The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-07-17
BLACKBERRIES.

Tall and slender, with fair, flower
like face, blonde hair, and eyes as
deeply, darkly blue, as wild forget-me-
nots, Phyllis Trescote was very pretty
girl, indeed. So at least, thought
Vane Farrar, as he gazed admiringly
down at her, seated on a moss
cushioned bank, over which a giant
monarch of the forest waved its leafy
branches in the bright summer sun
light.
A party of the young people, who
were spending the season at Eureka
Springs, had taken fancy to go
blackberrying, and as usually happened,
Vane Farrar and Phyllis Trescote
found that their paths lay in the same
direction.
Phyllis had come to Eureka Springs
with her aunt, for the benefit of the
latter's rheumatism, and hither Vane
Farrar had followed her, determined
ere the summer waned, "to put his for
tune to the test and win or lose it ALL,
"Fair, fair, with golden hair" mur-
INJURED the young man, as he watched
Phyllis fitting hither and thither
through the gloom-shaded woodpaths;
and long before they had reached the
blackberry patch, in what was known
as the sold Hart meadow" he had per-
suaded her to rest awhile under the
shadowy branches Of magnificent oak
tree.
Phyllis looked very fair, with the
sunlight sitting through the leafy foli-
age, touching her blonde hair, till it
looked like skein of gold; and with
his heart in his mouth, Vane Farrar
opened his lips to speak.
miss Trescote," he began, "or
Phyllis, if may dare to call you so,
must speak now and place my fate in
your hands, l."
"Oh. here you are!" cried gay voice,
and a thicket of leaves, with tangled
grapevines and thorn bushes, was thrust
aside, and Olive Derringer appeared in
view. "Oh, Phyllis! your aunt has
sent for you to entertain a visitor-a
very important parsonage. l should
say. She wants you to come immedi-
ately. Oh, dear, Pm so tired! I've
hurried over the hills so, to try and
overtake you"
And she threw herself half-breath-
less on the messy cushion, from which
Phyllis had hastily arisen.
Il will go backp' she exclaimed;
"but you and Mr.. Farrar stay--for the
blackberries.
And she fitted away, before Vane,
too gallant to leave Miss Derringer
alone, could find words to protest.
He had caught glance from her
eyes, however, and glimpse of her
radiant, blushing face that filed his
heart with sudden hope-a hope, alas,
which was doomed to wither in the
bud!
VI knew she would rather 60 alone"
alughed Olive, tanning herself with
her broad straw hat "Her visitor is
Elmer Savage; and Of course though
two is company, three is none"
"And who may this Mr.. Elmer Saw
age be?" asked Vane, in as cool voice
rs he could assume, while his heart
was beating furious tattoo in his
bosom.
"Why, don't you know?' asked
Olive, raising a pair of coquettish,
dusky eyes to her companions hand
some face. Don't you know he's her
Intended? I didn't suppose she had
kept her engagement a secret from you
though she does love to firt, poor
childl'
"Young ladies do not usually make
me the confdant of their engage
ments, . responded yane, coolly. "But
why 90 you say poor ehild?' Surely
an engaged young lady is not a subject
fof condolences."
"oh, but you don't knowi Elmer
Savage is Just as honey: and he's old,
loo, and as cross as two sticks, Phyllis
sept him on the hooks good while;
buthes rich rs cream, Jon know, and
70 kse accepted him But what about