Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-01-02
MISS SCAMPER.

MISS SC1MPER.
None at ths Rippaquah Sulphur Springs
knew who VI ~ Scamper vas, aud few cared
to know. She came with an old gentleman
who registered the pair IA IS. Scamper and
granddaughter, New York city" They were
doubtless poor folk on holiday. They had
no servants with them. The old man wore a
suit Of rather rusty black, and his trunk, an
antique leathern conyeniency, bore the let
ters 5. =. in bras. headed nails. The young
womans ttunk-she had but one-was large
enough, and Of modern make, but it WAS APP
pareuty not well filed, since she had show n
but three dresses all the three weeks she had
remained. Ode Of these, OF rich material,
shs wore OF evenings the other two. Of
some washable material were worn alternate.
ly IN daytime. She had no jewelry beyond
plain gold brooch. Oue of the eligible
young men there said that "the Scamper has
one Sunday gO-to-meetn' aud two work day
suits" for which his ueighbor should have
kicked him, but didn't. The eligible young
man WAS looking for an eligible mate in the
person of Miss Bolsover, the great heiress,
whom the society paper had said was coming
TO the Rappaquah though, as she hadn't
come, the Browns young man Of the society
paper lAbored under deluson. The match
making dowagers did not fear this modest,
pretty, aud well cultured young woman, for
the Pild.d youth, who vere also lying in wait
tor Miss Bolsover, much more gided did not
dangie in her train. Indeed, she bad nc
train. Her business was to look after her
poor old grandfather, who WAS not in good
health, aud with whom the water seemed to
agree. Didymus Dodd, who had scraped al
acquaintance with old Scamper, as the fel.
lows irreverently called HIN. seemed to be
her aduir,r; but Didymus was nobody. He
was well-made, tall, handsome, aud OF good
address tut be WAS only an upper clerk in q
Philadelphia insurance company. To b,
sure he would be superintendent after Janu
AIRY, rice Higgins, retired aud superannusted,
aud would then draw salary Of five thous
aud a year. But no one kneS that. and the
possible good fortune to poor Miss ScAmper
aud had they known, five thousand yeai
wss no great matter. 50 the field was left tC
Miss Scampor aud welcome.
Dldymus only began paying attentions to
Miss Scamprr out of courtesy, aud be-
cause no one else did but the more be saw
of her the more be liked her, aud it ended il
his being badly hit. As he and ehs were th,
only impecuuious people at the old and old
their dollars well up in the hundred thous
auds-the matter attracted attention, and by
way of getting both out Of the way Of mar
riageable sons and daughters, scheminl
mothers lent the affair all the quiet encour
agemeut possible. And this passed into
more active nature from two little incident
that occurred about ten days before the end
Of the two months vacation of Didymus
There was a Mrs. De Nyse at the Springs,
who was well known a. an amateur vocalls
Of merit, and whose voice, though a LITTLE
reedy in the upper notes bad been trained 81
well ss TO make her worth hearing. On
evening, when a few were in the parors, bel
friends besought her to favor them, and +,
on and she expressed her readiness, bu
there happened to be no accompaust Mis-
Scamper, who WAS chatting near by will
Ddymus, looked up and quietly said, Per
hap- | can serve you that way, Mrs. ID
Nyse.
Can you play at sight, Miss Scamper 2
inquired Mrs. De Nyse.
Miss Scamper nodded assent, aud seate
herself at the piano forte. and accompaLi-'
the voice with such good judgment that tn
singer was delighted.
II wish 1 could carry you about with me
my dear, she said. but do you not sing
You surely must"
"A little"
Urged by all around, Miss Scamper, to he
own accom- mpaniment, sang an aria from
| Ir0rdt0r6. Her voice proved to be ric
soprano, of full register, clear as a silver bel
and admirably cultivated. There was mC
ment's pause when she hai done, as thong
not to lose n note, aud then a storm of AZ
pause.
Here was sensation. Every body tAlke
of her method, and the gided youth we're j
l raptures Tue uRmmAs conferred, and COZ
cluded that Mss Scamper was member {
! some church choir or attached to some Ems
sh opera troupe, who knew But they wei
wi. There was party going over to A
Mont, Colonel Parsifalps place, next day
! Nauld she go She assented. Didymus sal
70 er in n low voice:
L. VI is riding party, Miss S,amper,
- knp the best horse in the livery stable here
e ana You'll permit the, I'll secure il fC
, yon3
ia hich she replied in the same tone
/ 'Ihan you, Mr., D1dd you are very kind
3 but l I've one at command already. q,
r that foy ourself."
b someH at rebuffed, Ddymus coored, bl
l she added Nine shall not disgrace you,
d which was distinct intimation that she el
pected hina A. escort. The spirit OF Did.
a mus rose M zero to blood heat.
- lhe next Lirning AS the riders we're read
r TO start, gFnm. known to be one Of Col
e mel farsliaii = ode up leading magnlhceI
Diooded oay hC,e, equipped With side SAT
J dle' As they We admlriug the animal, Nj
. ScamPer, III lat riding habit, made h,
, appearance. Ih' groom ook OF his ha
j Didymus, not ltle astoni-hed, put fort
a his hand, aud the liy vau!ted TO the back ,
e the horse with cas- grace. The cavalcat
. set out, Miss Scamp, aud Ddymus togethe
4 and being better mopted than the other
S were soon at the head the column.
n About a mile from Il Soripgs there was
3 bar in the way. A lofty tulip iree had be,
. blown down during the Ipbt and had fallt
s across the road, the trunfyell up on aoeoul
n OF tue wide roots. Sou one had alreac
u cleared way by letting tOwn fences on II
: roadside but Miss Scan,er did not 4
r around with the rest. Shdloed the trun
j. the horse went over, and ten trotted o
= Ddymus faced it too. HIS rute got owe
9 but half stumbled. Ddymus was eountr
e bred, had ridden horses to mhbare. baeke
l. and was half centaur when boy; so
s brought his horne up.
|. Mss Scamper smlled approyingv.
IT Everybo admired the ease anGgraee " /
It which Miss Scamper managed her eorse. Al
t, Didymus more than erybody.
e When they arrived at their destinAion. Il
" party dispersed in the house aud tger Ii
% grounds They found old Scamper thee.
had gone over before in carry-all. Amo
was the property of Colonel Almont, d. Y
IS for sale, with its fine blooded stock oflr,
J. and cattle, it's furniture, its library, aht ,
erything in the house aud around II. M
l. Colonel aud his family we're in EuTopeA
r intended to stay there while he educated
n sous at heidelberg So he offered the wi
ir "a house that cost a hundred and thi
IS thousand dollars, with all its offices of
y kinds, stables palmery, grapery and gre
i houses, furniture made to order, aud o
y twelve hundred acres of land in high 81
of "for," as he said in bis let
q "a mere song" SO il was but ~ it was
Q to the tune of three hundred thousand
a lars, there were few who could render
It music.
n They all admired the place. Tho ag'
A. who was there, seized ou the Scampers
r Didymus to whom he showed everyth
Il aud explained everything, Ddymus
n amused at this, and whisperedto to Miss Scal