Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-08-05
THE MAJORS ESCAPE,

Major Anthony Hartletop was a
very good match indeed, as Miss An
gerona Dilworth and the gossips very
well knew.
To-be-sure, he was rather bald and
had wart on his nose; but then, he
was the owner of many acres of rich
land; he possessed herds of fat, short.
horn cattle and nocks of long wooled
Merino sheep; he raised untold quanti-
ties of amber cane, to be made up into
sugar; and was, all told, the richest
farmer in the neighborhood of Sugar
Maple village.
AS for Miss Angerona, she was not
very young, but neither was she old.
She was not remarkably plain, nor
could she be called pretty. For the
rest, she was rather sharp featured
and very sharp-tongued, so the neigh
bors declared. though the major had
not discovered this fact.
Miss Dilworih was not benevolent
person, yet she had taken her orphan
niece, Avis, to raise,
Avis Dilworth was hearty, merry
girl, in spite of her aunCs grabbed
temper, with round face, deep dim
pies in her cheeks, a pair of laughing,
blue gray eyes, and plenty of vim and
life about her, though Gemure and
quiet as II nun under Miss Angerona's
sharp eyes.
Indeed, many people asserted that
if Avis were only decently dressed,
and allowed the advantages she de-
served, she would be quite belle.
But Miss Dilworth's old garments,
however neatly made over, were not
sufficient to SGT off even good figure
to much advantage.
They were all poor Avis was allow
ed, however, and she sighed in vain
over the crisp new lawns, tie sheer
white muslins, the nuted runles and
fresh, pl,lmed hats of her more fortu-
nate acquaintanCes.
AT last Major Ilartletop had propos-
ed to Miss Angerona, in a good, sub
'tantial, plainly-expressel letter; and
Miss Angerona had determined to ac-
cept the proposal.
"lf he is bald and ugly" she re-
marked to herself, "he's rich, and
money covers II multitude of bad looks
Besides, it'll spite that stuck-up Wild
der Flukcs, that's been asserting her
cap at him this month or more; an as
long as she wants him I'd have him, if
he was bald as an egg an ten times as
ugly as he isl"
But, in spite of his defects, Major
Hartletop was good-hearted, and as
romantic rs many man with Il glossy
head of hair and no wart on his nose.
He was really in love with Miss
Angerona, and after sending his pro-
posal, the moments seemed weighted
with lead until he could receive her
answer.
At last his impatienco grew unbear-
able.
81 won't wait no longer" he declar-
ed. 81 just call around and get her
answer right away. or shan't sleep
wink tonight, know"
And popping his hat on his head, he
set off on the winding, country road
which led to Miss Angerona's dwell
ing, his mind busy with pleasant fan
cies of what the future might have in
store.
"lIow nice it'll be to have my wife
asserting at the head of the table, or
stepping around the house, overscein'
the butter and cheese-makin'," he
mused.
San that pretty Avis, too. She
shall have better clothes than she
wears now. ls'pose Angerony cant
afford to dress her any better; but I'll
see to that She shall have white
dress. with lace ilounces, an one o
them crimpy things girls wear around
their necks, to stand up with us in"
And so, h. mind busy with cheerful
pictures of the happy future, he reach
ed Mss Angerona's house, assembled
the steps, and was about to knock on
tho open door, when II shrill, high.
IA 4 4