The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-05-26

dare you come here and tell me that to
my facet Why don't they isolate
your"
" Madam" said the surprised stran-
ger.
"Go awayl" said Mrs. Printemps,
banging down her window and boiling
it, noisily. "Betsey ito her girl
g run across the meadow to Mrs. I'M
derlay's, and tell her that the small
pox case is rampaging all over the
country, trying to get people to let him
in, and she isn't to open the door on
any account. And stop at DIR. Duer's
and ask him what sort of sanitary reg
ulation he calls this kind of thing?n
"I'm afraid to meet him, memln
said Betsey, getting behind the side
board, "and / amt been yaccinated
for seven years, and"
NonsenseV" said Mrs. Printemps.
" If you go across the pasture field
you'll get there fully five minutes be-
fore he does. Make haste, now"
Kate Duer was standing in her door
way, watching the storm roll grandly
over the mountain-tops, when the
weary and bewildered traveller entered
the gate, and came hesitatingly in.
81 beg your PARDON" said he,
meekly, " but l think there must be
something singular in my appearance.
People seem to shut the doors against
me, and shun me as if 1 had the pesti-
lence. And | cannot find the resi-
dence of Mr.. Dibble, the clergyman.
Would it be asking too much if l were
to request permission to rest in your
porch until the storm is over? I came
from the hospital, and"
"Oh, | understand" said Kate,
quickly; "you are the smallpox pa
tent. But ] have been vaccinated,
and am not afraid of the disease. There
is very comfortable chamber in the
second story of the barn, and you shall
be carefully nursed and taken care of
there, Of"
But you are mistaken" cried the
young man. " / am not
Hush,' said Kate, gently. EDO
not be afraid to confide in me. / am
DIR. Duer's sister, and know the whole
story. Sit here and rest a little, and L
will bring you some bread and milk
until my brother comes.'
81 am thousand times obliged to
you," said the stranger, " and the bread
and milk will taste delicious after my
long walk. But / do not know what
leads you to think that l am victim of
varioloid. l have lost my hat in the
wind, TO be sure, and am compelled to
wear this Syrian-looking drapery on
my head, but l never had the small
pox, and hope never to encounter its
horrors"
Kate Duer turned red first, then pale.
"Then," said she, " if you are not
the smallpox case, who are your"
" am Felix Amory," said the young
stranger, " the chaplain of St.. Lucetta's
hospital in New York. / am to preach
in aid of missions on Sunday next
Kate Duer burst out laughing.
"And every one has been installing
you for the smallpox easel" said She
ooh, Mr.. Amory, do come in. How
could we all have been so stupid? But
you see, the minute you began to speak
of the hospital"
II dare say it was very awkward of
me-" said Mr.. Amory. But it's the
way have always mentioned myself to
strangers. st. Lucetta's, you know"
Eyes, know" said Kate. "But
to our good folks there is only one hos
pital in the world, and that is Pitcher
vile Institute"
Mr.. Amory enjoyed his tea, sliced
peaches and delicate CANCEL cake "
very much, as he sat tete-a-tete with
Kate Duer, by the soft light of the
shaded lamp, while the rain battered
without. And when the doctor came
in it was cosier yet.
"The smallpox case?" said he.
ooh, that is safely isolated at Hopes
quarry since this morning. And doing
very well, too, l am happy to say. Upon
my word, Mr.. Amory, am sorry you
have had such disastrous experience"
ALPS well that ends well,'' said the
young clergyman, leaning back in his
snug corner with an expression of in
effable content on his face.
Miss Lydia Larkspur was quite in
dignant when she heard that Mr.. Amory
was staying at Dr. Duer's residence.
Just like Kate Duer," said she,
to maneuver to get that poor young
man into her hands, after all. But if a
man rushes around the country, telling
everybody that he comes from hos
pital, what can he eXpect?"
The most awkward thing l ever
heard of in my life," said Mrs. Prin-
temps, vindictively.
But this was not Felix Amory's last
visit to Pitcherville. He came in au-
tumn, when the leaves were red-and
then in the frozen beauty of winter.
And the last time he asked Kate Duer
/" if she was willing to encounter the
trials of minister's wife?" And Kate,
after little hesitation, said she was
willing to try.
And Miss Lydia Larkspur declared
that "any one could get married if they
were as bold about it as Kate Duer"-
SeIecfa1