The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-02-08

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all sorts of things, as other girls do"
said Flossie, with a pretty blush and a
depreciating glance.
Very sensible of her." said Alfred,
becoming more interested. Presently
he learned that the place she intended to
visit was farmhouse in B county,
near village with which he was fa-
miliar.
go there sometimes the fishing
is quite tolerable," he said.
go to visit second cousin of my
aunt, and think l heard her speak of
you last summer. She had seen you by
chance and inquired about you" said
Flossie.
And so you like oatmeal and farm
life?" asked Alfred.
Indeed, love both, but l hope you
won't think me a dreadful romp from
what your cousin said. Aunt Kate did
not approve of me dancing in hot
rooms, but she allowed me to climb
trees when l was alone at the farm,
and it is such fun. Aunt Kate says a
girl should be healthy before all things,
and as Pm always well suppose can
thank her for it,"
Alfred's admiration for this lovely
combination of beauty and gentleness
increased with every word she spoke,
and the first of August found him
boarding at the house of Silas Cloud,
the second cousin of the aunt of Flossie
Breck. Flossie had been drought up
strictly" but in a small country town,
where the need of chaperon had
never been impressed on her, so that
her enjoyment of Alfreds society was
unclouded by single thought of ETH
quette or Z" good form, :" and Alfred was
in an earthly paradise. Every morning
Flosse took walk before breakfast
and then enjoyed her hearty but simple
meal of oatmeal, potatoes, milk and
bread. Alfred shared the walk and
the breakfast, and then he and Flossie
climbed trees. This sounds startling,
but it was decorously done. Alfred
climbed first and assisted Flossie up,
and as the trees were w-branching
orchard trees, climbing involved even
less romping energy than tennis. There
among the rustling leaves and socable
insects Alfred basked in the light of
Flossie's presence and discovered new
charms in her every moment. He
found her fully conscious that her
mental requirements were far inferior
to his and eager to listen to his in
struction and advice, and as he read to
her choice selections of prose and
poetry his Joy at her appreciative SYM
pathy was increased by frequent glances
over the top of his book, for Flossie
was grace itself, and each position she
took among the curving branches was
more lovely than the last. On Sunday
Flossie exchanged her graceful tennis
20 hn+
ing church costume, and she and Alfred
attended the afternoon service at the
village church. Afterwards, on their
way home, they fingered in the shady
path and talked philosophy.
"Bless her little heart! She has
more sympathy than any girl l ever
knew, and she is as good as she is
pretty" said Alfred, rapturously, to
himself, as her beautiful eyes so often
met his, full of gentlest confidence in
his wisdom and scarce yelled admira-
ton of his manly PROJECTIONS.
1t was an enchanted solitude. Silas
and his wife were visible only at meal
times, or at distance, when engaged in
agricultural or poultry-cultural pursuits.
Alfred hardly cared to read his letters
or the newspapers.
Flossie had only one correspondent
besides her aunt. This was a Philadel-
phia girl, who had attended the SEM
mary in the town where Flossie lived
and had visited Flossie's home.
Aunt Kate distrusted her at first,
, because she was a boarding-school girl
Ct was never away to schooD, but she
liked her afterward, except when Bella
ate green apples and wanted to make
me eat one. Auntie was furious for
awhile" murmured Flossie, in her
soothing, musical voice.
"What very fine woman your aunt
must be! | approve entirely of her
ideas. l have noticed lately that you
do not take bite of every apple you
see, as many people do.
ooh, auntie did not allow me to eat
between meals!" said Flossie. This
statement brought matters to crisis.
Here have found youth, beauty,
! docility and digestion-what more can
/ wish?" thought Alfred.
Before sunset of that day Flossie was
engaged to him, and before Christmas
they were married Love and Hygeia
presided over this suspicious union,
and Alfred was in the seventh heaven
of earthly bliss.
But OF the two genli who attend upon
good resolves there was one who had
yet to be heard from,
Genii number one had found Alfred
his ideal girl.
! Genii number two cunningly con-
cealed from him the following letter,
which Flossie wrote soon after her en-
gagement had been made public:
My DARLING BELL:-Wish me joy:
I've got out of Aunt Kate's clutches
and into the hands of a rich, handsome
, and soft adorer! We will be married
Immediately. How did l get him?
you'll say, living in this dull hole.
Well, my love, last summer auntie
, sent me, for economy, to board at
Cousin Silas Clouds while she went
North. There heard of rich young
fellow who had been fishing in s..
, traced him to Brinton and found
that he was Jane Moore's cousin
fancy that cat having a handsome
cousin! | managed to get an invita-
ton out of her and soon learned that