The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-10-04
A RECEIPT FOR A WIFE.

Harris Holbrook, college graduate of
a week, prospecting arouad in harum :
scarum fashion to work off some exub.
Grant sense of freedom, did not count
upon an adventure when he ascend ed
the roof of the old brown church where
the workmen were chipping and ham
mering and jabberin He had climbed
up for view of the buildings OF the
city and "the glory of them."
He was good looking, compactly
built fellow in cool linen suit, as he
balan ced himself up on the staging, in
dolently, and exchanged civil words
with the workmcn. His eyes came back
from Trinity and tho New South" to
his INN, diato surroundings. A park
and two tall family hotels bounded
three sides of tho church. Directly be-
low him were tho roofs of dwellings
with blooming back yards. Tho stag
ing extended up to the brown east
wing, which folded itself against the
body of the church. From his point of
view he could look into the back third
story window of the wing, which had
been converted into homelike board :
ing house. He had feeliug glimpse
Of airy muslin draperios, which betok-
ened feminine occupant. Hi, curiosi-
ty was excited at once. He could see
pictures hung low against a delicate
wall paper, a well filled book case, and
q pale green and salmon carpet. A
writing desk Uttered with papers stood
near tho farther window.
He was weaving bit of romance
around the occupant when shapely
arm and shoulder appeared in the win
dow next him, and slim white hand
which he could have almost touched
drew down the curtain quickly.
Feeling as if his curiosity had been
rebuked, he turned and walked along
tho staging slowly to tho rear of the
church. As he retraccd his steps he
had another glimpse of the arm and
shoulder clothed in cool lavender at the
desk, writing, but ho could see nothing
Of the face except the tip OF pink ear,
and brown frizzes stirring in the breeze
over her temples. He felt something
of the student recklessness of his sopho-
more period urging him to vault into
The room from his perch and apologize
afterward for the intrusion. He had
been invulnerable to the smiles Of
"sweet girl graduates" but he was pos
sessed to make the acquaintance of this
dcnizea of the wing under tho church
caves, who kept out of his range of
vision and gave him no chance for bit
of sly Irritation.
She had an atmosphere. Ho felt its
influence in widening circles around
him. He half believed shc was not
pretty. Pretty women were not apt to
have this magnetic, far reaching atmos-
phere. He could see the arm moving as
she wrote. Was she novelist, or poet,
or copyi,t9 he wondered.
He dire cted his glass over the city
and watched the window, alternate.
ly. Presently he could sec the pen laid
down, impatiently, it seemed. Then
the shoulders and frizzes disappeared
from the desk and soon he felt sure he
heard her door open and shut. She had
gone out.
'If it wasn't for the eyes of these
work men I'd climb into the room and
leave note on her desk, or couplet to
her shoulder and frizzes," he thought
daringly.
Just then paper sailed out through
the window, whiring and turning
summersaults as if mad with delight in
its mission. 1t circled round the Chin
ney on roof below, peepcd into sky
light, dipped down like bird upon a
vine creeping over trcllis in the yard,
flew back to the open wind ow as If to
return home, changed its mind and gy-
rated within range Of the linen clad fi--
ure with tantalizing "catch- me-if-you-
can" expression. At the risk of losing
his balance, he captured the half sheet
of note, with words upon it, aud wa
debating whether to read or not read,
lest he should encroach upon private
matter, when he became aware that il
was merely prosaic receipt for some
money paid to B.own 81 Co., furniture
dealers, by Kate Goosechase.
Goosechase ye godsl Tho name was
like q dash of ice water. Could it be.
long to the graceful arm aad shoulder
and crimplins brown hairi Should he
make the paper an excuse for calling t.
return itl But he couldn't make up hi
mind to ask for Miss Gooscch.s .se. The
romance seemed TO be oozing out OF hi:
H. ~ L..