The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-01-12

upon her.
"iou know ia be insi delighted. Mis-
Lsmphier. be almost gasped. I'd"
'stockLam 4 Mr. Lamphicrs yoic,
wss alarminels near. II waui that box o
spices opened Immediately
Mr.. Lamphier's bead projected itsel
over the counter lie glared down at th,
startled pair beneath Il
( Johu looked at Lottis. There was
daring light ia bis eyes.
"lll come this evening"
He formed ihe words inaudihly will
bis lips, aud hurried away,
Mr Lampbier slapped The package Of
rice on the counter, frostingy.
4 Loitie brushed of her dress. readjust d
her vail. extracted piece Of citron from
lar add nibblcd at IL aud sent out will
n parting smile for john Stsckhsm
II Littie put on her lsst dress and Ler
pretties. ruebiogs aud her tilver hair pio
aud bracelets that evening after her father
had eaten bis supper and gone back TO the
store, aud II somebody knocked at the
kitchen door about light, aud II the kitch'
en- iesonnded for two hours thereafter
With pleasant chat aud harmless badiuage
and light.hearted laughter II these things
occurred surely it was nobDdy's business
If don't need to tell You how Nv en-
joyed the evening, Miss Limphier," said
john Stockham, earnestly, as he rose at
last, lingerihgly Il know shouldn't
have come: but Il couldn't help it, aud |
cant be sorry did. .
Certainly not, said Lotiie, with pretty
warmth,
81 shonld like to come again, John
pursued; "but of course this isn't the
way -"
Il don't care--so nov T. said Lottie
sioutly. III pa will be so unreasonable, |
don't know what else we can Goodness
what is that, Mr.. Stockhsm ?"
She smiled the air sppreheusiyely.
John smiled, too.
Its smoke r. he declared
Mercy where 2" cried Lottie.
"We1l have to investigate" said Johu,
taking up the lamp.
They went into the back entry, 1t was
blue with smoke. Lotlie gave little
scream.
Something's afre, said John Stock
ham. Don't be alarmed Miss Lam
phier. he added, solcitousy.
He opened the woodhouse door. They
were choked by the rush Of smoke and hot
air. Their startled gaze revealed one side
of the wood house alive with licking, dart.
ing flames
John Stockham's practical mind worked
quickly,
where's the sink, Miss Lamphier ?" be
demanded, 'and water pail two il pos
sibIe. Well have to work to stop it. It's
got good start .
They did work They rushed to and
fro with heavy pals Of water, half blind
ed by the smoke, hot from the flames,
dripping with spilled water.
At the eud Of a confused fifteen minutes
they sat down, dizzy and exhausted in the
doorway and surveyed the scene.
One wall of the wood house was burned
black At one point the flames had burst
through and the moonlight came stream
ing in.
1t shone on the recumbent form OF q
red faced, blowsy and obviously inebriat-
ed tramp. sleeping peacefully on pile of
kindling wood. Ii shone on dirty clay
pipe thrust into little mound OF shay
ings, which still smouldered. II shone,
furthermore. on Mr.. Lampher, standing
in the wood house door and staring in.
Lottie was more than equal to the occa-
sion. She was not person to let golden
opportunity escape her.
She rushed over to her father and clasp
cd both hands around his arm with ira
glc little sbflek,
"Oh. pa !" she cried, Just look
Just think what you've escaped J The
house would have been burned down in !
another minute ia one minute all burn.
cd down Mr. Stockham has saved it. II
he hadn't been here and we hadn't smelled
smoke aud come out here, aud found the
wood house all ablaz, and worked like
anything to put 1t out, just think what
would haye happened 1t was that bor-
rid tramp. He'd got in here somehow
and gone to sleep smoking, ani his horrid
pipe had set things afre. I'm so glad
Mr.. Stockham was here-ain't you, pa,
lear p
Mr. Lampbier looked at his daughter
md at John Slockham and at the black
,ued wall and at The serenely slumbering
ramp.
"Ah, yes, he responded. 1T WAS for
unate you happened along Stockham."
There Was tinge al irony 10 bis tone
Auu hOut BflUusbs III LIS blHltt Dul l<uttic
lid not mind that-nor did John Stock
nam.
Tney realized that by fortunate turn
u events Mr.. Lampbier was defeated and
made to appreciate and admit the fact
They cared little for the burned beams;
hey were not conscious OF their dripping
,lothes; the slumbering tramp seemed to
Je al angel 10 disguise.
well, it's the way to do" Lotiie de-
,lared. few weeks later. when she aud
Iohn Stockhsm were safely engaged and
Mr. Lamphier had given them his bless
pg aud intimated that bed thought OF
siiug partner, aud thst John might
possibly do; ''ii's the way to do. II we'd
us, stood back as meek as mice and wait
q for pa 10 come round and invite you
10 10 The house mercy caa't bear to