Before | could answer her she stood u
and waited for me to accompany hei
: Miss Fay was the name of the spinstel
l who was Il mild, agreeable gentle
= woman, with sad eyes and IA gentl
t manner. When my new friend i'll
} troduced me she suddenly disappeared
= Soon after some people who came i
\ engaged Miss Fay's attention, and
l was left alone.
e Then Tom Phelan came up to mt
4 beaming all over with smiles.
: "You have not lost much time i
/ making her acquaintance, Fitz, oil
4 boy
E "No," answered, dryly, understand
Y ing what he meant.
: "What do YOU think of her p
= He looked at me with his head o
. one side and IA broad smile on his fac,
"Think of her She is very amia
t BILE" This in IA stiff tone.
= "YOu will get on famOusly tOgethe
l., She is the woman to make you happ,
If old man" This with an air of patron
d age and superiority.
e "YOu are very good" said |, humO
: ing him, and thinking at the same tin
e how changed he was.
II ''Now, FitZ, | have arranged tn.