Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-09-17

and bought low crown felt with
stiff brim turned up with satin. AS
sack coats were worn short, he or
dered the shortest that could be
made. He wore light blue and Grim
son ties, and the latest style of col
lars and cuffs.
He could not see why Flo Sheldon
would refuse him. He had $4,000
we'll invested and handsome house
on Prairie avenue. He was neither
young nor good looking, but surely
Flo was too sensible girl to care
about the mere personal appearance
OF man of property, and better still,
a man of intellect. He was so san
guine that he even limited to his ten
ant that he might want the house on
Prairie avenue himself by the first of
May.
''Auntie,'' said Flo, the day after
the opera, 'sMr. Hall is desperately
in love-"
'In love % exclaimed Miss Carson,
making great blot in her note book.
eyes, and with you," continued
the niece.
"With ME p murmured Miss Car
son, blushing.
"Anybody would know it, said
Flo. doesn't he make every ex-
cuse to be where we are? Didn't he
go to church twice with us last Sun
| day-the first sermon he had heard
in years? He took me to the opera
| just to please you. To court the
whole family is an old trick of low
ers. | am the only member of your
family that he knows, and he wants
to get me on his side. 1t is evident
that Mr.. Hall has become convinced
of the fact that he can't live without
you. Accept him, auntie. He would
be the prince of uncles.''
The more Miss Carson thought
over Flo's words the more firmly con-
vinced she became that the girl was
right, so true it is that the wish is fa-
ther to the thought.
Mr.. Hall became jealous of Mr..
Stowe, of Mr.. Wilkins, of Mr.. Crane
and madly jealous of Mr.. Fay. That
the latter was the handsomest man in
the house he could not deny, and MI t.
Hall hated him bitterly.
Finally matters came to a climax.
Mr.. Hall peeped into the parlor one
evening when he knew Flo and Fay
to be there alone. He heard the
word "Darling''-he saw Mr.. Fay
kiss her hand.
1t was enough. He went to Miss
Carson with the whole story. 1t was
improper. 1t was shocking. Who
knew anything about Fay? Who
knew that he had not wife al
ready?
Miss Carson agreed with Mr.. Hall
as a matter of course. She was Sc
we're with her niece for the first time.
"What do you know against Ar
thur Fay?" asked the girl.
"Well, nothing definite, but Mr..
Hall does not like him, and
Flo's eyes flashed. Mr.. Halls
meddling was uncalled for, she said,
and when his advice was needed she
would let him know.
After this she snubbed her elderly
adorer numerically. If he ventured
to remark she answered so curtly that
his breath was almost taken away.
Mr.. Hall became wretched. He
resolved to lay the whole case before
Miss Carson. With her aid he might
yet win the wayward girl, who, per-
haps, after all, was only flirting with
Fay. He found his landlady seated
at the dining-room window, pensive-
ly darning a stocking.
"Miss Carson" he said, drawing
chair to her side, II want to speak
to you about something that has lain
on my heart for the last -four
months.
Miss Carson's hands trembled SO
much that she could hardly hold hel
darning needle.
"You are a shrewd woman," he
resumed. "You cannot be blind to
the subject of my attentions to your
niece"
She tried to speak, but the words
died in her throat. She made an eff
fort to thread her needle. Anxious
to engage her whole attention, Mr.
Hall took her hand and uttered q
sha1p exclamation as the needle
pierced his thumb.
''Flo suspected this" whispered
Miss Carson.
s.Ha! she did? What did she
say?"
'sOh, she liked you very much
then. but lately
'sOh, / know have been fool
but with your consent | shall yet bt
the happiest man in Chicago"
ssAnd / am the happiest woman,
she murmured. ssOh, Mr.. Hall, o.
Jacob, l suppose | ought to call yol
now, shall do all in my power to bt
a good wife,
In her agitation she covered he
face with the stocking she had beer
darning and wept.
There was an awful silence. Mr.
Halls tongue was paralyzed. Was
this an awful dream? Or was he 60
ing mad?
ssYou must excuse me" said Miss
, ~