Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-05-14
A TRIAL or FAITH.

happiness in any love affair is the supreme
faith and perfect trust of the one in the 9TH
er, said the Heroine, in a voice that In a
moderately pretty girl would have seemed
authoritative, but not in splendid creature
as tall and stately as Tennyson's Maud with
red brown hair, dark violet eyes, and mouth
shaped like Cupid's bow. mo matter what
Appearances are against him, no matter il
time or distance or malicious tongues seem to
separate, the t00mdR should trust. Since
have become engaged"
Engaged to what, Florence 2" asked
Jaek's sister, with her irreverent giggle. But
what could you expect of little undersized
creature, with turned-up nose, and a pair
Of green eyes that looked as inquisitive as
an when 1 think that you aud Jack are
really to be married, it does seem too ridicu-
lous, he just gone into the senior at Yale,
and you out of school last June. Aud then
such lot of sweethearts as be has had There
was Emily Hszen, and Marie De Brese, and
last year Prof. Peters's daughter-the young.
est one, with black eyes, that giggled. And
to hear you, the verest spitfire in school
when you got jealous talking about love and
trust and faith Now, my lady, don't get
veIed; it's all 'badinage and persihage, as
the woman of society would say. I'm mere
ly watching the miracle of love-"
II am eighteen years Of age Susie Lane,
and your brother is-ah. twenty one we are
neither of US children and, besides, I'm not
going to have you making fun of me this way,
and ridiculing everything l shall never tell
you anything again as long as live. thought
you sympathized-"
"Oh, Florence, don't cry" cried the scof-
er, melted and distressed in turn. "Do let's
sit down on this log, and tell us all about it,
BERTHE is dying to hear, and has been pinch
ing me black and blue ever since we started
Don't mind me you know BERTHE and are
nothing but miserable school girls in scrubby
clothes, and know nothing but chemistry
and mental and moral philosophy, and French
and German and the sciences, and English
literature and art don't be bashful before
US"
"Oh. hush, Sue," cried BERTHE I'VE are
tired of you and your nonsense. l want to
have real sensible, sentimental time. Let's
sit right here. l wish 1 had my sketch
book. How deep the wood is, and how soft
the shadows, and that bank of ferns, and the
great bowlder covered with lchens! See
the water fall yonder, and that half charred
log. Ah this is the very forest Of Arden.
Come, dear, tell us all about it,"
well, said the Heroine, ''it happened at
this very spot, yesterday afternoon just be-
fore he left on the p. NJ. train. Indeed l
just can't tell you the very words, girls, be-
cause it's kind of sacred but he vowed he
had never cared one straw for Emily Hazen
or Marie De Brese, and as for that Peters
girl, he positively scorned her l looked
very uninterested and dignifed, and said
really didn't know why he should make me
his con6dante, though was Sues friend and
staying in his house, and all that, and he
pumped right down there where you are sit
ting, BERTHE, and kissed my hand, and told
me No, l just won't but he talked per-
fectly beautifully about love and faith, and
how | must believe in him, even though he
we're far, far away at Yale, and l here in
Pennsylvania. And he said we must remem-
Der that We were together in heart though
the hills lie between"
He got that out of my scrap. book, said
Sue, oonscientiously. but it came in very
we'll. Jack is very tidy boy, and really
believe he is in love this time, and hope
you will trust him, Florence. Let's go home
and get into his top drawer, and turn out the
mementos of the past. Do you know that
the other day / stepped in while you and he
were discussing constancy on the veranda,
and found twenty different locks of hair in
one corner of the bureau-every color of the
rainbow except gray-and all mixed up, 80
that they looked like Joseph's coat or rag
carpet"
Don't mind Sue, Florie dear," said little
BERTHE, comfortingly. II saw them, and
there wasn't a strand of red-auburn, l mean
in the lot"
II do not mind either of you" said Miss
Maxwell, with dignity. 81 love and-I
trust"
'Sue where is Sue ?" called Mrs. Lane
one morning about three weeks after this
conversation. Come into the library your
papa wishes to see you"
II wonder what mamma wants ?" said Sue,
putting down her linen doilies, on which she
was working Rosina Emmett tea party.
when they go into the library, and shut the
door, and call me, something has happened
to Jack. By the way, you haven't had let
ter for a week, have you, Florence ?"
mot for two weeks, said Florence, brave
ly, though the telltale color dyed her cheek
for an instant with a crimson wave. 81
don't believe you care one bit about poetry,
BERTHE. I've been reading this lovely 'Ab.
sence' for half an hour. and you keep on
drawing as if it were 'Havenss Philoso-
ply"
what shall do with all the days and hours
That must be counted ere see thy facet"
"Id make caramels some of the time" said
Sue, hippantly, land swing in q hammock
three hours day at least"
"Sue Suel" came the voice from the H.
brary, Daughter said her mamma, pale,
shrinking lady in a white wrapper aud pref
ty embroidered breakfast cap 'NOw don't
get in passion, dearest doctor lot Susie see
the telegram. Oh, my dear, fear something
terrible has happened. had sort of pre-
sentiment; you know 1 was telling you, doc
tor"
"Fiddlestick with your presentiments |" roar
ed the doctor, a red faced old gentleman with
a lot of blue-blaok hair that stood up from
his forehead like poTcupine bristles. 'Some-
thing terrible indeed, something disgraoeful,
something dishonorable, something that
brings my gray hairs in sorrow to the grave"
The doctor had not white lock in his head,
but his meaning was apparent, if his Ian.
guage was hgurative. II always said John
was sentimental, tennis-playing idiot New.
er let me hear of tennis-cOurts again.
would not give cent for the whole of the
present generation. That wretehed college,
with the professors and their family life
family life indeed l knew John was good
for,naught, spoiled by his mother out of all
conscience but to have disgraced himself,
his family, all of us mot that consider