News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-02-02
WAS 1T FLIRTING ?

WAS 1T FLIRTING?
WHAT PARTICULARLY SIMPLE MAN THIS
SIMPLE YOUNG MAN MUST BE-TC
ASK TIE QUESTION
I was engaged to Angelina Melville,
and thought myself the luckiest man
living. Angelina was SO handsome that
no stranger ever saw her without ex-
pressing admiration, and one did not
weary with the face after years of
familiarity with it. She was well-bred,
accomplished and a great heiress. I
had reason to believe she was very fond
of me. No man could be more entirely
content than was as I leaned back in
the frst-class carriage which took me
from Glasgow into the country, to the
Vale of Cruix, where was to preach a
few Sabbaths. The pulpit was vacant
and was going to try my wings. With
my pecuniary prospects I scarcely
thought 1 should care to accept call
to the Vale OF Cruix, but 1 had no OBJ
lection to filing its pulpit for few
weeks, especially as Angelina had gone
to the west coast and Glasgow was warm
and stuffy and stupid.
Casual remembrances of elegant
parsonages built in Queen Anne's style;
of a study where the footballs were
softened by Persian rugs, and the
doors draped in portieres of velvets
chairs and desk, carved richly as some
old confessional, fitted through my
mind. And thought also of a table
spread with silver and rare china with
lady at its head, who resembled queen.
And / breathed a luxurious sigh as I
awakened from my day dream to
knowledge that the words "Vale of
Cruix" were being shouted on the plat
form and that the train was coming to
a stand-still.
I seized my travelling bag from the
rack overhead and hurried out of the
carriage. The porter had just pulled
four or five trunks ON the platform.
Two old wagons stood in the road, one
driven by an old woman in sun-bon-
net, the other by red-haired boy with
bare feet ard queer, knock-kneed
horse attached to queer old gig, was
standing at little distance. A young
man in light summer suit and city
family bent on rural happiness, were
my companions on the platform. The
former put his trunk in the first wagon,
kissed the old woman in the sun bonnet,
took the reins and drove away. He was
evidently the son of the family, come
home to spend his vacation. The rest
of the trunks and city family mother,
father. little boy, nurse-maid and baby
were put in the wagon and driven by
the boy.
When the train moved away I was
left alone on the platform-alone, but
for the station-master, who sat upon a
bench smoking clay pipe. In a mo-
ment more the official without looking
at me, made the remark: "Deacon
Stevenson has come for the new minis
ter. He's over in the hotel and will be
back in minute fs#
"Thank You, said I. 5e'ss
The station-master took no notice OF
me, but, having climbed up on stool
and made some changes in a time re-
gister on the wall of the station, locked
the door, put the key in his pocket, and
sauntered away down the railroad. In
few minutes prim little old gentle
man appeared upon the top of the hill,
carrying in one hand tin can, in the
other a tin pail, and under either arm a
brown paper parcel knew alta glance
that it was Stevenson.
''Are you Mr.. Mactaggert?" he in
quired mildly, as he approached. 81
want to know? 1 hadn't any expecta-
ton of being kept so long, but, you
see, it saves the women folks trouble to
fetch things when I drive down. Step
IN, won't you? I'll Jest hang this can
of parfiane lie ON behind. Some dis
like the smell may be you do. The
tea and coffee can go under
the seat as well as not. How's your
health, sir, and how do you like Vale of
Cruix %
I answered that my health was good
and that had not, as yet, seen much
of Vale of Cruix.
mo, you haven't" said the old gen.
tleman. "WeIl, you'll drive through it
now" And he shook the reins and the
old h0. e began to stumble along. And
on we drove past certain rows of brick
houses very much like each other, and
with the same flowers in their front
gardens, until, having passed the
church, we came to one happily set about
by old oak trees, before the gate of
which we drew up.
A girl stood at the gate-a fair girl in
q blue muslin dress and white apron.
''Take the sugar, Mary, before it gets
upset." said the deacon. ''This is Mr..
that's to preach for us.
Mr.. Mactaggert, this is my daughter
Mary"
We bowed, and she vanished with the
parcels.
"What a lovely little creature p said
I to myself. Nothing like Angelina,
but so pretty p And 1 found myself
of her as I washed my hands
and brushed my hair in the blue-walled
bedroom on the second floor with white
rInged counterpanes and curtains, and
Two black silhouettes over the mantle
piece on either side of the china vases
II roses. s.--
There were only four of us at the
hble-the deacon, his wife, a stout