Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-02-10

He was afraid I'd grow out of my engage
ment; he should have to put a loaf of hot
bread on my head to keep me within bounds.
We had been engaged two years. | was II
years old, and head taller than | was at 10.
He was going to Europe to stay three or four
years. What would l be when he returnedl
He did not dare to think. He believed would
be as tall as he by that time. wouldn't II
II hoped So" | answered, tartly, thinking
the while of the story of the engagement.
"Whew You are taking on the airs of
fine young lady already, my little Phebe,' he
answered, laughing heartily. "You wouldn't
give me one of your brown curls today if my
heart should break for it, would youf"
mo, have none to spare"
"Not one! WhyN
"Cause'-
"Cause whatW
because she has heard strange reports of
you Frank" broke III my mother, mischev-
ousy. "She hasn't any idea of letting you
rob her of her curls while she doubts your
sincere allegiance to her. She is a lady of
spirit, you see
"On my faith she isl he exclaimed, gayly,
his blue eyes upon my face. and trow I'm
in love with her for it. Never mind reports,
my little lady"
L dISNtletl puly ny IL Cull VI my Ups, NhIle
he reached out his hand TO draw me to a seat
upon his knee.
mo, l won't sit therer' l cried, pushing
away his hand, while tears, which had been
crowdlng their way into my eyes, gave
sudden dash down my burning cheeks. I'm
never sit there again. neverl"
"My dear little Phebe"
There was real pathos in his rich, manly
vpipn q Cuicl, l,pDptrutiOo c1t,1,ris,1 lnpl. in
his cleg", blue eyes, as he uttered these words,
followed 10y a rapid, wondering expression
of tenderness, as he repeated them.
MY dear little Phebe May God bless
your
stole quietly away from out of the house,
with that fervent benediction lying fresh and
deep upon my childish heart, and threw my
self down in the shade of the old orchard
trees and sobbed out the heaviness that
pressed upon my spirit. For hours lay there
in tho mellow September sunshine, brooding
| over the little romance that had SO silently
and strangely grown into the wool of my al
most baby life. l wept before my time for
the delicious grefs that forever cling to q
sweet and conscious womanhood.
When returned to the house Frank had
taken his leave, but in my little work basket
he left Il small pearl box, which contained a
plain gold ring Did l wear it, Are you
woman, reader and ask iti
"Phebe, Phebe! mother says come down
| stairs. There is a gentleman in the parlor
who wishes to see you"
The words broke harshly into my pleasant
dreams which l had been weaving all the
long golden July afternoon, in the unbroken
stiffness Of my chamber. At my feet, upon
the carpet, with its leaves rumplod and
crushed, lay my neglected Virgil in close
proximity to a huge Latin dictionary, while
upon my lap, in wrinkled condition, my
sewing was lying, with needle hanging by
a long line of thread, nearly to the floor, as
if escaped luckily from round of monoto-
nous hemmng, which as yet boosted but two
or three stitches at its commencement
"Who can it be that wishes to see meY'
exclaimed rising hastily and calling after
my little 6-year-old brother: "Who is it,
Charlie"
Don't know; it's somebody Mother says
come down"
"Who can it be!n An hour since had
seen gentleman with heavily bearded face
come up the walk but l was too busy with
my dreams to notice him very particularly.
Still, as | recalled his face and figure and his
quick, springing step, there seemed some.
thing strangely familiar in them Who
could it he? My heart heat rapidly Surely
| had seen that face and form before, and O
name that was singularly dear to me trem
bled upon my lips-"Frank Haynes"
But | could not go down to meet him
though | was summoned a thousand times.
did not "ish to see him; why should
There was no occasion for it. | was not the
foolish little girl of ten summers whom hC
had left five years ago in short frocks ant
curls but little grown woman instead. No
was not the same. l would not go down
Besides, a sudden headache was nearly blind
ing me. Mother could not ask it Of me wher
l was hardly able to cit up. But what woulc
he think? Would he carei Would he still
remember tenderly the little Mrs. Haynes O
five years agof
Little! repeated the word as | stood be
fore the mirror, which gave back to me al
accurate picture of myself. A slender, pass
able FORM dark, clear complexion larg
gray eyes; mouth whose redness seemed t.
have robbed the cheeks of their color; whit
teeth; broad forehead, but not high; large
heavy braids Of chestnut brown hair, was tn
likeness framed before my eyes, / turne,
away with a sigh, and glanced down at m,
hand. Upon the third finger of the left wa
plain, gold circlet. The hot blood rushe,
into my cheeks as / looked at it. woul
, wear it no longer. He should never know
that had worn it at all Just then m
brother came again to the door Of my room
crying out new message:
"Mother says little Mrs. Haynes is wante
down stairs"
81 have a terrible headache, Charles
, Please tell mother So" and sank down upo
a chair close by the window, and leaned IN
head upon chair handle.
'Dear, dear! If they would but forge
mel" | murmured to myself, as tho hum c
, their conversation came clearly to my ear
| An hour passed away, and l heard the SCUM
!, of voices in the hall, and then steps in tn
! walk below. did not glance eagerly froi