Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-03-18

while he drank, Mr.. Phoenix regarded
her admirlngly. How young she seemed
still. Not gray thread in her colder
hair, scarcely wrinkle in her face
That was because of her excellent dis
position. He waited till she had sootheC
the old man into slumber, then in {
direct manly way introduced the sub
/ lect that lay next to his heart.
Miss Olive interrupted him by al
eloquent glance at her father.
she is very childish and dependent
He cannot do without me-
'Let me help care for him, Miss
Olive; my house is large, my mean:
are ample"
81 couldn't, Mr.. Phnnix-it is like
your generosity to propose sucha thing
but couldn't have him burden OF
you"
"Why, bless your soul, Olive, do you
suppose L should consider friend Of
yours burden ?"
"You don't know how trying poor
father would be to anyone but his OWL
daughter, and l think he is likely tc
live to great age, as grandfather
did,"
"For that very reason, them
Besides, it would make him wretched
to take him from the old homestead"
but Olive
$50, you see, I'm engaged, MIR.
Ph9nix," said Miss Olive, playfully
while she whisked away a tear. q am
engaged. You must marry some lady
who isn't. And hope you will be as
happy as you deserve to be-" she added,
with a little tremor, springing up to adj
just the curtain.
In vain he tried to bend her to his
wishes she renamed outwardly firm as
the hearthstone at her feet, till TT last
he arrived at the unwelcome conviction
that she had no liking for him, or she
would have listened to his pleadings.
She had interposed the old gentleman
merely as a sort of cushion to soften the
blow of her rejection.
If he took smiling leave, it was be-
cause pride tugged at his facial muscles,
for, to tell the truth, he had never been
more disappointed and chagrined in his
life.
OF what avail the stylish equipage
upon which he had plumed himself :?
Was it not bearing him on to the tomb !?
And why should he wish to prolong
this earthly pilgrimage? What further
attractions had life for him, lonely old
man nearing seventy 2
Hardly conscious of the reins, he had
driven some miles at an unsanctified
pace, when he almost ran over Mr..
Torrey, brother of the deceased Lu-
cinda, who was walking behind his car
riage up long ascent.
"Going to Conference ?" asked that
gentleman, after an exchange OF greet
ings. "Didn't you come a roundabout
way?"
"Im inclined to think I did," as
scented the deacon with q prodigious
show of candor. "a roundabout way
and hard way. Is your wife with
you ?"
eyes, and the Widow Vance. I have
to foot it up hill, you see. Horse
stepped on a rolling stone back apiece
and famed himself.
"Your load is heavy let Sister Tor
rey ride with me-"
But Sister Torrey being nervous, like
Lucinda before her, and MORALLY afraid
of the deacon's spirited steed, it was in
the end Mrs. Vance that nestled into
the vacant seat. She was a gushing
young widow whose mitigated grief
manifested itself in certain coquettish
bows of pale lavender. She protested
that she felt already acquainted with
Mr.. Phoenix through her late husband,
to whom he had been so kind. She
was glad of this opportunity to thank
him. She would never cease to be
grateful for the many favors he had
conferred upon her dear Charles, etc.
In the morning the worthy deacon
would have smiled inwardly at this
ELUSIVE panegyric. This afternoon he
Rugged it like poultice to his aching
heart. 1t soothed his wounded self
love, and inclined him toward his fair
eulogist, to whom he recounted pleas
ant anecdotes of her husbands boyhood.
Indeed, he made himself SO agreeable
that she was rather sorry to reach
Churchville, where the whole party was
cordially welcomed at the house of Mr..
Zenas Torrey.
A proud man was Mr.. Phoenix. He
would not for the world have had his
recent disappointment suspected by his
wife's relatives, and during those three
days of Conference he carried himself
with a resolute cheerfulness that some
times-out of meeting, of course
verged upon freshness. Mrs. Vance
told Mrs. Zenas Torrey that he was
"iust splendid" which compliment
Mrs. Torrey repeated to him with
meaning smile, limiting that if he
thought of 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 trjfle can
turn the scale of human destiny But
for horses right fore-foot Deacon
Phoenix might have returned to his
home on the morrow as he had left it
free man. 1t was that lame horse that
kicked the beam and decided his fate.
On Friday morning, that meddling
quadruped had been found lamer than
ever. The deacon could do no less than
offer to escort Mrs. Vance home. She
could do no less than to accept the
offer gladly. By some mysterious law
of sequences, this led to a second offer
and a second acceptance. and almost
before he knew it Deacon Phoenix had
pledged himself to escort the widow for