Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-12-31

Aunt Joanna lived near the fair
grounds, and they had quite a long
ride from the depot.
They stopped before pretty frame
house, with grape trellis around the
door, and rookery front. A round
faced woman stood on the porch with
a baby in her arms. A young man
came down side street towards them
"a young man in long linen duster
and a Wide Awake hat.
"Oh, aunt, there he is now-the very
one that picked my pocket" cried Fe'
licia, Historically. Catch him-make
him give it up,'
"Where where?" cried Aunt Joan
ma, staring eXcitedly about.
There, in the walk. He's nearly
to the gate. It's him-I know it's
himw cried Felicia.
"That? Why, that's William Hen
ry! He never stole your pocket book,
Felicia asserted Aunt Joanna, indig-
nantly.
"Nhat is it about a pocket-book %
asked William Henry, mystified by his
cousins words
"She lost her pocket t-book,' explained
Aunt Joanna "a young man that
helped em off the train took it, and
Felicia thought you was him."
80 l am" said William Henry,
coolly; "that is, helped her off the
cars, but l didn't PICK her pocket.
came up on the same train with my
cousins, though / did not recognize
them, it's been so long since l had seen
them BEFORE" he added, looking more
particularly at Althea, who stood With
dropping eyes and blushing cheeks
behind her cousin.
"And did you think l was a pick
pocket, too?' he asked,as they followed
Aunt Joanna and Felicia to the house.
"Oh no, indeed, did not" said Al
thea, eagerly, raising pair of earnest
blue eyes to his face. 81 was sure
Felicia had dropped it."
Aunt Joanna could hardly forgive
her niece for the mistake, but William
Henry treated it as joke.
"When ! reached home and found
mother setting out to meet her two
nicces from the country, l knew it
must be you" he explained, "and l
thought how it would surprise you to
find me here, so didn't tell mother l
had seen you. I'll go down tomorrow
aud see about Felicia's trunk" he ad-
dcd, as they all sat down to the dinner,
which Sary Ann declared "was stone
cold with waiting so long"
Felicia felt mortified and ashamed
at her cousins words, blt she couldn't
mend matters with further apologies.
"IIello!"' cried William Henry, the
next morning, as he glanced over the
daily paper. "This must be yours,
Felicia! Found, a red morocco pocket
book, at the Union Depot, which the
owner can have by proving property.
Call at this Office
And so Felicia recovered her pocket
book, which she had dropped in getting
off the train. Her trunk was procured,
and the catnip, mullen, ETC., duly pre-
sented and hung up in the kitchen to
dry, according to directions.
Somehow Felicia didn't enjoy the
visit so much as she had expected,
though William Henry took the girls
out to the 100000" to rover Grove,
and Forest Park, and Oh 10 the great
bridge across the Mississippi, where
the band played on Thursday after
noons
There was the shopping to do; also
the pink calico for Grandma Filkins
"albium" quilt, the shaker flannel and
the check for Susan's aprons.
At last the visit was over and the
girls were starting home.
William Henry accompanied them
to the depot
81 wish you were going all the way"
said Althea, shyly, as he took her hand
to help her on the cars.
$50 l am,' said William Henry
promptly. "l'm going to ask Grandma
Filllin's consent to marry you"
And he looked admiringly at the
dropping eyes and pink cheeks, which
grew pinker beneath his gaze.
4 \ X X
oval, dunno as | have anything
agin it, William Henry" said Grand
ma Filkin, slowly. "Altheas
mighty good girl, an kin keep house.
an weave an spin, ekal to anybody in
the county. But she amt got cent
of money to her name Now, if you'd
of tuck "A fancy to Felicia"
81 don't want Felicia; I want Al
thea" persisted William Henry; and |
don't care if she hasn't got cent. l
can earn enouuh for ia both"