Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-10-08


me better chance"
"To-ah-I fear, my friend that l do
not quite comprehend the true signifi-
canoe of your last remark"
81 thought I'd made it plain enough"
said the farmer, sturdily, while fine
crimson wave swept from his massive
neck to his narrow temples. What
l mean is just this: think Miss Rosy
is number figure for a wife, and
l know most that she likes me-
but you keep up such bug racket that
l don't get fair chance to show her
that l mean business. If you meant
business, I'd say fair field and no ia
vors, and let the girl take her pick, but
as you say you don't (D ask of you to
take back seat Is it a bargain? All
right! give us your hand on it.
The poor gentleman who had not said
anything that might be considered
speech felt his hand gripped in clasp
that brought to his mind the Nuremburg
virgin, and was then left "a prey to con-
flicting EN- otions."
What should he do? What could he
do? His brow grew cold, his spectacles
moist. 1t seemed such pity for Miss
Rose to abandon the study of natural
history, just as her mind was opening to
its beauties. 1t would be an incalcula-
bic loss to her. And himself-he ac-
knowledged humbly his obligations. She
was such an inspiring pupil; she stimu-
lated effort in thousand pleasant ways.
The poor professor heaved sigh that
shook all his bones and tissues, and
thrilled his cartridges as with rheuma
tism.
Almost he resolved to ignore Andy
Lees request; then came the hideous re-
minder-Andy was his benefactor, had
saved him, and thereby the precious
history of Doryphora decem-lineata, to
the world. Trouble on trouble, pain on
painl"
He may have hoped that gazing on
the pilot stars" would teach him some
thing. Be that as it may, he sat at his
window looking out on the night, till
blazing constellation and glittering
binary slipped out of sight, and hag-
gard dawn came toiling over the hills.
Truly, this was much wakefulness for
l 4
mology, slimpsy girl who was afraid of
grass-hoppers, and had been heard to
wonder, whether Pterophera with jew
eled eyes, would look well on an opera
bonnet
If Miss Allen felt any surprise when
her quondam teacher passed her by
with an awkward bow and melancholy
smile, as he stole forth to the cucum-
Der patch, she gave no sign. She
made incursions into shady lines
with the farmer, she accepted his bou-
quet of sweet peas and boneset. She
sang Aud ROBIN Gray" and Kitty
Wells" to him, he, meanwhile, wildly
hunting for the air on an antiquated fid-
die. She listened with exemplary inter
est to his renditions of Money Musk"
and Napoleon Crossing the Alps" on
the aforesaid instrument. She petted
the colts, she praised the calves, she took
an interest in chicken-farming. The
farmer was radiant, the professor was
the opposite.
/ Nothing is eternal save eternal change.
In the hall, one morning, this fair Rose,
blushing like her dewy namesake out
side the door, said to the sad and silent
Timotheus, with beseeching accent and
eyelids meekiv dropped:
Professor Jones, l know l am dread
fully stupid, and think you were quite
right in stopping our lessons. but won't
you, as 1t Is too warm to continue your
observations to-day, won't you plea Sc
read me another chapter of your de-
hghtful book?"
Timotheus ~ Jones, assistant state ento-
mologist, was great scientist, great ge-
MUS; but, be it known to all men, by these
presents, the superstructure of genius
is generally reared on the same sort of a
clay foundation that is employed in the
composition of ordinary men. The scien-
tific mind, therefore, was permeated by
an agreeable warmth, diffused from the
igniferous f1attery of this female plotter
The owner of the scientific mind tried to
say something gallant. and failed; he
made an effort to answer profoundly,
and failed again. Finally he contented
himself with the assertion that he would
be "very pleased" to read any number of
chapters from my poor book"
That afternoon he made discovery of
more Importance than any accredited to
Lubbock or Darwin. Miss Rose was in
love, not with the farmer, but with him.
self. He read it in her innocent eyes,
he heard it in her softly modulated
voice. He was astonished, embarrassed.
enraptured; his usually steady scientific
brain reeled. When he arose and went
to his room, he felt that it required an
effort to keep from staggering.
Again, he watched the night out
From 10 p m. till m. he sat and smiled
so namely that it is wonder that the
dog-star forbore to bark at him. From
II to 2 a. m. he formulated proposals
of marriage. From till 3:l5, he
pictured himself bringing out his book,
with preface acknowledging the valu,
able assistance rendered by "my wife.
Then he thought of Andy Lee and he
was remorseful. "When the great,
gray, unlit earth lay chill in the still OF
the dawn, he wondered if it were true
as some said, that the cares of a family
were 80 distracting as to prevent an in,