Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-11-29

suppose should consider q iiieAa o'
yours burenI"
"You dpa't know how tying poor
father would 10 10 anybody lat his own
daughte and think he II likely 10 liye
to great age, as nay grandfather did
"i'or that very reason, th6n-'' q,
''liesIdes. II would make me wfelclied
to take him ilom tho old homestead
"Iiut Olive"
80 you SEQ I'm engaged, Mr., Phe'
uS," said Miss Olive payfully, while
6he whskei away o tear, ~ AM engaged
You must marry some lady who ihht
Aud hope yOl'll DO as happy ~ you
deserve TO be," Rhe added, with Q lll1le
lFenor, spFiHging up TO adjust tho cur
tain. 49,,
In vain ho tried to bend her TO his
wifhea ahe remllned eutwatlly urn ~
tho hcaithstOne ut her feet, lili Ut leHg'h
ho arrived ut tho unweleone conviction
that sho bad no liking for hin, or ale
would have listened TO his pleadihgu'
Shc had interpoged tho old gentleman
merely o. cushion, to aoitcn 'he p'ow
Of her rel ction,
II he took smiling leave, II waa be-
oau,o pride tugged At his facial muselea,
Tor, 10 toll tho truth, he had neVes been
more disappointed and chagriaea IN hls
llic. OF what avail tho alyllsh eluipago
upon which Lo had once plumed h'ia'
lclt9 Was II not bearing him on 10 o
tpnhY And why Nhobll he wish 70
prolcag his earthly pilgrmsgcf VIVA.
further attraction had lilo for hin'' y
lonely old man nearing sOycnty'
Hardly conscious Of tho Icins, he had
driven gome miles at on unranctined
pace, when he almost ran over MI
Toroy, brother OF tho deceased Lucinda
who was walking behind hiN carriage UP
q long ascent.
"G5ing to coniorcncop" asked that
gontlcman, afior IN exchange Of .greot'
ings, Didn't you come roundabout
wayp"
I'm inclined tothink I did," "nsscnted
tho deacon with prodigious show OF
candor, "a roundabout way and hafd
way. Is your wiio with you"
"Yes, aud tho Widow Vance i have
TO foo. II up hill you SEQ Horse
stepped on q rolling stone q piece pack
and lamed himself"
"Your load Is too heavy, let Sister
Toney ride with me- -,
But Sister Torey being nervous, likc
Lucinda before her, and mor'ally AFRAID
OF the deacon's spirited Otecd, y was IN
the end Mrs Vance who nestled into the
vacant seat. Sho was gushing young
widow whose mi!igated grief manifested
itself in certain coquoltish bows OF paie
lavender. She protested that she folt
already acquainted with MIR. Ph0niS
through her late husband, to whom nc
had cen so kind, She was glad OF tins
opportunity to thank him. She should
never cease to bo grateful for tho many
favos he had conferred upon dear
Charles, eto.
In tho morning the worthy deacon
would have smiled inwardly at this
eiIusive panegyric. This afternoon hc
hugged it like o poultice to his aching
Ii art. It smoothed his wounded sell
love, aud inclintd him toward his iair
eulogist, to whom he recounted pleasant
anecdotes Of her husbands boyhood.
Indeed, he mado himself 80 agreeable
that she was rather sorry to reach
Churchville, where tho whole party was
cordially welcomed as tho house OF
Zenas Torrey.
A proud man was Mr.. PhUnix He
would not for the world have his recent
disappointment suspected by his wife's
relatives, and during those three days
of conference he carried himself with
resolute cheerlulness that sometimes
out of meeting, Of course-verged upon
friskiness. Mrs. Vance told Mrs. Torrey
that he was "just splendid" which com
pliment Mrs. Torrey repeated to him
with significant smile, limiting that II
he thought about marrying again, he
need not search for wife. He looked
confused, and hotly disclaimed any
Matrimonial intention. As to the young
widow, was he not double her age?
Would June join hands with December?
Alas what an insignificant trllle can
turn the scale OF human destiny? But
for a horses fSre.foot Deacon Phoenix
might have returned to his home on the
morrow as he had loft it--a free man.
II was the lame hose that kicked the
beam and decided his fate. On Friday
morning, the meddling quadruped hay
ing been found lamer than ever, the
deacon could do no less than offer to
escort Mrs. Vance homo. She could do
no less than accept the offer gladly.
BY some mysterious law OF sequences.
this led to the second offer and second
acceptance, and almost before we knew
it, Deacon Phoenix had pledged himself
to escort the widow for life. When,
after gallantiy depositing his promised
bride at her own door, he was alone
with his thoughts, ne felt little sur
prised at his own precipitancy; but he
told himself over and over again what q
fortunate man he was, how happy he
ought to bo. Contrary to his usual
custom, be had act.d from impulse,
and tho result WIS highly satisfactory.
"Highly satisfactory" he repeated to
himself as he passed the entrance OF the
cross.road which led to Miss Olives.
Somehow his reflections were less
cheerful after that. Perhaps the chilly
rain.storm JUS set ii depressed MIN, or
perhaps it was the empty h.arse that he
met face to face-for the best OF us
have ,.r suporstltions. Certain it ls,
thot lie aligh,ed from his buggy that
evening with W, ariness of limb and limp
ness of linen, his countcpanca led Mrs.
Dlbbs to fear the meetings had not
been profitable.
Next morning, tn nks to the un.
gracious weather, he was aroused by
sciatic toriures. To an elderly gentle
man, newly betrothed to blooming
lady greatly his junior, such an awaken.
ing was peculiarly trying. He thought
ruefullv of the early visit he had pro-
mised Mrs. Vance. Should these pains
increase, he must defer it indefinitely,
or limp into her presence on cfutches-
an alternative too suggestive OF advanc-
ing AGE. Flat.ercd ~ ho was by the
widows acceptance, he could not deny
TINT it placed him in q position in some
respects irksoi.lv. II admonished him
that he had no further right to infirm-
tiles; that henceforth it was his bound
en- duty to be as young as he could
The reflection wearied him. Mrs.
Dubbs afterwards said she had never
seem him so nearly ont OF sorts as ON