Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-05-26
A TRAVELLERS STORY.

My father was a well.to-do farmer in Eng
land. was his only child, and my mother
died shortly after was born. Our land was
rented from a very large landed proprietor, a
man who had made his fortune in business.
He bought the estate about the time of my
birth. and came occasionally to live at the
large house attached to it, bringing his wife
and children with him. His wife was a very
kind but very homely person who was liked
by all the tenants. She was very kind TO me,
and used to have me q great deal at the
'Hall, as the house was called.
When first remember her children, there
were three of them-two boys and girl
but before many years passed all but the
youngest child died, and then Mrs. Clark, as
l will call her, gave up going to Manchester
with her husband, and always remained at
the Hall, thinking the country air beneficial
for her little girl.
The child's name was Lucy, and thought
her perfect. She was but few years young
er than 1, and she and were constant play
mates in our holiday hours My father sent
me to a neighboring grammar-school, but
kind Mrs. Clark often supplemented the
teaching got there by allowing me to profit
by the lessons given 10 Lucy by O very ac-
complshed governess.
It was in this way that great love Of art
was developed in me. had some natural
talent for drawing and painting, and eager
ly availed myself Of every opportunity Of cul-
tivating IT, Lucy and 1 never spent happier
hours than those in which we used to go out
sketohing together.
1t all rises before me even now like a pic
ture the morning sun glinting through the
trees and checkering our path as we wound
through tho wood the discussion as to the
best point of view for our sketches the calm
of the noon, when we used to stop our paint
ing and have picnic, feeling as If we de-
served some rest after such hard work, and
then our pretence of diligence when We used
to say "0h, this will never do, wasting so
much light !" and begin to paint again with
renewed ardor until sunset.
Then how delightful it used to be to wan
der slowly homeward, until we came to a GER
tain stile where we always bade each other
good-by, unless l we're invited to go TO spend
| the evening at the Hail. There was tangle
of dos. roses and honeysuckle all around that
stile, and ploughed field beyond, with the
| little spre Of the village church showing in
the distance, and the rocks were always cav
ing in the tall trees close by when Lucy and
l used to say good night
The govemess or Mrs. Clark was always
with us, or believe we should have kissed
each other but that was put stop to when
Luoys tenth birthday came, and We marked
her tenth birthday with black cross in our
memories in consequence.
| Looking back l often wonder why they let
us grow up SO closely bound together. l sup
pose it never occurred to them that any
| happiness might come from it. The farmers
son and the rich heiress were sure TO be sep
| arated by circumstances as soon as she should
be introduced into society, and in the mean
time aided in making her happy, and was
| happy myself. | suppose Mrs. Clark looked
| M furihar and Mr. CLARK lat hiq Wifa bava
her own way about all things that did not in
terfere with his own plans, and his plans
were chiefly commercial.
Lucy was sixteen, and was one.and-twen-
ty, when Mr.. Clark one day astonished me
by telling me that he was going to speak to
my father about sending me to Italy to study
art. He sent for me into his library to tell
me this. He sat in his arm chair in front of
the writing table, on which lay numbers OF
papers, and stood before him. / did not
know him well, for when he was at the Hall
/ did not go there much, and he called me
young man, and spoke of my father as "a
very worthy man, who has striyen to give
you every advantage his limited means al
low" 1t struck a chill through me, although
my heart leaped at the idea of going to Italy.
The hardest part of it all was leaving Lu-
oy, but felt bidding goo1-by to my old
father very keenly.
| went up 10 the 1ihll tue uhy lnht WAS "
leave the old place. Mr. and Mrs Clark and
Lucy were in the drawing room when en-
tered Mr.. Clark bland and patronizing Mrs.
Clark fearful and nervous, and Lucy very
pale aud silent. 1t was a miserable affair,
and soon ended it. Mrs Clark kissed me
and cried and called me her dear boy,
while Mr. Clark looked at her with a mildly
deprecatory smile. Then he shook hAndi
with me, a little pompously, and made sort
of vAledictory speech which struck me as be-
ing like funeral Grafton, and all this time
Lucy sat with her head averted, and hel
hands clasped ON her knees. "LucY, my
GIRL" said Mr.. Clark, ''are you not going t.
wish your old playmate good fortune in hi
, new lifeY Then she sprang up and CANT
over TO me quickly. "Oh, Frank" she said
and throwing her arms around my neck kiss
ed me. The next instant she was quite calm
: with look in her face had never seen be
fore. believe she awed her father ant
, mother, for there was to word spoken as
| left the room.
> l walked rapidly home, crossing the oil
stile for the last time. snatched piece o
hon sysuckle as passed. but / was no longe
I thinking of the happy by-gone days. Tn
. portals of another existence had been throw
/ open 10 me for an instant, and was dream
;, ing of its radiance still. My father was il
+ his gig waiting for me, and all the old farm
laborers and their wives and children wer
: gathered to wish me God-speed. My fathe
4 spoke but little as we drove to the station
;. whittier my luggage had already been takei
in a cart. When we were a short distanc
/, from it no sackened the pace, and putin
e one hand on mine, said Frank, my boy
= I've been thinking that it's chance as ho'
q you may not like this new tangled life your
), going to. If you don't, why then write an
y say so to me without any further ado, an
the old man will be right down glad 10 Sc
you home again, and glad to pay back what
ever Mr., CLARK has spent on you, for that
y maynt be throwing it in your teeth"
d pressed his hand, and he went on I'm gla
to see you so mettlesOme about going away
;, but Just you take word of advice from yor
old father. don't know anything of maxim
le pictures or that like, but take it that an a
N tist has to learn his trade like any other maj
You must know how to plough well If yo
"a want to get good crops, 80 don't you be in
Of hurry, but take 10 the thing steadily, an
to don't you go in for high-hying."
le Well, did go in for the thing steadily, al
40 / made rapid progress. l used to write
ir my father and to Mrs. Clark, and hear fro
e them regularly. / never wrote to Lucy NJ
!, she TO me, but heard of her. She went
81 London the year after left and was pr
st sented at court, and there was a great deal
1g company at the Hall during the autumn al
Of winter. used to scan those letters whi'
le spoke of her as il they were enigmas, tryiI
"a TO extract some hidden meaning from theI
~ Sometimes l fanoied that there was son