Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-15
SIMPLICITY ITSELF,
4 Pleasant Little story of woman,
Wit.
[By Margaret Eythinge.l


Miss Verona Allison sat by the opeI
window in her own little snuggery, he
eyes bent upon the letter she held in lie
hand. From the expression on her re
markably expressive face an expression
that curled the short upper lip of larg
but well-formed mouth, and caused ma
turally turned up-nose to turn up still
more-one watching her might have beer
led to think that the contents of the let
ter awakened no pleasurable feelings
thought that would have been confirmed
when on reading the last line our scorn
full young woman threw herself back il
her much-be-rjbboned willow rocker, ant
exclaimed: simplicity, indeed The
mans an idiot"
"What MANI" asked Miss Phebe, com
ing quietly into the room.
"Your friends son, Mother Phebe, Mr.
Peter Candy. Why, his very name makes
you at once think of goose-I mean 0
male goose"
"My dear said Miss Phebe, mildly,
as she seated herself in another highly
decorated chair, and folded her hands il
her lap-a sign that she was ready for O
long and confidential chat-'I see nc
reason why you should call the young
man an idiot. Idiots, to give Webster's
mildest definition of them, are unlearned,
Ignorant, or foolish persons" Peter
Candy is none OF these.
"His mother was my most intimate
friend at school. Our braids-pigtails
rude boys called them-were always tied
with the same colored ribbon, and oul
sun.bonnets trimmed with the same col
ored silk. People laugh at school friend.
my Int &C
those-But that's neither here nor there.
Where was 1? Oh, yes. We were in.
separable friends, and we promised eacl
other faithfully.-having read great
many romances where such promises had
produced the happiest results-that if We
married land we both certainly expected
to do SOY, and one had son and the Other
daughter, we would endeavor to bring
about marriage between them wher
they had attained suitable age She
married, soon after she graduated, MAJ
considerably older than herself, with the
decidedly unpoctical name of Peters
name he insisted upon transmitting tc
his only son, though l hear, my dear
that among his dearest friends young Pc
ter is known as Aurelius but he Cthe
elder Peter was wealthy, and Matilda
was fond of-but no matter about that
Where-Oh, yes, remember she mar
ried. A son was the result. / did moi
marry, and consequt ntly have no results
But ] found you, my dear"
"a motherless child, forsaken by M
I'm loving father" interrupted Verona
and springing from her chair, she flung
both arms around Miss Phebe, and kissed
each of her plump rosy cheeks.
"And no real daughter, l am sure,
the elderly lady went ON when Verona had
again seated herself by the window
could have brought me more happiness
and comfort. And now, my DEAR if you
will only make up your mind to receive
this young gentleman in n nice and friend
Nv manner perhaps you will find him Q
very agreeable person, and he may find in
you the realization of his dreams. AND
if You should fall in love with eacl
other"
"But, oh, Mother Phebe," interrupted
Verona again, ''in spite of all you say,
cant help thinking he mnst be such .
such a-idiot Just listen" And she
proceeded to read from the letter, in @
drawling, affected manner 81, like my
glorious teacher, Oscar Wilde, love Ma.
ture, love Beauty-Beauty unadorned
Beauty pure and simple would have
the maiden Of my choice owe raught to
Art. If she wear flowers, let them be OF
the blossoms Of the fields and meadows
rather than the costliest of artificial
blooms /; and if some slight blemish MAI
her loneliness, let her not seek to hide il
by rouge, or powder, or any other lie,
but by the sunshine of her smiles so daz-
zle the beholder that he will see it not.
As to her dress, better in my eyes is the
plainest Of homemade gowns then the
richest robes of silk and satin disfigured
by all the paraphernalia of the mantua-
maker. All, could l but find such a
maiden !" Now, Mother Phebe, the idea
OF his writing such stuff-for it is stuff
to you. But Of course he thought