Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23
geese together, in the days when she
wore blue ribbon sashes, and his hair
was closely. .shorn mat Of earroty-red?

"Oh Cousin Zebedee, I'm so glad
to see you, and hadn't any idea you
had grown half so handsome"
And she gave him great hug, at
the same time holding up her rosebud
lips for kiss.
But, to her infinite tamazement, the
hero of the sealVkin cap seemed lit
tie backward in responding to her
cousinly advances.
"I.-I beg your pardon" said he,
slightly receding, "but I'm afraid
there Is some mistake. My name Is
not Zebedee and the lady for whom 1
am looking is some yrars older than
YOU"
Bertha Hooper started back coloring
and confused, and as she did so, fat,
comfortable looking old lady came
trundling along the platform In an
India shawl and q boa of Russia sable
worth its weight in greenhacks.
"Charlie!" she cried, ~ thought I
never should find you, Is the carriage
here?'
"All here and waiting, Aunt Effie,"
responded the young man; but he still
hesitated second as Bertha Hooper
stood with averted face and motionless
figure in the shadow OF the building.
"Can be of any service to you"
he asked. "If you are expecting
friends who have failed toy meet you
-"
Anybody here by the name of Ber-
tha Hoo ooper ?" shouted stentorian
voice, and tall, raw-looking lad with
a lantern-also lighted with red glass
rushed shutting around the corner.
Zebedee himself! red-haired. and
shambling and awkward as hes had
been in the old fox.and-geese days,
"Oh!" said he! catching up hislan-
tern so that the, scarlet birds wings
flashed out like a spit of tlame--scarce-
ly more scarlet, alas, than Berthas
own face. "IIere you bel I'm a
little late, for the roads is so ALFRED
bad, and I couldn't start the pony out
of a walk. Come ,on. Howsde do9
BE you very cold9"'
"zebedee," said sBertha, clingng
almost hysterically to her cousins
arm, "who's that young gentleman
with-with the er'lantern?"
"Ehp said Zebedee. THAT feller
with the old lady in a patchwork
shawl?"
yes
"It's Charley Harcourt, the squi,s's
son." said Zebedee. "Just come from
furrin parts''
"Zebedee," said Bertha, with curl
Gus little sound between a laugh and
sob, put me intotthe cutter, quick,
and drive me somewhere. l don't
care where. Because"
"Eh" said Zebedee,s staring hard at
his cousin, as he packed the buffalo
robe around her before, touching up
the laggard old pony.
"Because," added Bertha, in a spe-
cies of desperation, 81 took Mr.. Har-
court for you; and l hugged him and
kissed him."
SIS that ALP" said philosophical
Zebedee. "IIe won't care"
"No" said Bertha, "but I shall"
"You amt crying, be you?' said
Zebedee, noting the CULVER in his
cousins voice.
"How can l help it?" walled poor
Ber tha.
"Twarn't no fault o'yourn," said
Zebedee, consolingly.
"Of coursei it warn't," said Bertha,
impatiently. "lIow was l to know
that every lantern at Montcourt had
a red glass door to it?'
And poor little Bertha cried herself
to sleep that night.
The next neutrality-suspicious. Day,
all showed up into glorious drifts ev-
erywhere-Mr. IIarcourt drove over
to the Higgins farm house. The
young lady had dropped a fur glove
on the platform, and Mr.. Harcourt
felt it his duty to restore 1t to her.
And moreover Mr.. Charley
IIarcourt hesitated a little--he' hoped
Miss Hooper would excuse him for be-
ing so stupid as to allow her to,fancy
him her cousin.
81 ought to have explained sooner"
said he.
"No, you ought not" saidt Bertha.
"The fault was all mine.
81 don't recognize fault any
where" said he. And il liam par.
doned-"
"Of course you are - said Bertha.
roster and prettier than ever.
I'm that case | am commits sioned by
my mother to ask your aunts permis-
sion to take you over to help'us finish
deessing the church in time for morn.
ing service. My horse is waiting"
"May 7 60, Aunt Almira?' said
Bertha with sparkling eyes,
"Of course you may go,"said Aunt
Almira.
What was the end Of it*all? There
is but one sequel to stories like this
when youth and bright eyes and hut
man hearts are concerned. The next
Christmas eve Bertha Hooper and
Charley HarcOurt were married. But
the bridegroom persists in declaring