The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-02-06


collar-buttons y
He stammered out his thanke, and,
bewildered by the bright eyes which
beamed so kindly upon him, he bought
three-dolar red velvet album, for
which be had no use, and which sug-
gested each time he looked at it, as it
lay in bis bedroom, the dainty hands
which had wrapped it so deity in the
parcel, the string and the paper of
which he had hidden away in his valise.
Mary was not aware of it, but that
night, when she boarded Madison ave-
nue. car to go home, tall, swarthyyoung
man, with bundle under his arm, stood
by the driver on the front platform.
When she alighted at Grand street she
was unaware that behind her, lodging
along in the shadows, came the young
man and the bundle.
Her heart would have futtered had
she known that when she lit the night
lamp in her chamber its CLEAN was
watched by a pair of dark eyes in the
street below, and that only when puff
of breath from her lips Put out the
shimmering flame did lingering foot
steps die away upon the pavement in
the direction of the Bowery.
But the next night found" Buttons "
at the fair. This time he brought the
shirts with him, and was even bold
enough to ask Mary to go to supper
with him. But he had not courage
enough to ask if he could accompany
her home.
Did Mary send the shirts TO the poor
woman whom she had spoken of? Oh,
no; as tired as she was on arriving at
home, she sat up making button-holes in
Buttons shirts.
Those were pleasant days for Mary.
Her eyes took on a new luster, her
cheeks assumed more roseate hue.
fair closed, "Buttons mustered up
enough courage to ask if he could &C
company her home. His excuse was
that the night was wet and she had no
umbrella, and she consented, shyly,
and suggested that, as the fair closed
early they should walk. AS they went
down the Bowery with its brilliant shop
windows and the sidewalk shining in
the light it was necessary to walk close
together, because the crowd was so
great and the umbrella was small.
1t was curious, but neither had eyes
for the dazzling scenes along the route
" Buttons beguiled the way with the
story of his life. He told her-and she
listened carefully, fearful that she
might lose a word-how he had come
to the city from Otsego county and was
fortunate enough TO secure job as a
blacksmith in railroad car-shop. His
name was Tom Murphy. He had a
good trade, and one of these days he
intended to get married--if he found a
! girl who was willing to take homelv
fellow like him. Here Mary archly
said:
Why, don't think you are homely."
6 can't ask you to go in" she said !,
in deprecating manner, " because it's
so late. But can't you come around
some other night?"
Could he? Could the stars shine?
Well, he should rather guess he could
But there was matter he wanted to
mention. Here he became strangely
rain fell with slow drip on the UNI
brella.
"What is it?" she said, FACILITATING
like frightened rabbit.
A big lump came up in Toms throat
and mist swan before his eyes. He
turned pale as he placed his hand be-
meath her chin and raised her dropping
head so that he could look into her
eyes.
g was wondering" he continued, in
an unsteady voice, " if you would be
willing to give up selling buttons and
devote your whole time to sewing but
tons on my clothingl"
"Oh Toni" she cried.
A gust of wind came around the corner
and carried the answer away, but it
must have been favorable to his wishes,
for Tom astonished the Italian chest
nut vender on the corner by buying
out his whole stock and otherwise act.
ing like a good-natured lunatic.-Neio
York Euening Post.
SICK-HEADACHE is readily cured by Hood s
i