Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-09-12
THANhIs TO THE roc.

"Whatever you do, eBchew good looks
Pleasant enough, I'll allow, if you could keep
them for your own consumption but an in
tolerable nuisance, as you can't blind your
friends"
"Humph plain face opposite TO you
day after day would be deuoed unpleasant. "
''Yes, but a beauty is the devil Poor
Cornwall never got over it, when his wife
had once become the fashion. She took all
the individuality out Of him, and as Mrs.
Cornwalls husband, he provided a carpet for
other men to tread on. Have you got any one
in your eye ?"
Vivian blushed like a girl. "I-I-dont
know just yet. It's five years since l saw
her"
Time for a woman to be married over and
over again or, worse than that, she might
have had the smallpox or lost an eye. What's
her name, and where does she hang out 2"
The other leaned forward and lowered his
voice. "Mind-strict confidence Mabel Lo-
raine."
by Jove!" and Val Forester sat bolt up
right an expression of dsmay passing over
his pleasant face.
"Whnt are you looking like that for? You
are not hard hit. It's not case OF TN have
her or die ?"
mo, no, nothing of the sort, the white
ness OF his cheeks belying his words II
was at her wedding last month"
Frank Vivian stopped to pick up the cigar
he had dropped. Her nsme?" His voice
was calm but hoarse.
Lady Waverley. Her husbands Sir Guy
He ran horse for the Derby, but it fell dead
lame before it reached the Corner Have q
b. and s. Z" as Vivian rose in hurry.
Thanks. Can't stop. Forgotten an Rp
pointment. Ia, ta" With his hat drawn
over his eyes, he hurried down the steps of
the Army and Navy, up st. Jsmes's street
into Piccadilly, not caring in the least where
he went, only anxious 10 get away from the
continual greetings of his friends.
Knowing that romance was a thing to be
sneered at, that true love was a butt for chat
and contempt, he had buried his dream in
the depths of his heart, and hirted with the
Calcutta bellies as gayly as the rest of his
brother officers.
Now It WAS all over-the dream as well as
the hope of realization. He had thought that
even in this prosaic age he had found one
verse Of poetry; but the page was blank
and the verse, if ever written by any other
pen than his own conceit, had been most
carefully erased. Unless to pull a wry face
for other men to laugh at better to grin and
bear it, telling himself that mstrimony was
ever lottery and the greatest prizes had a
knack of turning out far worse than blanks.
1t was the first night OF the pearl of opera
| singers after a lengthy absence, and Covent
| Garden was crammed from the stalls to the
ceiling. The second act was over, and Viv.
ian stood up in the third row of stalls to let
his glasses wander round the house on q voy-
age Of discovery. A friend tapped him on
the shoulder Look at Waverey. He doesn't
look much smiss, although he's Just passed
uYh Nhaf Of ka.,
eymoon. His wife's sumner, and not bit
stand -offish, so they say. Couldn't see her
on her wedding day, her veil had such beast
ly pattern but tonight, by George she re-
| pays you ~ A pause. She's smiling at one
of us, excitedly. "You didn't know her, SC
it must be me. Let us go up; I'll introduce
you"
bitter smile hovered around vivian's
mouth, but he said nothing. She chose to
smile at him with the prettiest lips in the
world with just the same blush az when they
parted so miserably under the trees, but his
face was grave and impassive. Looking over
his shoulder, before he disappeared through
| the doorway, he saw that an old man with
gray hair had taken Sir Guys place in the
front of the box. With Dorrington on one
side, this stranger on the other there would
be no opportunity for private conversation
but he felt it was worth the journey from
India only to stand within sound of her voice,
within reach of the glance of her eye-worth
a large sum in pounds, shillings, and pence,
| although to hear her was torture to see her
madness. Love must be very bad for US
when it turns the wisest among us into fools.
On their way they met the baronet him
self, slipping into his overcoat as he came
| toward them.
How do Dorrington-pretty ?"
Gas At vnuraalf I Was inaf o,oips, to
pay my respects to Lady Wsverley. My
friend, Captain Vivian" (Sir Guy raised his
hat, sis dying to be introduced"
80 sorry you can't see her but she's laid
| up with a headache Come and have a
smoke"
With blank faces they turned round, think
| ing cigarette poor consolation for their
disappointment.
The fellow can't be jealous of me al
ready" ruminated Frank, unless she told
him what she is sure to make point of for
getting. thought she seemed to want me
but women are queer oreatures-prone to
beckon one minute, and turn the cold shoul-
der if you venture to come l won't have
anything to do with them I'll be hanged if
l bother myself about them again, he add
| ed eneTgetically, as he threw the end of his
| cigar on the steps.
Nevertheless he was conscious of every
movement in the Waverley's box, and his in
| dignation rose sky high as he saw man after
man admitted during the course Of the even
ing. Patti sang her sweetest, but he scarce
ly heard her. A pretty girl a great ally of
his before he started for India, looked over
her shoulder with smile which would have
| induced any other man TO take up only too
gladly the broken thread of past filtration,
but he remained as unresponsive as a block
of stone.
On leaving the theatre he refused all invi-
tations to enticing little suppers, such as used
to have a special charm for him when he was
| in the vein for amusement, and early the
next morning started for his home in Corn
wall in pronounced fit of the sulks.
80 Captain Vivian, the faithful and fas-
cinating Lancer, has returned to the field of
| his former conquests and poor Charles last
chance has gone" said Lady Waverley, look
| ing up into her cousins serious face, with a
mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
Captain Vivian, to judge from the way
| his coat sets, is faithful to his tailor, but
there his fidelity ends. Poor Mary Arm
strong, who sat just in front of him, nearly
dislocated her stumpy little neck in her ef-
forts to look at him, and he didn't know she
was there"
/
II don't see Why" drawing up her own
neck, which was anything but stumpy. 81
was too much occupied with the dear old gem
eIal to notice him."
"Then perhaps he was not 80 cruel to Ma
ry as you faneied ?" a small smile lowering
round her pretty lips.
"He bowed to her once, but that was all.
'How could you tell if you didn't look at
him 2"
81 couldn't help looking at him a certain
extent when he was just under my nose"
1T must have been a disagreeable necessi.
B."
"It was. 1 used to think he wasn't bad
looking. Last night he looked hideCus."
but you are short-sighted, and he kept at
distance"
81 am thankful he did-old friends are
such bore" her cheeks, which were as soft
as velvet, ooloring like Jaoqueminot rose.
"Then won't ask him TO dinney."
l PRAY do, il you feel inclined"