Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-11-19
4 PATIENT WAITER.

YES, IN. | amt ieavin' single stone
ON it,.
I'm most afraid TO trust you. | think
likely as not he may come to-day. an not
wait to write. It's so pleasant. feel lest
as if somebody was comm
I'm a-sweepin it real clean. Aunt Fl
della. "
"Well. be pertickler. An you'd better
sweep the sidewalk little ways in front of
the yard see a bit of loose stones on il
yesterday"
Eyes, m
The broom was taller than the child. but
she was sturdy, and she welded it with low
ful vigor. Down the narrow path between
the rows of dahlas she went. Her smooth
yellow head shone in the sun. Her long
blue Bingham apron whisked about her legs
as she swept.
The dahlias were in full bloom. and they
nodded their golden and red balls gently
when the child jostled them. Beyond the
dahlias on either side were zinnias and can
dy-tuft and marigolds The house was very
small There was only one window at the
side of the front door. A curved green
trellis stood against the little space of house
wall on the other side. and yellow honey
suckle climbed on it,
Fidelia Almy stood in the door with
cloth in her hand. She had been busting
the outside of the door and the threshold
rubbing off every speck punctiliously.
Fidelia stood there in the morning light
with her head nodding like a flower in a
wind 1t nodded 50 ali the time. She had
disease of the nerves. Her yellow-gray
hair was crimped. and put up carefully in
a little coil. with two long curls on either
side Her long. delicate face. which always
had downward droop as it nodded, had a
soft polish like ivory.
When Lily Almv. who was Fidelia's or
phan niece. whom she was bringing up, had
reached the gate with her broom. She peer
ed down the road then she ran back ca
gerly.
"Oh. Aunt Fidelia. she said in a prec;se
slow voice which was copied from her
aunt's, there's man comm. Do YOU
s'pose it's him Z"
What kind of lookin man :" Fidelia's
head nodded faster; bright red spot
cleaned ON either cheek
"A real handsome man. He's tall. and
he's got reddish whiskers. And he's got a
a carpet bag"
That's the way he looks"
"Oh. Aunt Fidelia, do Won s'pose it's
him =
"'Tain't very likely to be-"
Here he is. "
Fidelia ran into the house. and knelt
down at the parlor window. lust peering
over the sill Her whole BODY seemed wa
vering like her head her breath came in
great gasps The man. who was voun, and
handsome. walked past
Lily ran in. "'Twa'nt him. was it :" said
she.
Il didn't much expect it was. I've al
wavs Thought he'd come ON Tuesday
I've dreamed bout his comm Tuesday more
times than can tell Now I'm goini Ia fix
the flowers i'm the vases. an then I'm yoin'
down to the post-office. feel lust as if |
might git a letter to-day. There was one
in the candle last night.
FideHa moved. nodding among her flow
ers in her front ward She gathered nm
her purple calico apron. and cut the flowers
into it,
You run ont into the garden an cit
some sparrow-grass for green - she told
Lily, am pick some of that striped grass
under the parlor window. an some of them
spider-lilies by the fence"
The little white-painted mantel-shelf in
Fidelias parlor was like am altar mon
which she daily beaped floral offerings And
who knows what fair deity in bright clouds
she saw when she made her sacrifices
Fidelia had only two vases tall 5ilt and
white china ones with scrnlline tons tbese
stood finely in the centre. holding their
dropping nosegays. Beside these we're
broken china bowls. cream Jugs without
handles. tumblers. wineglasses' saucers and
one smart china mug with Friendships