National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-12-06

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day, thought Dunraven, and an involun-
tafy sigh escaped him as he imagined how
a nature SO intense would DO capable OF
suffering should love prove snare or do
fusion, ss II SO often docs.
Phebe. for her part liked the young man
in a childish way, az she did Daddy Crofts,
though in less degree. but wept openly
and long when the time came for Dun
raven to return to Boston.
"Do not cry, my little Phebe," said the
young man, touched by her innocent
grief. ~ will write to you, my child, and
whom come again will bring you the
largest doll 1 can find in all Boston"
The proposed line Of railroad was never
built. Young Dunraven did not return
west tho following year, and ho soon
grew to DO knightly and kind, but very
shadowy, figure in tho child's memory g
Morning in the forest. A rush and flut-
ter Of bright wings; chorus of gay bird
voices. The gnsrlod, wild crab apple tree
is all ablush with pink flowers, and sends
forth little gusts Of spicy fragrance.
Phobe pulls down bunch and sniffs
rapturously. She will be 16 the coming
September, yet 1t can be plainly seen sho
has not put away childish things. Her
bingham skirt barely reaches her ankles.
Her golden hair clusters in short. rebel
lious curls about her face. Her blue.gray
Dyes look out from under long, dark lashes
with glance sometimes naughty, some
times rebellious often swoetly tender and
wistfully appealing.
Miss Tryphony Grove, the village dress
maker, says: "The girls eyes almost give
her the dumb.ager, they arc 50 cool and
disdainful." Certainly thCy do not look
ropellaut now. Mr. Snydell by an odd
coincidence, is sauntering down the wood
road. Phobe meets him. He has been
staying at the tavern this spring. Laura
Flipp says he is "a perfect gentleman; so
lively, and such good company"
st. Clair Snydell is the name written
upon his trunk.
There is diversity Of opinion as to
where he came from and what his real
character and occupation may be. Among
other speculative schemes, he has shares
to sell in stock company organized for
the purpose of manufacturing new kind
of fuel. He offers these to tho well-to-do
inhabitants Of Runlet's Grove at low
prico-indeod, ut great sacrihce-Mr.
Syndell solomnly declares.
Lounging one day ut tho village store,
his boringed fingers thrust into his coat
pockets, Syndell notices Phebe as she en-
ters to purchase some trifle.
mo style about her." thought Mr.. Syn
dell, noticing her short dress Of faded
bingham contemptuously. "But what a
face What n figure! She carries her
head like n queen"
Later Mr.. Syndell called at the cottage
to see IL Daddy Crofts would not like to
buy o few shares in the Artificial Fuel
company. The straightforward old man
did not like tho restless, keen ego and
crafty lines about Mr.. Syndelps mouth.
In taking leave, however, no lifted his
hat and bowed his adieu to Miss Crofts,
as he called her. No ono had ever
before lifted their hat and bowed like
that to her, and then, Miss
Crofts," how finely it sounded. Nearly
ovory person in Runlet's Grove called
her Phebe. For the first time 1t began to
dawn upon tho young girl that she was
no longer child. And now this April
morning when no made his appearance
stead Of the old sun bonnet, feeling that
the glorious sunlight was almost cruel
since it could not fail to reveal her
freckles.
II was beautiful season. Waters
rushed joyously through the green land.
Yo ing ducks sought the reedy borders
of the creek. Wild geese flew, Changing
and quacking, over the hamlet on their
YEARLY VOYAGE to the big pond. The
cherry tree stood waiting all in bridal
white. vagrant bees droned lazily about
these all day. Through the balmy air the
bluebird throbbed like q flash of azure
flame.
Mr.. Snydell walked home with Phebe.
After this no often met her In her walks,
and sometimes called at tho cottage.
though tho old broom. maker ever treated
him gruffly.
As summer advanced Phebe found her
self watching for him daily, and un-
happy If he drove past the cottage with
Laura Flipp.
In the suns warmth natures great
heart beat with dreamy delight, but
Phebe's unrest grew more intense.
The peoples biazed in the garden and
along tho dusty roads, early golden rod
shook out feathery sprays Of ardent color.
Then for the first time in her life,
Phebe held secret from Daddy Crofts,
although it was open history to the viii
lsge that Snydell persistently sought her.
He had fascinated her. Phebe, being alb
solutely ignorant OF evil, could not fathom
his unscrupuloue character. Finally Sny-
dell, still moro emboldened, begged her
to leave her foster-iather forever; lie
would take her, no SAID, TO new orleans,
where her triumphs as his wife would be
complete. she ionged TO tell her FOSTER
father, but snydeil iorDade THIS abso'
lutely.
She craved SO much for q richer and
fuller life than the humdrum one she led.
Mr.. SnydelPs description OF the flowers
and sunshine, the brilliant balls where
she, Phebe, was TO reign as queen OF
fashion and beauty, dazzled her.
At last there came day when he de-
clarod she must answer him. "yes' or
mo-" within the next twenty-four hours.
Yet Phebe had not come to any con-
clusion. She passed wakeful night, and
had just fallen into an uneasy slumber
when the aroma OF coffee arose from the
kitchen, and the cheerful voice OF Daddy