News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-06-03
PUTTING DOWN A CARPET
BY ETTIE ROGERS.

az can't get man anywhere; every.
one seems to be engaged for a job al
ready, and | had quite set my heart on
having that lovely moquette carpet put
down today" pretty Blanche elisa ex-
claimed with despairing sigh, as she
flung her tired self into bamboo chair,
petulantly pulled her gray kids from
her plump perspiring hands, and began
the vigorous manipulation of dilapi-
dated japanese fan she had snatched
from behind bronze Mars conveniently
near.
''AlmOst anybody could put down the
carpet, l should think, was the half
absent remark of handsome young
man who sat writing at small desk in
one corner of the snug sitting room.
| "Ot course almost anybody could, es-
| pecially when the carpet is all fitted and
sewed, and the lining all on the floor"
| Blanche said pettishly. ''Ben might if
he wasn't so lazy and unaccommodating! !!
| could myself, only l could never learn
to manage hammer; should be sure
to pound my fingers and break all the
tacks without driving one properly.
And getting a man is out of the ques-
tion in the house cleaning season, help
is not to be got sometimes for love nor
money"
''Can be of any assistance in the
difficulty, do you think ?" said he, smil-
ing little at her dilemma.
go, if you only would, David, " shere
piled eagerly. 81 have company
coming-a dear, dainty, elegant lit
tie friend, who will surely be
here tonight, and l do so
much want the library nice and pleas
ant. With the house-cleaning and the
refurnishing there is not re lily another
ihabitable room in the house. If you
1-4ssalfs faaltttee
me, David, l should be eternalry CRATE
full
''Well, I'll try to manage the hammer
and tacks for you, Blanche" " he said
consolingly, though he still smiled
rather teasingly at the lugubrious ex-
preston of the round, dimpled, rosy
face.
There was no resisting Blanche, when
she chose to assume the pathetic and
appealing. And David Leigh would
have done a great deal to oblige her,
even if she and her far less amiable
brother Ben had come to usurp his place
from boyhood.
The fault was not theirs, he was just
enough to admit. They were the lawful
heirs of the recently deceased Mr.. Ar
mand-of the kind though somewhat
whimsical old recluse, who had reared
him as a son, although the adoption had
never been realized.
That there has been a will or docu-
ment of some kind, providing for him
generously, David had always believed;
but there was no record of such pro
| cedure; and that it had been repented
perhaps, Cancelled or destroyed, he had
| ultimately become convinced. But Da-
vid was too magnaIimous of soul to feel
| any bitterness against the whimsical old
man, who living, had benefited him in
| a thousand ways. For after all "blood
is thicker than water, " and Mr.. Armand
no doubt had always cherished family
| affection for the pretty niece and the
bland young nephew, who had appeared
| to assert their rights now the moderate
ly well-to-do old uncle was no more
But, all the same, David felt some
unnatural disappointment. He appreci-
| ated the power afforded by money; and
to begin life absolutely moneyless was
decidedly disheartening to one who had
been accustomed to plenty and to a GER
tain sense of independence and import
ance. He had too, keener regrets, and
misgivings yet more dlspirIting now
he was impecunious, now he must begin
an unaided contest for name and station
among his fellow men; he felt he could
scarcely hope to desire to keep beside
him the dainty little queen who had
long commanded the best love of his
heart, and without whom his life must
be desolate and unvalued!
81 felt sufficiently unworthy of her
when had some small expectations,
| he thought; "but now l shall never
| dare to ask her TO share what must be a
| life of priyations and hardships And
| cannot blame her if she thinks of me no
more, for her tender feet were not made
to tread the rougher paths of this sad
| old world. One who has been graded
in down and purple is not for me, even
if she loves me as truly as have some
times believed, even if she were willing
| to risk the sacrifice"
| That she would be willing to risk the
sacrifice-the displeasure of naughty
relatives, the favor of her pretentious
set-he felt he could reasonably doubt!
and therein was the pang of ALL For
Daphne Fayne was daughter of wealth
she had all a girls fondness for elegant
| jewels and fine attire, for the delights
and eXcitements of fashionable pastimes
and amusements; she was young, beau
| tiful, and happy: she was petted, flat
tered, and admired; and she had never
| experienced want nor a care in all her
sweet nineteen years
81 must teach myself to forget her"
he was thinking that hot morning as he
gallantly proceeded with the task of
putting down Blanche's lovely moquette
carpet.
He would forget, he vowed resolutely
to himself, just as he had done multitu-
dinous times before. But, despite the res
olution, his whole soul was absorbed by
a yearning which could not be stilled
Would she, indeed, think of him no
more, now that fortune had frowned
upon him2-had not rather her sweet
bushes and soft smiles been eloquent of
q love which would be his solace in
every trial, and which would endure
while life might last Would either
forget so easily? Would not both re-
member always the precious moments
| when:
Glove sung to them, played to them,
| Composed them round in the dark and
| the light"
Would either so easily forget that one
wild morning, In a stormy sea, when he
! had perilled his lf0 to snatch her, sense