The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-03-06

| cooper Ortne nlre0 girl. however,, Ine
cooking was good, the country air and
his walks round about gave him an APP
petite, and he was content. He hshed
the stream closely or rambled here and
there, hammer in hand and bag at side,
or leaned over fences and talked with
the farmers about crops" and the
weather.
In a weeks time the thing grew mo-
notonous. The fish were not always in
clined to bite, good specimens in quar-
ries and IN stu grew scarcer, and his
stock of talk on farming was nearly
exhausted He began to think of 60
ing to the Branch aud hunting up Bou-
dinot. AS he sat upon the veranda one
afternoon debating the matter, wagon
was driven up the lane and stopped
at the door. Lightly out stepped a
young woman in neat traveling-dress,
and the driver followed her with large
trunk, under which he staggered, burly
as he was. Mrs. Cooper came from
the kitchen and exclaimed, "Why, it's
Gwenny, declareP'
"You dear old Aunty RuthP said
the newcomer, hugging and kissing
the farmers wife. /" came to have
good time for month"
"And so you shall, my DEAR" was
the hearty reply.
Philip took an ocular inventory of
the looks, dress and manner of the new
conner as he took off his hat. "a
sweet face and graceful figure, and pre-
sentable anywhere" was his internal
comment. Here's luck. | shall not
visit the Branch yet"
"You have boarder, aunty," said
the girl, when upstairs with Mrs.
Cooper.
eyes. He's Mr.. Bee" said the
other. " 1t don't look as if he had any
call to work for his living, judging by
his white hands and his fix-ups, and
he's plenty of money"
"Bee! Then he isn't busy bee.
But he's good-looking; if he be agree
able, he'll do for a walking-stick.
Mrs. Cooper's mistake as to Philip
was natural enough. When she had
asked his name on his coming he had
said, in his airy way, Philip B., at
your SERVICE" and she had taken the
sound of the initial for his surname.
After she had called him Mr.. Bee sew
eral times Philip saw the blunder,
smiled at it, and, as the naval officers
say, made it sou and when Gwenny
came to the table she was introduced,
" Miss Gwenny, Mr.. Bee" AS she
to be Cooper, but as the farmer adj
dressed her as Miss Gwenny, and the
farmers wife as Gwenny, Philip chose
the more respectable form of the two.
AS Philip was gallant young gentle
man, and as the young lady was charm
ing in manner, he naturally paid her
much attention. When a young man
and young woman are thrown together
under such circumstances it is not I'M
usual for a filtration to follow. 1t is
generally foregone conclusion.
Philip soon learned that Gwenny !"
was the diminutive Of Gwenllian, and
not of the more stilted Gwendoline,
which interested him. Philips mother
had been a Powell, with Welsh blood in
her veins, and bore the same name.
This latter Gwenllian was mystery to
him. For the niece of rather coarse
farmer-for Cooper, though worthy
man, was the reverse of refned-she
displayed questionably gentle man
ners. Then she showed fair knowl-
edge of any subject touched upon in
conversation.
What was shea teacher? She had
not the look nor the way of the school
ma'am. A governess? Possibly. If
so, in a good family. But her belong
ings were not of the secondhand kind.
Philip had keen eye for female APP
parel. Her lace was of the rarest; her
gloves were perfect and of the newest;
her dresses were pretty in material and
well-fitting, though quiet in tone; and
though she displayed little in the way
of jewelry, the stone that sparkled on
the head of lace pin was Enthusiastically
diamond. She had been well cultured,
and every word and action showed a
purity that fitted her name.
On the other hand, Philip was as
much mystery to the young girl. He
was a gentleman beyond doubt. But
what was he doing there-a man of
culture, refinement and aesthetic tastes,
in that farmhouse? He had said moth
ing of the Boudinots, which would have
explained it. With little affectation
of cynicism, which did not i'll become
him, the man was as clear as water,
frank as air. But why did he loiter
there with no apparent purpose? The
girl did not at first deem she was the
attraction, but it came to her after five
weeks, and she grew shy, and her shy
ness for the last week of her stay in
fected Philip, who became shy too and
lost all ease. AT length she announced
to Mrs. Cooper that she had TO return
home, and that her father, who was in
Philadelphia visiting a friend there,
would come for her on the following
day, and his friend with him. Philip
heard this with depression that told
him he had met his fate, and that il
lay in the power of this girl to make
him happy or miserable for life.
All the night that followed Philip
lay and tossed restlessly. He could not
sleep. He felt that his father would be
as good as his word, but he would win
a wife then or never. Near morning
he arose, dressed and sat at the win
dow until the sun showed itself. Then
he slipped out of the house and strolled
touorb a Olan faW Uarda off inland