Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-09-05

Z
why, cause he wanted to. Why does
any feller go TO see girl ~
1t was Inez's turn to color then. II never
thought of such a thing ~ that, said she.
II don't believe it, mother"
He did, sures preachin"
81 never thought OF asking him to come
in. l guess you are mistaken, mother No.
body ever came to see me s0."
Inez kept thinking about it uneasily. 1t
was new uneasiness for her.
The next day she met Willy Linheld in the
village store. She stepped up to him at
! once.
"Willy," said she, 81 didn't ask you to
come in last night, and | thought, p'rhaps,
| afterward, I'd ought TO- | never thought of
| your wanting to come in. l supposed you'd
! come on an errand."
The young fellow had looked stiff and Of
Tended when she first approached him, but it
was impossible to doubt her honest apology.
"Well, / kinder thought Of making little
call on you, Inez, he owned, coloring.
'Tm very sorry, then; but no young man
ever came to see me before, and I never
thought Of such thing"
She looked into his face pleasantly. He
| gained courage. Say, Inez," said he, "the
bell-ringers are going to perform in the hall
| tomorrow night. Wouldn't you like TO 90
with me?"
"Yes, I'd like to. Thank you, Willy"
Inez was not easily perturbed, but she
went home now in 6ntter. Such a thing
as this had never happened to her before.
Young men had never shown much partiality
for her Now she was exceedingly pleased.
| She had never realized that she cared, be-
cause she had not had the experience of 9th
| or girls but now her girlish instincts awoke.
| She really had good deal Of her mothers
simplicity about her though it was redeemed
| by native shrewdness.
Now she began to revolvo in her mind
again the project Of the red ribbon. She did
want it 80 much, but she felt as if it was such
u dreadful extravaga ce. At last she decided
to getit. She actually looked pale and scared
when she stood at the counter in the little
millinery shop buying it,
Shs went home with it feeling guilty de-
| light, aud showed it to her mother, and told
her of Willy Linhed's invitation. She had
not before. This was on the afternoon of
the concert day.
My !" said her mother, elated, you've
| got a beau, lpez, as sure as preachin, an the
| red ribbons beautiful"
Inez could not rid herself of the guilty
feeling, however. She gave her mother a
piece of honey-comb for her supper. 1T
amt fair for me to be buying ribbon out of
the mortgage money, and mother have moth
| ing, - said sheto herself. 80 she must have the
| honey, and that makes two things out"
But when Inez, with the crisp red bow at
| her throat, followed her escort awkwardly
through the lighted hall, and sat by his side
listening to the crystal notes of the bell-ring
ers, the worry about the ribbon and the
weight of the mortgage seemed to slip for
moment from her young bowed shoulders.
| She hardly thought of them, only to look at
some other girls with ribbons, and to be glad
that she had one too She was making a
grasp for few minutes at the girlhood she
! had never had.
The concert was Wednesday. Saturday
| she and her mother drove to Bolton to sell
their butter and eggs again. When they got
home, Iuez opened the parlOr, which was
never used, and swept and busted it. 1t was
a grand apartment to her and her mother.
1t had never been opened since her fathers
| funeral. When she first unclosed the door
to-day she seemed to see the long coffin in the
middle of the floor, where it had rested then.
She shuddered a little. Folks that have
had troubles do see cofins afterward, even
when they're happy, | suppose, muttered
she to herself
Then sue went to work. There was a large
mahogany bureau in one corner of the room
some fsg-bottomed chairs stood stifty around; (;
there was an old.fRshioned card-table, with
Mrs. Hemaus's poems and the best lamp in
| Dthu lhup Luhl Ou ANs D0AHcth Aue lNO
front windows. A narrow glt.framed look
ing-glass hung over it.
Mrs. Morse heard Inez at work, and came
in. "What air you dom on, Inezt' she
asked, in wonder.
81 Just thought I'd slick up here a little.
| Willy Linfeld said-he might-drop III awhile
Sunday night" Inez did not look at her
mother Somehow she felt more ashamed
before her than she would have before a
smarter woman.
MY sakes, Inez, you don't say so You
have got beau as sure as preachin'. Your
father kept right on glar, after we once
set up of a Sunday night. You'll have to
put a new wick in that lamp, Inez."
I'm see TO it, mother, replied lnez, short
ly. She was delighted herself, but she felt
angry with her mother for showing so much
eation; it seemed to cheaper her happi-
ness.
Sunday, Inez went with her mother to
church in the morning and afternoon. She
went to Sabbath-school after the morning
service too. She was in class of girls of
her own age. She had never felt, someway
as if she was in the least one of their kind.
She never had the things they had, or did
anything which they were accustomed to do.
To-day she looked at them with a feeling of
kinship. She was girl too. Three or four
of them had lovers. Inez eyed them, and
thought how she had one too, and he was
coming tonight as well as theirs.
She had work to do Sundays as well as week
days There were COWS to milk and hens to
feed But she changed her dress after sup
per, and put on the red ribbon bow. She
picked a little nosegay of cinnamon roses out
in the front yard (there were a few of these
little dwarf roses half buried in the tall grass
there), aud arranged them in an old wine
glass on the parlor mantel. When she heard
WHY'S feet on the slate walk and his knock
on the front door, her heart beat as it never
had before.
''Theres your beau, Inez p cried her mo-
ther; "he's come ~
Inez was terribly afraid that Willy would
hear what her mother said the windows
we're all open. She went to the door trem-
bling, and asked him into the garnished par
lor.
Mrs. Morse staid out in the kitchen. The
twilight deepened She could hear the soft
hum of voices in the parlor. 'IneZ is il
there courtin," said she. Her father an
me used to court, but it's all over. There's
something queer about everything"
Willy Linield came many Sunday nigh
after that. 1t got to be said all around tha
, Willy Linfield was going" with Inez Morse
Folks wondered why he fancied her. He wa'
a pretty, rather dandified young fellow, anC
Inez was so plain in her ways She looked
ten years older than he, though she wal
about the same age.
On Monday afternoon she told her mother
( that Willy the night before had asked her tC
marry him. The two women sat at the kitch
en- windows resting. They had been wash
ing and were just through. The kitchen
floor was freshly secured everything LOOKED
damp and clean.
, "You don't say so, Inez !" cried her mo
! ther, admiringy. "What did you tell him
OF course you'll have him he's real nic
/ feller an don't believe you'll ever get any
body else"
II told him I'd have him if he'd wait thre
years for me to pay of the mortgage" re
70 piled Inez, quietly.
Did he say he would?"
4 "Yes"
''Its long time for a Teller to wait sait
her mother, shaking her head obviously
I'm sfear'd you'll lose him, Inez."
2 "Then I'll lose him, said Inez. I'm go
, ing to pay off that mortgage before marry
any man. Mother, look here" she went on
| with passion which was totally foreign Il
: her and showed how deeply she felt abou
the matter. "You know a little how fee
, about that mortgage. 1t amt like any com