Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-01-11
GOLD AND GILT.
In Early Spring.
nMLnIEn L

She was a very pretty girl and she knew
1t, and did her best, in an innocent sort OF
way, to let other people know it and she
could not help thinking, as she walked along
the Fethsm road, that keeping company
with Tom Dawlish-whO was just a plain,
honest, Woodworking young fellow-was
rather waste Of tune, aud that marrying
him would be altogether throwing herself
away.
Her reflections came to an end at the door
of Messrs Bradbury's office, and she walked
in wholly intent on the bill she had to pay.
A smart looking young man received the
money when the receipt was made out and
she turned to 20. she found the shower which
had threatened for some time was coming
down with a vengeance.
"Oh dear, she said, and have no um-
brella."
wait here few minutes, miss; it will
soon be over" said the smart young man
and then, having accepted his offer OF shel.
ter, Mary found herself after minute or two
thinking that be was "a very nice. looking
young gentleman (as she afterwaad described
him to the cook }, aud that he had beautiful
hair-it was 80 nicely curled- and he had
little dark mustache, and wore such pretty
blue necktie; oh he was very nice looking,
indeed.
"Are you Miss Pooles sister 2" he asked,
after few minutes conversation. Mary
flushed as she replied truthfully-for she was
far too good girl even to equivocate-that
she was not such distinguished individual,
but only the housemaid and chsmbermaid
combined. Aud then he asked what her name
was, and with another blush she told him
that it was Clara, but Mrs. Poole said it was
too fine name for servant, and SO called
her Mary.
81 shall call you Clara" he said; "shall
II" he added. with an appealing glance. Ma
ry felt her heart beat faster Something
seemed to tell her that her destiny had come,
and she had no words to say. So he follow
ed up his successful sally with another one :.
DO you ever get out of an evening for a
walk ?"
Sometimes, she said, softly.
"wll you go for a walk with me next
timer
1T wouldn't be right You are quite
strange, you see, she answered, slowly.
"Oh we'll soon get over that, you know.
Perhaps you are engaged though p Mary s
inconvenient heart gave thump, which
showed that he meant business, e., matri-
mony.
NO, I'm not; but I'm wanted to be. -
Not very lucid answer, but he understood
it.
"who to" he asked, coaIingly.
"Well, perhaps l oughtnt to say his
name, she answered slowly for in this, the
most important moment of her life, as she
felt it to be, words seemed altogether to fail
her.
"what is he p
"He's-he's carpenter" Mary never felt
the truth more difficult to tell in all her life.
"a carpenter !" he said, in telling tone
Of injury, not unmixed with scorn. well,
| of course, if I'm not better than a carpen.
| ter"
ooh you are you are, sir, said Mary,
in her excitement putting out ner hand, and
resting it for just moment on his sleeve.
Mary lost her heart to the smart young
| man with the blue tie and the Well-oiled hair
He never said anything more definite than
he said that first day but he was always
ready to take her out, and most particular
/ about her dress and the result was that al
her little hoard of savings went in more ol
less ill-chosen fnery, and Tom Dawlish was
forgotten. There WAS only one thing she re
| fused to do, and that was, she would not give
up her Saturday afternoon to him. She haC
always had to take little Frankly Poole ou
| for long walk on that day it being his hal
| holiday, and she would never consent to hi
being allowed to run about wild in Kensing
ton Gardens, as Alfred Hill (for so the smar
young man was called) suggested, while sh,
walked about with her fine sweetheart
"He is such wild little fellow nobod!
knows what he might do if he had the
| chance"
"Ah you don't care for me-" said tn,
hero of the coal merchants office and th
proud recipient of thirty shillings week in
come. No answer came save that her clasp
ed hands made one in their dumb movemen
of contradiction. Not love him. Why, ever.
moment in the day was devoted to thinking
of him her work was neglected; her none.
spent; her place in a fair way of being for
feited, and poor Tom Dawlish nearly heart
broken, and yet he said she did not love him
"Ah! you don't care for me" he repeated
artfully enough, for no avowal of his owl
feelings had ever escaped his lips.
'Oh do, do" she said and Coverin
her face with her hands, let her head droo
upon his shoulder.