Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-07-18

friendly good-afternoon, that day, but
she did not return his polite greeting.
lie repeated it little louder, and still
she took no note of his spectacled-gaze
and new silk hat.
81 hope | haven't offended her in
any way" said Mr.. Sweetlands to him
self; and he tried to think back to the
sentences of his last sermon about gos-
sips and meddlers. 81 don't think |
said anything which she could by any
possibility apply to herself. Miss
Briggs-Miss Briggs, l say"
He waited a minute or so for reply
which did not come; then he sighed
mildly, and walked on.
"These single sisters are perhaps a
triile difficult to manage" said he.
"But doubtless experience will smooth
my pathway in time"
And, naturally enough, the Rev. Mr.
Sweetlands stepped in at Sister Pack
enham's to ask her how she thought
he could possibly have offended Miss
Betsey Briggs.
And just as he was detailing in Mrs.
Packenham's puzzled ears the tale of
his perplexity, a stout, elderly man,
with a seafaring aspect, raped at the
door with the knobby handle of his
ragged stick.
"Ahoy, therer said Captain Giles
Gilliloe. 81 hope amt intrudin', but
these is all strange waters to me.
I've just hailed neighbor,n' craft
Betsey Briggs by name, and she don't
lower no signals. P'raps I've sighted
the wrong coast"
"Nlss Briggs lives at the next house,"
Mrs Packenham said "That's true
enough"
"Pm her cousin" said Captain Giles
Gilliloe. "She has invited me to moor
my craft in these parts for while,
but | amt used to heave anchor along
side o them as don't speak to me civil
And l hope I've made my log-book
clear"
81 really can't account for it," said
Mrs Packenham, with a troubled ex-
preston of countenance. "Set down,
Cap'en Gilliloe. I've often heard her
speak of you, and Pm sure she wouldn't
intend any incivility. Set down and
have chat with Mr.. Sweetlands, our
minister, and I'll step over to Betsey's
at once and see what all this means"
The sun had gone down in the Grim
son blaze which belongs only to July
sEies-a soft purpling twilight was
brooding over the swamp meadow, and
the orange lilies glowed mystically in
the apple orchard. as Mrs. Packenham
hurried toward the old Briggs home
stead, whose chimney stack rose out of
a wilderness of tall lilac bushes. There,
sure enough, was Miss Betsey in the
vegetable garden, her sunbonnet flap
ping in the evening breeze, but Just as
Mrs. Packenham laid her hand on the
latch of the picket gate, Bowse, Far
mer Ponds big red bull, knocked his
horns against weak spot in the adja
cent pasture fence, and came thunder
ing into the inclosure with his tail in
the air, his huge head lowered almost
to the ground and low-muttered note
of defiance breathed through his threat
ening nostrils.
LA, mel" cried Mrs. Packenham-
there's that brute loose again And
not a man in sight And Betsey
Briggs with her red caliker gown on.
She'll be killed as sure as the world
Oh, DEAR oh, dearp'
As the reflection eddied through her
mind, the animal made an infuriated
charge toward the figure darkly out
lined against the hedge of silver-green
pea-vines, uttering savage below as
he rushed past, and Mrs. Packenham
hurried, screaming, down the hill.
"Abram! Mr.. Sweetlands! Cap'en
Gilliloe" she shouted. Help! help
Oh, why don't somebody come? Far
mer Ponds Bowse has knocked poor
Betsey Briggs down into the pea vines,
and is a-gorin' her awful Help! help,
helpl She'll be killed, as true as the
world! Help! help"
Just as she burst into the door at the
end of the kitchen, the opposite one
opened, and in walked--Betsey Briggs
herself, cool, calm and composed, with
a veil folded neatly over her dove color
ed silk hat, and traveling-bag in her
hand.
Mrs. Packenham sat down, and
began to laugh and cry Historically;
Mr.. Sweetlands opened his pale-blue
eyes like watery moons; the squire
stared; Captain Gilliloe held out his
two brown hands and waved a fore
castle welcome.
Miss Betsey looked around in gentle
Dear me!' said she. "What is the
matter? What is everybody looking at
me so for? How dye do, Cousin
Giles? Why don't you 60 on to the
house? l thought you was comm to
make me a visitp
IL don't make out this here
reckonin' at all" said Captain Gilliloe,
his puzzled head. Some
how the wrong signals have been
swung out. But it's all right now
aye, aye, it's all right now! The