The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-02-17

don't understand any creature in petit
coats; but my daughters are good girls,
and their mother assures me that they
are remarkably gifted. What do you
want to understand them for?'
{" 1t might be an advantage under
some circumstances, remarked Mr..
Leigh.
"What is the matter? What girl do
you think it might be an advantage to
understand"
my ward" answered Mr.. Leigh.
"She is an orphan, far-away cousin
of my wife, and she has lived with us
for the past five years. She has nice
little fortune; she is pretty; she is
well-bred--"
"That goes without saying" NUT
tered the parson, stroking his long
beard.
"But she hasn't grain of common
sense" Mr.. Leigh arose, took up a
position on the rug, slipped his left
hand under the short tails of his cut
away coat, and gesticulated with his
right hand, as he warmed to his story.
" Last summer" he began, I" she was
twenty-one, and just out of school. She
went to Cape May with the Phippards,
people in whom l placed the utmost
confidence. 1 thought she was safe
with them; butt 10, and behold she must
make the acquaintance of young
gentleman who held the responsible posi-
ton of book-keeper in one of our large
hardware stores, retail concern, and
he sold many paper of tacks over the
counter. / was in Europe; so this
interesting tack-seller ran down to Cape
May every Sunday and stayed until
Monday. Then he had clerks two
weeks vacation, and he spent them at
Cape May. | came back in October,
and before had been at home twenty
four hours who should call at the house
but this young man. He wanted to see
me and l saw him, and was informed
by him that he had wooed and won my
ward. 1 asked if he proposed to take
her to live over the shop?"
Mr.. Leigh's thin lips curled down
wards; he glanced at the parson for
sympathy, but he encountered steady,
somewhat critical look.
"Why shouldn't they live over the
shop!" DIR. Melton asked.
I" oh, you don't understand" Mr..
Leigh exclaimed, fretfully. " She has
been brought up in luxury; she ought
to have some idea of what is proper
and fitting. | tried to reason with her;
my wife talked to her; my son-well,
you see my son wanted to marry her,
too, and he would have been just the
husband for her, but she told him that
if he spoke to her she would ask her
hardware man to protect her. Think
of it! AS though Morton would insult
her-the best-mannered man that ever
lived.
" And Morton is very fond of her."
he continued, 4" so fond of her, in fact,
that he is waiting like hero for this to
blow over think the farce is nearly
ended, for the hardware man became
partner the other day in nail factory,
or something of the sort, and week
ago he sailed for Europe. He will have
to stay year travelling for the firm,
and when he comes back" Mr.. Leigh
broke off to smile astutely and drop the
lid over his left eye.
" 1 don't exactly understand your OBJ
lection to him." said DR.. Melton. Does
he drink or keep low company"
"No," answered Mr.. Leigh; " but"
" 1 beg your PARDON" said the doc
tor, interrupting him, but L want to
speak in his behalf. He must be indus
trious, and no fool, or he would not
have jumped into his new position. l
confess 1 don't think you have made
out very clear case. OF course you
want to see your son happy; but if
she does not love your son that ends
the matter. And if she does love this
other man, and he is honest and up
right, why should he not have her?"
#" He is not her equal" said Mr..
Leigh. You know in Philadelphia"
The parson rose up with stihed ex-
clamatiOn.
cit is warm in here" he said. 81
want little fresh air; 1 am not used to
a furnace-heated house. Poor girl!
The city has not yet claimed me for its
own, and 1 miss the fireplace in my old
study. Poor fellow"
He threw up the window and looked
out on a wide expanse of tiny high
fence back-yards; but overhead was the
clear sea of sky, where the moon rode
at anchor amid the fleet of stars. He
stood there, drawing in the crisp De-
cember air, until a tap sounded on the
door, "Come in" he cried, and one
of his daughters entered-a tall, slim
girl, with her fathers blue eyes.
Papa" she said, pressing close to
him and smiling mysteriously, "there
are some people in the parlor."
"Drawing-room, my DEAR" said the
doctor. eve are in New York"
"We are, but no matter" she re-
turned. 81 tell you there are some
people in the parlor, and l think it is
our first town wedding. She is very
pretty, and she has on the loveliest lit
tie bonnet you ever saw. Go marry
them quick, and let me be witness,
only they have two witnesses now"
He passed HIS arm around her and
kissed her, she did not know why, and
then led her to The guest.
Mollie, this is classmate of mine.
My daughter, Mr.. Leigh-Mr. Harvey
Leigh of Philadelphia. You must ex-
cuse me for few minutes.
He went into the adjoining parlor.
Yes, it was wedding party, no doubt,
but the would-be bride and groom did
not look like brides and grooms that
seek out parson in such a fashion.
The man was gentleman, with fine
face and dignified bearing. The girl
was pretty, but, more than that, she had
an air of courage, of self-reliance; she
was not weak piece of pink and white
| Hasb An nl6ar pounla was with tham