Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-12-18

"Ohl I'm very sorry I" exclaimed Nora
'Isuppose,you are going back to New York"
said Miss Trowbridge. II was afraid that a
year iu Greenville would prove long enough
exile for you. We shall be sorry to lose you,
George, but l suppose II means promotion
for your
1T means a ranch in California" he said
shortly.
"Why do you go there my dear boy ?"
questioned Miss Trowbridge
Happily the thought Of that sort Of life
has always had a charm for me, for the doc
tor thinks that three or four years in the open
air will be the best possible thing for me"
HAS your dyspepsia been getting worse ?"
questioned Miss Trowbridge anxiously. II
am afraid you have not tried my remedies
faithfully"
81 am so sorry - said the sympathetic No.
ra again.
He waited for some EXPIRE ssion of sympa-
thy from Kitty too, but none came. She was
busily engaged in disentangling her button.
hoie twist from the kitten.
"She might have the grace to say that she
is sorry am going away" he thought.
AFTER all, " said Nora cheerfully, 'they
say the climate of California il delightful,
and there must be great fascination in The
out Of door life in the midst Of such beautiful
scenery"
''Fascination !" exclaimed Kitty. "Fas
your only human companions, and a stretch
Of prairie adorned by lunches Of cattle a.
they call them there, for your fine scenery,
and horrid big spiders"
Kitty" said Miss Trowbridgs severely,
''you do not know anything about it,
When George went away that evening he
said a. he bade Kitty goodnight,
Are not you a little sorry for me, too 2"
Her face softened a minute, and grew
grave, then, az her eyes iDvoluntarily rested
on Nora she said, smiling, mo, l don't
think am, under the circumstances"
He pondered on these words a. he went
through tho dark streets to his boarding
house, for in Greenvlle the street lamps were
never lighted when the almanac reported
moon no matter how rainy it might be-
Evidently Kitty thought, with the rest Of
the world, that he wanted to marry Nora It
was amusing TO have other people settle bis
love affairs before he himself realized that
be had any. Certainly his future happiness
would be secure could he make the serene
and unselish Nora love him, and did not her
cousin imply
Suddenly vision of a slender, dark haired,
daTk-eyed girl with saucy, laughing mouth,
came before him, but he put it aside irrel-
evant for he was piqued with Kitty, who, II
very bewitching, was also most provoking.
| No, she had not NOras sweet temper and
then she had shown him plainly that she did
not care for him. 1t was fortunate, there.
| fore, that his affections we're not set upon
her, as he tCld himself, whenever the thought
Of her came too persistently into his mind
The next time that George called at Miss
Trowbridges, he learned that Kitty had gone
to Boston for a month He felt personally
aggrieved, for be had only few weeks more
10 Greenville. Had she had the same friend
| iy feeling for him that be had for her, she
would not have made her visit Just at this
time. He would waste no more thoughts up-
on her. The unattainsble never attracted
him half so strongly as he possible, and the
| mere suggestion that Nora might grow to
| care for him made her seem more charming
every day. He was TRANQUILITY happy, as hap
| py as he ever could be again, he told himself
| for an attachment that had terminated disas-
| trously when he was scarcely more than g
| boy, had robbed him Of his first enthusiasm.
| In spite OF the hattering suggestions of 9TH
ers, however. George Russell felt by no
means sure of Nora's feeling for him.
He saw great deal of her in these early
summer days, for they took long walks to-
gether in search of the columbines and azal
las that had succeeded to the violets and ane-
! mones. They also read quantity of Brown
| ing (for there was no malicious Kitty ON hand
to make satirical comments), even attacking
'Sordello" in their ardor.
1t had always been George RusselPs habit
to take tea at Miss Trowbridge's every Satur-
| day evening, and all too soon he realized that
| there were only two more Of these delight tful
occasions In store for him. He determined
that on the coming Saturday, if he could see
| Nora alone, he would speak to her at last on
the subject that was occupying his mind.
| He had been so busy over examination pa
| pers that he had not seen her since Wednes.
| day.
There was a cold northeast storm on the
N Nuha oh do
think with pleasure of the cheerful wood
fire that was awaiting him in Miss Trow-
bridges cozy old d-fashioned parlor.
Nora herself opened the door to him. II
am sorry to tell you that Aunt Katharine is
sick, said she, ''and our servant was sudden
| ly called home to her mothers Thursday
morning. Another is coming to. night but in
the meantime have had to fill the gap my.
self. should have sent word to you not to
come until after tea TO- night, if l could have
| got hold of messenger, and if you are very
hungry l advise you to go back now"
He was very hungry, but nevertheless he
said
Il shall think myself only too happy, Miss
| Nora, il you will let me stay"
Don't be too sure of that, she returned
as she led the way into the parlor, II am not
good cook like Kitty, and some of the things
haven't turned out well. Oh that fire is
going out Have you any skill with fires,
Mr. Russell Aunt Katharine and Kitty al.
ways take care of the fires"
On the hearth, where the cheerful blaze was
wont to be, were only the charred remains of
newspaper, two great logs of blackened
wood, and an unsightly mound of ashes |
and, rs George glanced nervously about the
room, he noticed in the vases the faded re-
mains Of the last flowers they had picked TO.
gether, which seemed depressing omen to
him.
He kept saying to himself that now was
the time to speak, yet finding it harder and
harder to begin.
II believe you said that life on a ranch in
California had some fascinations for you," he
said at last, awkwardly enough.
Eyes, If l were a man / should like moth
ing better than TO try it. II you will excuse
me minute will go and see If the potatoes
are DONE"
She came back directly. ''Tea is ready.
1t is not all that could wish it we're, but | |
| hope you will be charitable for l gave you |
fair warning. The potatoes are as hard as
briekbats, although left them in the oven
a whole hour, which is longer than the re-
| ceipt says. Will you try a biscuit 2" and she
passed him a plate of soggy ones. How
could he refuse He took one aud ate it
manfully, although it was heavy as lead.
81 made the biscuit this morning they
are my first attempt and are not brown and
|
for tea tonight but they wouldn't pop You
see they have all hattened down Is your
tea strong enough l am sorry it is a little
cold"
A dreary picture came before George of
ranch life, with Nora as his companion, and
| a long succession of underdone biscuits,
lukewarm tea, and stony potatoes
Would not life on a ranch be too hard for
this delicately nurtured girl
'The strawberry is at least good" said abe
with winning smile, "for Aunt Katherine
made that"
Alas the strawberry had turned little
Why had not she thought to taste it before
hand and soald it over!
All the while, however, she talked charm
ingly on various TOPICS as If these sublunary
affairs were Of no account to her. George
Russell had sense of humiliation and infe-
riority as be saw the ethereal looking crea.
tuTe opposite him drink her lukewarm tea
and dip her cracker in 1t, as if such fare were
even better than she deserved, for he could
not attune himself to her mood, and regard
a forced supper of crackers and olives with
indifference.
Certainly ranch life would be too rough