The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-03-10
AN EAST BLOW.

The summer hotel among the noun
tains was almost deserted. Half a
dozen of the late-staying guests were
gathered in the little psrlor for their
last evening. A high September wind
turned their thoughts to the desolate-
ness OF the winter months in the White
Hills. Maud Wellington, always q
leader in talk and action, called to the
landlord:
"Oome here, please, Mr.. Little; tell
us how you ever live here through the
winter?'
"Wa'sl, you jest come up here and
try one Of our east blows / tell you,
you don't know anything. about the
msountings. You only come up here
when it's warm and nice, and Mr..
George he drives his team around, what
dye call itY'
"Tsndem !" suggested George.
"Yes, tantrum; and he takes you
girls to drive, and it's all very pretty.
Jest let him be here in the winter, and
he'd drive tantrum, sure enough"
"Wouldn't it be fun2' asked Maud.
would you really take US in il we came
up next winter?"
II guess most likely l could. You'd
have to kinder put up with things,
though. I'd bo real glad to see you,
naow; the winters is awful lonely T.
II am in earnest. and will come il
the rest will. / think it would be
jolly" said Maud.
"Yes, quite too swfully CHASTITY
jolly" murmured her brother George
whose slang was overwhelming
The others all promised they would
join her II she formed y party. and the
next morning they separated and forget
all about the plan and the promise, as
people do.
1t was late in December. The holi
days were approaching. Maud Well.
ington was restless and dissatisfied.
The season had been very disappoint.
ing. Everybody was dull and stupid;
Germans were tiresome, dinners, more
so, and che was tired OF Boston and
every one in 1t. And all this was be-
cause o certain Thomas Sedgwick
Thornton had not appeared in the city
as she had expected. It was none the
less true because she would have de-
MED it, and that she had always laughed
at him, and professed to hold him in
the most perfect contempt She knew
perfectly we'll that he was hard work
ing lawyer in New York with little
time for holiday making, but she was
quite unreasonable enough to think
that such trihes as business made no
difference. He ought to have admired
her enough to have made any sacrifices,
nnd made haste to continue the sum.
mer's acquaintance. 1t made no differ
ence TO her, also, that there were many
others as assiduous in their devotion as
he was remiss. He was the Mordecai
at the gate, and she was unhappy. The
wind bowling round the corner OF the
house took her thoughts back to the
last evening In the mountains, and q
sudden resolve made her spring to her
feet.
Mother" she cried, rushing iIto
the warm library, where her mother sat
doing before the fire. '"I havo made
up my mind. We will 60 up to the
mountains'and see how they look with
the snow on them"
You crazy grill we won't do any
thing Of the sort"
Mrs. Wellington always made point
of seeming to oppose her daughters
plans, but she always did Just what her
children told her to do. Maud vast
ed no words In entreaty, but coolly told
her that she must go, without any more
ado.
With Maud to decide WAS to act.
George was delighted with the prospect
OF such clark" he had not known
what to do with the holidays. Notes
were Immediately sent to those who had
been with them when the proposition
was made, and to several others who
might be congenial spirits When
they had written nearly all Maud said,
with perfect carelessness
suppose you will have to write to
that MIR. Thornton. l don't think he
would add much TO the general hilarity,
but am afraid 1t wouldn't do 10 leave
him out and ask all the rest who were
there"
fright you arer said George. "Pn
send an invite to the old duffer; he's
not half bad fellow, after all. OF
course he won't put in an appearance"
But 1t is the impossible which hap
pens. For some occult reason Mr..
Welinton chose to join this Wild eape-
dition, and presented himself at the ap-
pointed time at the rendezvous. With
the exception Of himself and poor Mrs.
Wellington, who looked already vic
timized, 1t was as gay party as Boston
could furnish.
AS usual, it was Maud who was leader
and prime favorite. But she was admi-
rably seconded by three OF her friends,
only little less brilliant and daring
than she. Then there were two or three
society men who would have gone any
where that Maud and her set proposed.
Little did they care for the grandeur OF
mountain scenery In its severe winter
dress, but the trip promised much fun
and unlooked-for opportunities OF car.
rying out certain intentions. Last and
noisiest OF all came George Yelling
ton, q Harvard Sophomore, with an
equally reckless and hair Drained class.
mate, whom the ladies alternately
petted, snubbsd and used as foiIs in
their most serious schemes.
Mr.. Thornton felt out OF his element,
as he had done SO many times during
the summer. He was not Keyed to the
fame pitch Of high spirits and unceas.
ing gsyety. He was grave, quiet-s
man who was terribly in earnest about
everything he did. From the first mo-
ment that he saw her he became fasci.
mated with Maud, against his will and
better judgment. Her beauty, Wit, ca
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