Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-12-31

For It is well to die,
New Year, your worst will be- my best:
What can an old man want but rest:
r. n Stodd0rd.
THE BITTER md THE SWEET
1t was in the autumn that the news of
the loss of the ship Albatross reached the
small town Of Haven She had foundered
ON her way TO Calcutta, and Aleck Fan
Shave was on board as supercargo
1T isn't as though Squire Fanshawe
hadn't other sons, commiserated neigh
Dor, when the blinds were pulled down and
Grape tied ON the knocker at the big stone
mansion, and prayers were offered in church
for the bereaved family and friends. Ev-
erybody in town, 50 to speak, turned out to
church ON that September morning TO see
how the family took it, and to be able to
criticise the funeral sermon. The Fan
shawes had been "A gay, worldly crowd, and
this was their first sorrow, and those who
had seen them in their prosperity and joy
wanted to behold the effect Of the reverse
but they proved to be family who did not
wear the heart on the sleeve thew conduct
ed themselves bravely behind their weeds.
and restrained their tears till they might
flow in private The only excitement of
the occasion. however. was worthy of the
expectations of their friends The family
filed into church, black as grief and Grape
could make them There were John and
his mother, Sue and Hildegarde but who
was this other ON the old Squire's arm.
bowed with emotion, more sable than them
all. in widows veil and cap Who Why,
it was only Louise Turner. whom they had
always known Why was she in widow :
weeds and on the Squire arm What had
happened to her, There was lively gossip,
YOU may be sure, that day, on the way
home from church.
Il remember he ros kind of attentive to
Louise Turner one spell, reflected Mrs
AmeS.
That's So" echoed Mrs Blake Don't
YOU remember he took her toa concert over
to Danvers He has always known her
and like as not there icdS something be
tween them.
80 he has always known every other
girl in town, said Mrs. Blunt, the skeptic
and he has been just as attentive to half a
dozen others, as far as | can see.
Yes. acknowledged Mrs. Ames, reluc-
family, "he tcdS attentive to all of them on
and off but then a man may be attentive
to "a dozen, YOU know, while he only cares
for one It's odd a woman couldn't do it a;
it would bore her horribly-that is, unless
she's a fiirt
well. of course it's true sighed Mrs.
Blunt. cor else she wouldn't be in widow :
weeds and in the squire's pew but she 5
the last girl thought Aleck would care
for. | cant reconcile myself to il.
The interest and surprise of this event
seemed to subtract something from the so
lap,uttt- ,.ft b. IL an
wonderful that Aleck Fanshawe should die
as that he should have been engaged to
Louise Turner and noe one ever have guessed
it, 1t perplexed and disturbed Mrs. Blunt,
she could hardly tell why. Perhaps she wa,
disappointed that Aleck should have cared
for such shallow girl as Louise and then
surprise has an irritating effect upon
some natures She upbraided herself for
having SO little sympathy for Louise in such
tremendous sorrow. Louise was pretty
everybody said Louise was pretty, and
young men are easily pleased. Doubtless
it had occurred at the last moment before
his departure. and Louise had waited for
his return to declare it, Aleck had been
the best match in town, and, love aside,
this was a great blow for Louise, with
whom everybody was bound TO sympathize.
But Mrs. Blunt was dissatisfied with the
quality as well as quantity of her own sym
pathy
1T seems, said neighbor who happen
ed in 10 talk it over-''it seems that Louise
heard the rumor, and rushed up to Squire
Fanshawe's to know the truth, and when
it was verified she went straight into hys-
terics and confessed that they had been pri-
vately engaged. OF course the Squire
adopted her into the family at once. They
bought her mourning the very best, and
dare say they'll give her Alexis property
YOU know he had fortune from his own
mother, the Squire's first wife.
Have you heard that John refused to
believe it at first = asked Mrs. Blunt.
Yes he ,CdS a little still at first he
never liked Louise you know
1T seems To me | shouldn't want to take
it ON trust as they've done. | should want
to see letters in his own hand or something
confrmatory, not just her word for it.
Seems TO me it would be a tremendous
cruelty to turn a deaf ear 10 her at such a
time, and refuse to believe her story"
yes, agreed Mrs Blunt. Better be
cheated TO the last, than lose the blessed
hope of truth, as some poet says
1t was a few days after these astonishing
events that Miss Betty lie Breton returned
having heard of the disaster that had over
taken the Fanshawes
when / am married. she said, in the
enthusiasm of first acquaintance with the
mor' ....ns, Il shall take my wedding tour
"a Jhgh the hills in buggy it's just en-
| chantment Any letter for me, Aunt Ell
len Any news y
News Oh dear-yes-too much.
didn't write you because | didn't want Ia
sadden your vacation. And you and Aleck
were always such friends"
"Aleck !"
eyes. The Albatross has been lost al
sea, and the Fanshawes are just heart-brok
en-, and Louise is there with them it seem,
she was engaged to Aleck privately and
her widows weeds are very becoming. IT,
a dreadful, dreadful thing for her but they
say the Squire has about the same as adopt
ed her, and that she'll have the lions share
of Alexis money. She went in ON the
Sources own arm when the funeral sermon
was preached; it was very touching, Why
don't you say something, Betty | always
thought you and Aleck were good friends
and Louise"
"What is there to say y Betty asked, di-
rectly There was an odd lustre in her
eyes but she was not crying she looked
| petritied.
you might at least say you were sorry,
Sorry Oh yes"-absently-'l suppose
sou
''Why, Betty, haven't you any feeling ?
Il don't know. Perhaps not. Whai
good would it do =
"Aleck was such a good friend to you
Do you remember when he used to COME
and help you with your German | used
TO think he was little in love with you
Betty but it seems l was mistaken and
for the matter of that, it doesn't signify
now that he is dead. Indeed, it's better
for you as it is you are spared the sorrow
Why, Betty, are you sick Is anything thu
matter =
Betty had risen with great cry, and wa
stretching out unavailing arms into space
He is dead-Aleck-an he loved her, anC
she has a right TO her sorrow and /"
Ii was three months before Betty Ia
Breton was able 10 sit up. The neighbour
said she had come home from the mountain
with malaria, and it was doubtful if sh'
would ever get il out Of ~1 -gstem. Mis-
p.,et2n, her aunt, WIS. mid nothing
10 MiiiIiinss ,o..i THO n