Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-06-15

step with him"
"He doesn't seem to be going" said the
daughter, with yexed laugh. "You know
you can't walk a rod You'll surely have n
relapse, mamma, if you don't sit still"
Again Harvey led the pony. Again the
tantalizing nag stiGened in his harness the
minute Miss Lila took the reins. Many times
| was this farce repeated, and many were the
minutes wasted. Meantime the sky had been
overcast, and thunder was muttering in the
distance.
My mother has been very i'll. II she is
| caught in the shower she may get her death,
cried Miss Lila in distress. "Oh, what shall
we doI'
'If you'll pardon the suggestion, / might
drive you to the Eyrie, if that is your dest-
nation said Harvey, with a deprecatory
| glance at his masquerading costume.
"Oh, .rH you? But there is your horse
and cart?"
~ could come back for them"
"And with all mammals shawls and pillows
the phaeton is hardly wide enough for US
| two"
THAT is true it is Lilliputian affair 3"
The youth was gravely testing its light
| springs and braces
rs there danger Of breaking down? Then
| you go with mamma, and I'll drive the cart F"
Lila Cavender! The ideal" eGpostulated
the invalid.
"Tom Cavenders mother and sister, by the
| ashes of my uncle! Confound it, what a
scrape" was the young soap merchants in.
ward ejaculation as he awaited the ladies
| pleasure.
"What better can do, mamma? l shall
ride famously. Unless you're afraid to trust
me with your horse, the young lady added,
with glance toward Harvey.
Not in the least He's far from being a
| fiery Bucephalus."
Struck with the iucongruity of the remark
| from such a source, Miss Lila lost all control
| of her dimpes.
THAT seat is suspended between tho heav-
ems and the earth, like Mohammed's coffin,
mamma, she jested, by way of cloaking her
untimely mirth. zone ought to be shot into
it out Of a catapult.'
To aid the young lady in mounting, Har-
yey silently extended a hand, whose exceed
ing smuttiness was intensified by seal ring
that glittered upon the little finger. Miss
Lila glanced curiously at the fine cameo with
its quaint setting. Who was this anomalous
| being who sported costly ornaments and
| quoted from the classics? And where, where
had she seen that peculiar cameo before, or
one Just like il? All! now she recollected :
Tom had worn it home last vacation, when
he and his chum had exchanged rings. But
how had this soap man become possessed of
it Could it be that he and Harvey Vance
were identical? Tom had said that Harvey
was spending the summer in the neighbor-
| hood. This must be he. Yes, she was sure
of it.
Obedient to the young mans will, that un-
accountable pony dartod away on the wings
of the wind. Close behind, head down, tail
up, followed old Dobbin in heavy can,er
which seemed to shake the very leaves on the
trees, Charged upon by the empty soap
barrel Miss Lila slipped to the other side Of
the seat and clung to the ash-bin. A mile
vas passed, two miles. The gable rooted
| Eyrie loomed in the distance. On sped the
| pony; on numbered old Dobbin on swooped
the storm cloud. A dozen guests crowded
out upon the hotel piazza to witness the ex-
| citing race.
How white Mrs Cayendcr looks :" cried
one. "Wherc did she pick up that fantastic
| driver"
as that Miss Lila in the cart" exclaimed
the gentleman addressed "Well, she's
| girl of mette! Ha, here comes the rain
As the phaeton dashed up he rushed out
with an open umbrella to escort Mrs. Cayen-
| der into the house In mounting the steps
she turned toward Harvey.
"You have done us great service sir. l
assure you we are grateful, My daughter
will see that you are recompensed for your
| time and trouble
"The dickens she will :" thought the dea
| cons indignant substitute.
Standing beneath the dripping caves with
rivulets of lye coursing down his cheeks, he
assisted the moist young lady to alght, Il
am-we are deeply indebted to you," she
stammered, blushiugly. NY mother"
" Has taken no cold, | trust, said he,
loftly. Good afternoon"
Aud horse, cart and driver disappeared
kitchenward.
In putting the cart to rights that evening
| Harvey discovered grimy object caught be-
| tween the scat aud the ash bin. 1t proved to
be a lady's pocket handkerchief, bearing in
| one corner the name of Lila Cavender." He
handed it to his aunt for bleaching purposes,
and received in return letter from Tom.
Ny mother and sister have perched at
the Eyrie, on Emden Hil," it ran. my
mother is getting up from a fever, and is
bound to get us high up as she can. If you're
anywhere near their secluded nest do peep in
upon tn sm. They'll be charmed to make
| your acquaintance"
'I believe I'll take that handkerchief to
| Miss Cavender tomorrow, aunty, and have it
of my mind, " remarked Harvey carelessly,
| as he folded the letter.
"Well-or you might send it by stage"
But Harvey was deaf to the suggestion,
The next evening, faultlessly attired, and
Eyrie, and was cordially welcomed by both
Mrs. Lavender and her daughter. Convinced
that he was not recognized as squire of the
! soap cart he saw no necessity for proclaim
| ing himself such. In making his first call
why should he introduce himself as a clown?
you've made quite a visit" was his aunt's
salutation when Harvey entered the sitting
room. "Was the girl glad to get her hand
| kerchief?"
"To tell the truth, auntie, I didn't give it
to her."
"Humph! Strange how handsome young
woman will weaken a chaps memory" OBJ
served the deacon, slyly, as his wife ban
daged the offending ankle. II don't see but
Harveyll have to call again"
He did call again, and again, and again.
Indeed, his rides to the Eyrie grew so fire.
quent that his uncle one day teasingly oouu-
selled him to buy second saddle-horse
"Or get a carriage that will hold two,
amended his aunt. At which the youth
flushed guiltily, confirming Mrs. Clutter in
her private opinion that he was very far
gone"
He went further yet that evening-even to
the length of proposing to Miss Lila.
The little coquette only laughed, and bade
him not to be absurd.
Absurdl He would really like to know
what she meant.
Oh they were both so young.
Harvey looked hurt and intimated that he
at least, was nearing the down-hill of life.
And he didn't know her well enough.
The youth eagerly protested that he knew
her well enough to love her.
Besides, I'm not sure but l like another
young man better"
"Oh, if you care for somebody else, why
then-why, in that case" Harvey fount
the English tongue terribly intricate, and rose
with precipitation.
~ met him Grst, you know, and am undel
great obligations to him"
"Oh, it's all right. You're all right,
mean but think Tom might have told me.
"Told you whatS"
About this other fellow"
"There isn't much to tell, said Miss Lila
demurely. "He hasn't come forward" Har
vey drew on his glove with a mystihed air
"But am looking for him any day now, fo
! the EyTie is nearly out of soap"