The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-10-20

There! Therel You are hurt. My
poor child" He helped her to the
horse-chestnut tree, made her sit down
on some carpets that were there, and |
wrapped her in rug and she let him
do it. Then, almost before he knew it,
he had told her how much she was to
him. And she? Well, afterward he
went home with her, and when they
stopped at her door he bent a minute,
and she bushed in the night and ran in
Both of them had quite forgotten
Molly's uncle, and he was equally OBJ
lvious of them. He had been unable
to sleep that night and had gone out.
AS he passed Justin Howe's farm, his
heart had grown very bitter againstthis
man who had everything-wife, chill
dren, home, honor. His own life looked
dark to him just then, and he thought,
would that Justin Howe might lose
some of these things and learn that the
world is not a place where happiness
can be bought by virtue, pound for
pound" Instantly, as il answering
his thought, or bringing judgment for
it, he saw, rising from the roof of the
barn, tiny tongue of flame. That
flame lighted up the dark places in his
! SOul, duu, ScnulIlS Sltdiil lutO tilC lu-
ture, showed him to what thought and
Imagination might have grown. In the
same minute it frightened the memory
of his boyhood, with its happy days in
that same old barn. He remembered
under which window he used to whistle
for Justin when they got up early to go
fishing, and went rapidly across the
road to Deacon Smalley's, rousing that
family with the news; and then on to
the next house, where, after consider
able pounding, he got them up, too,
and started back with the man of the
family and ladder.
Just as he was going to sleep, after
the excitement, he heard, coming from
Molly's room, and sounding through
the stiffness of the house, the heartiest,
gayest laughter. She had just stepped
before the glass to take down her hair,
and looking in to see if it was the same
face she saw so long ago-that morn
ing-she had found that she was indeed
changed, and in a way she never sus-
pected. All down her cheeks she was
smeared and streaked with black, which
was only diversified by two tiny paths,
one on each cheek, where two final,
foolish tears had run down. Royal had
taken his handkerchief to wipe her
eyes-silly thing-and it must be that a
dead cinder had somehow fallen into
his pocket when he was on the roof
Then after that everything had been so
solemn, and she all the time looking
like that! She could hardly 60 to sleep
for laughing
This merely shows that nobody with
any regard for the fitness of things will
ever offer himself at two o'clock A. NJ,
after fire; and that a young woman
who has proper respect for herself,
and high sense of her own RESPONSE
bility, will never allow proposal to be
made to her, sitting on a pile of car
pets, wrapped up in rug.
Mrs. Smalley, the deacon's wife, was
a woman who always thought of things
in time, and did them as soon as she
thought of them. And so, the next
, morning, when Johnny Howe was
G making the kitchen fire, Mrs. Howe
!. was looking for the tea-kettle, and Jul
dith Howe was trying to remember
: where she put the table-cloths, the
e deacon came to the door and asked
!. them to come right over to breakfast
" which they gladly did. There, of course
= they talked about the adventures of the
night, compared notes, and found some
difficulty in making their experience
blend into harmonious whole. Blu
it was clear that Philip Crawron haC
seen the fire and warned Deacon Small
ley at the same time that the Howe'
were awakened by Mr.. Lawrence. Mr.
Lawrence did not tell them he had seer
and recognized him. He felt as if hc
should like to apologize to Molly
uncle, and thought he should be yer,
careful how he judged him again. Thu
Howes were touched by Mr. Crawton'
kindness through the whole affair, anC
glad to think only of that.
Everybody was delighted when the,
heard that Mr.. Lawrence was comm!
back the next year. When judith
. Howe knew of the engagement, he
cup of happiness was running over.
And after you are married." sh'
said to Molly.
= After we are married, hope w
shall stay here. Royal says he neve
learned so much in his life as he ha
this last year; and it seems as if-to
gether-we might help the girls an
boys in 50 many ways!"
And so it is likely after all, tina
Molly Folger will have some of Uncl
Philo's money.-SprinQfeld Republican
The Beecher Family,