The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-01-11


+ be arrived al the unwelcomc convietiS
a that she bad no liking for him. or 81
would have listened to his pleadings. 81
) had inierposed the old gentleman mere
!. as cushion. TO soften the blow Of her Z
d jsction.
z fhe took smiling leave IL was b
5 cause pride tugged at bis facial muscle
d for TO tell the truth, he had never be,
: more disappointed aud ehagrined in b
life OF what avail the stylish equipas
upon which he once pinned hImsel
! Was II not bearing him on to tomb An
$ why should be wish to prolong his cart
! ~ pilgrimage2 What attraction bad ii
! for him. a lonely old man nearly seven,
years old2"
Hardly conscious OF the reins. he ba
driven solue miles at an unsanctified pse
J wheH he almost ran over Mr.. Tore,
, brother of the deceased Lucinda, WHO WI
walking behind his carriage up long a
cent.
Going TO conference?" asked that gen
tleman after an exchange of greetings
Didn't you come roundabout way?"
II am inclined to think did. assente'
the deacon with prodigious show OF can
dor. "a roundabout way, and har'
way. Is your wife with you2'
Eyes, and the widow Vance. l have Il
foot it up hill You see. Horse stepped OF
a rolling stone q piece back, and lamet
himself
Your load is too heavy; Jet Sister Tor
rey ride with me.
But Sister Torrey, being nervous, lie
Lucinda before her, and mortally afraid OF
the deacon's spirited horse it was in the
end Mrs. Vance who nestled into the va
cant seat. She was gushing young wid-
ow whose mitigated grief manifested it.
self in certain coquettish bows OF pale Law
ender. She protested that she felt al
ready acquainted with Mr.. Phoenix
through her late husband, to whom he had
been so kind. She was glad to have this
Opportunity to thank him. Sne should
never cease to be grateful for the many
favors he had conferred upon dear
Charles, etc
In the morning the worthy deacon
would have smiled inwardly at this ELUSIVE
panegyric. This afternoon he hugged it
like poutice to his aching heart. 1t
smoothed his wounded self love and in
clined him toward his fair eulogist to
whom he recounted pleasant incidents OF
her husbands boyhood. Indeed he made
himself so agreeable that she was sorry to
reach Churchville, where the whole party
were cordially welcomed at the house OF
Zenas Torrey.
A proud man was Mr.. Phoenix. He
would not for the world have his recent
disappointment suspected by his wife's
relatives, and during those three days OF
lutte cheerfnluess that sometimes-out of
meeting of conrse -verged upon friski- |
ness. Mrs. Vance told Mrs. Torrey that |
he was 'jnst splendid which compli-
ment Mrs. Torrey repeated to him with a
significant smile. limiting that If he
thought about marrying again he
would not have to search far for a wife.
He looked confused and hotly disclaimed
any matrimonial intention. AS for the
young widow, was he not double her age9
Would June join hands with December?
Alas! What an Insignificant trife can
turn the scale of human destinyl But for q
horses fore foot Deacon Phoenix might
have returned to his home on the morrow
,s he had left it-a free man. 1t was the
anne horse that kicked the beam and de-
,ided his fate On Friday morning the
quadruped having been found
amer than ever, the deacon could do no
ess than offer to escort Mrs Vance home
She could do no less than accept the offer
gladly, BY soma mysterious law OF se-
luence this led to the second offer and
econd acceptance, aud almost before he
inew it Deacon Phoenix had pledged him
elf to escort the widow through life.
When, after CALAMITY depositing his prom
sad bride at her own door, he was alone
With his thoughts, he felt little surprised
t his own precipitancy. But he told him
elf over aud over again what fortunate
nan he was how happy he ought to be.
contrary to his usual custom he had acted
rom impulse, aud the result was highly
satisfactory. Highly satisfactory" he
epeated to himself as he passed the en-
rance to the cross road which led to Miss /
Hives. Somehow his reflections we're !
sss cheerful after that Perhaps the chill I
7 rain.storm, just set in, depressed him, q
r perhaps it was the empty hearsc that I
Q met face-to face--for the best Of us have |
ur superstitions. Certain it is that he !
lighted from his buggy that evening with Q
'eariness Of limb and limpnesss OF linen, /
nd his countenance led Mrs Dubbs to i
sar that the meetings had not been profit {
bic. ,
Next morning, thanks to the ungracious 8
Gather, he was aroused by sciatic tor /
ires. To an elderly gentleman newly be- /
-othed to blooming lady greatly his jun
'r. such an awakening was peculiarly /
ryiug. He thought ruefully of,the early I
isit he had promised Mrs. Vance. Should I
nese pains increase, he must defer it in 8
or limp into her presence on
alternative too suggestive Of {
ivancing age Flattered as be was by Z
ae widows acceptance. he could no. deny
lat 1T placed him in position in some Z
sspects irksome, II admonished him that G