The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-06-03

minc, you hoon- 'a'oi' Soo"'ioA~
nothing!-my pongcc handkerchief, that
you have stolen right out Of my bagl
Well, Ineverw
She shook Phoebe vehemently. Ph9be
began to cry in mingled terror and re-
sentiment, and Just then up drove the
farm wagon at gallop.
"Hello, mother!" said Ezra Pilking.
tons cheerful voice. 'Tm afraid Tvc
kept you waiting bit, but the linchpin
came out of the wheel, and I had to stop
at Tony Deephill's to get it fixed. Now,
thenm
He drove tho stout pony close to the
raised platform which extended away
from the station.
Mrs. Pilkington pushed Phoebe into
the back seat, and followed her with
lightning haste.
"Not that way" she cried, grasping
at the reins, as Ezra would have headed
for the highroad. "Drivc straight to
Squire Pulteney's. This gals thief!
I'm going to have her arrested before she
is day older!"
"Eh!" said Ezra, staring from his
mother to Phoebe, and then back again.
"she's stolc my spotted pongco hand
kcrchief-my handkerchief that I bought
bargain on Grand Street this very morn
ingw shrieked Mrs. Pilkington.
'1ts-it's my handkerchief" faltered
poor Phoebe, feeling as if she were in
terrible nightmare from which there was
no awakening.
"a likely story iclamored the enragcd
housewife. GIVE always heard of the
wilcs and tricks of these city minxcs, but
I never realized it until now. Drive on,
Ezra-drive quick! She shall be lodged
in the county Jail this very night"
care you sure you amt mistaken,
mother9' said kind Ezra, compassionating
the look of pallid misery in the young
girls face.
Mistaken, indeed" shifted the old
lady. 'Driyc on, Isay! Don't lose any
more time, o1Sssie Pulteney will have
gone home fer the rEht."
She herself took possession of tho rcin'
and she spoke and chirruped to tho
horses.
"But, mother" pleaded Ezra.
Even as he spoke, however, poor
Phoebe, driven wild by vague terror and
an instructive desire to escape, had flung
herself from the wagon to the ground.
"Stop for heavens sake, mother,
stop" shouted Ezra. Don't you see
that her dress is caught in the whccls2"
The little horse stopped. Hc always
stepped, on general principles, whenever
suitable opportunity presented itself,
and the very slightest "Whoa!" would
invariably bring him to dead standstill.
| Ezra sprang from the wagon to olsen
tanglc the helpless figure in the dust, and
Mrs. Pilkington scrambled after with a
vague idea that Phoebe might yet got up
and try to run away.
AS she jumped down her satchcl fell
prone into the road, and bursting open
the overstraincd latch, disgorged its con-
tents on the dcwy grass of the roadside,
first and foremost among which was-a
spotted pongeo handkerchief.
"Good Land o'Moses" piously inter-
| jected Mrs. Pilkington, "if there amt
the drafted old pongec handkerchief,
artcr alp
And she stared helplcssly, first at its
prim and undisturbed folds, and then at
Ph@be's handkerchef--cxactly the same
in color, pattern and fabric.
"She aint thief artcr ALI" said Mrs.
Pilkington, her whole nature overlooked
by the rising tide of rcmorsc. "Poor
child! and I'm afcard she's hurt a-tryin'
to run away from nothing at ALL"
PhGbe's ankle was slightly spraincd,
that was all, and by this time she was
able to smile and answer kindly Mrs.
Pilkington's numerous questions and con-
dolcnccs.
"Can / ride home2 Oh, of course
can!" said she, in reply to Ezra's interro.
cations. "My ankle is only the least BIZ
lame"
Old Farmer Pilkington was anxiously
looking out for them, when, considerably
later than he had expected, the wagor
drove up and Mrs. Pilkington made haste
to explain everything to him.
"And amt it queer" said she, 'tha
me and Phoebe should both hcv bought
pongce handkcrchicfs Just alike OF
Grand Street, If ever there was bar
bains, they be! Half yard square, rea
China goods, with hem
'Tiddlesticks!' said old Mr.. Pilkins
ton. "If there's anything I hate, it,
bargainsw
. Little Phoebe Primrose stayed on at tn,
farm. She liked the daisies and rec
clover, the-sound of running brooks, til,
smell of the cows breath. And-Ezri
Pilkington liked her. - Helen Forres
GrGces
| Business COmplic ItiOns,