The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-08-19

|
dients for a salad, made a peach pie,
and baked loaf of bread, which was
| light and white as sea-foam.
"I'll show him that the country girls
understand good housekeeping" said
| Theo to herself.
" Mr.. Reed was not able to leave his
sofa the next morning, so Theo put on
her pretty blue and white muslin dress
and the gypsy hat with the roses that
became her delicate complexion so per-
| fectly, and went to church, after first
seeing that the table was all spread for
the cold dinner, and the coffee-pot SIM
mering on the stove.
The church was full
Mr.. Hervey was rising luminary in
the theological horizon, and almost
every one in Windfield had heard of
him, so there was no lack of an au-
dience.
But, to Theodora's ineffable dismay,
the tall young man who walked so com
posedly out on the platform was no
other than the frank-faced person who
had stood on her kitchen threshold,
only the day before, and heard her
diatribe on the subject of undesired
guests.
Under the shadow of the roses she
turned redder still.
ooh, my unlucky tongue!" she said,
frantically, to herself. az always knew
it would lead me into trouble! What
must he have thought?'
And, as it may be inferred, Theo-
dora's devotion-albeit, she was in re-
atty sweet, sincere little Christian
did not do her much good that morning
Mr.. Hervey came across into the par
sonage, when the sermon was over, and
held out his hand to blushing Theo-
dora.
"We meet again." he said, with a
smile.
81 can't help it," burst out Theo-
dora, in desperation. g l meant every
word l said, Mr.. Hervey, it was all
you!''
q understand" he said, quietly.
81 was little nettled at the moment,
for 1 merely wished for temporary
shelter while they were refurnishing
my room at the Star Hotel. But / can
easily see, now that have thought the
matter over in a new light, that min
ister's family must be sadly pestered
with volunteer guests. PRAY think no
more of it, Miss Reed"
And he spoke so frankly and pleas
antly that Theo became quite at her
ease, while he carved the chicken and
she prepared the crisp lettuce and the
limpid oil for the salad.
He was taken up to Mr.. Reeds sick
room, after dinner, and had pleasant
chat with him before the afternoon
service.
You have done me a great favor,
sir" said the elder clergyman, when at
length he parted from his guest. "And
we should esteem it privilege-my
little girl and If you would make
your home at the parsonage during
your stay in town. Should we not,
Theo?"
Theodore hung down her head and
turned pink to the very roots of h er
hair.
eyes," she said, almost inaudibly.
"Only-I am ashamed to say so. Oh,
papa" hiding her face on his shoulder,
81 have behaved so badly! l never
should have taken it for granted that
Mr.. Hervey was like the rest"
And then, infinitely to Mr. Hervey's
amusement, she told the whole inter-
view with Deacon Powers.
Mr.. Reed smiled, as he stroked Theo's
head.
My little girl is only little girl"
said he, " and sometimes forgets that
the tongue is an unruly member. But
she will improve as she grows older"
Mr.. Hervey spent the summer at
Windfeld. He was revising the proof
sheets of theological volume, and liked
the quiet and seclusion of the little
village.
Perhaps, too, he liked something else
about it. AT all events, although he
did not make the parsonage his home,
he spent a great deal of his time there.
" Theo," he said, one day-they had
become fast friends by this time-"you
have tasted so many of the petty trials
and annoyances of being a minister's
daughter that l wonder if you would
ever consent to be minister's wife?"
Well" said Theo, half laughing,
half blushing, it would depend good
deal upon who the minister was.'
/" Suppose it was Henry Hervey?"
/" Do you really mean it?" said Theo,
suddenly growing grave.
at is strange, isn't it?" said he,
" that should lose my heart to such
little termagant as you proved yourself
the first day ever saw you? But it is
a fOregone conclusion-I am entirely at
your mercy. Will you be my wife?"
And Theo placed her hand in his and
answered, :" will"
Deacon Powers could not compre-
bend it ALL
eff he marries such a high-tempered
girl as that" said the deacon, "he does
it at his peril. Why, l never was so be-
rated in my life as | was that day at the
parsonage"
But, pa" said the deacon's daugh-
ter, every woman finds her master soon
or late. Now think Theodore Reed has
found hers. "-Helen Frances GraUeS.
Running n Bow.