Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-01-25

say speak good English. and hatter my
self have the accent very we'll but what
avails if ! cannot make You understand ,
Was it good doctor who said Madcmoi
scllc's heart was affected touched. might
say ~
There was a shout Of laughter from un
der the shower Of gold
my heart touched One would think
was in love No, my heart is not touched
yet least of all 10y you, Mr. Saintou
Least Of all by YOU
Mr. Santou"
She repeated this last rhyming couulet
with a quaint musical ntonation, as though
it was the refrain Of a song. and after her
voice and laughter had died away she went
on nodding her head in time to the brush
ing as if she were singing it over softly to
herself. This distressed the hairdresser
not little, and he remained silent
What shall ! pay you, Mr.. Saintou 2"
said the little lady when the large hat was
once more on the head
'lf Nlademoiselle would but come again,
said the hairdresser. putting both hand.
resolutcy behind his back
When come again shall pay you both
| for that time aud this, she said. with per
haps more tact than could have been ex-
/ pected Of her "And if You want to live
| long, Mr.. Saiutou, don't feel II / should
feel ! should die of quick, sharp, like a
moth that flies into the candle She made
little gesture with her hand. as if to indi
cate the ease and suddenness with which
the supposed catastrophe was to take place
and hohbed down the street Saintou
stood in the doorway looking after her. and
| his heart went from him
He sent her ilowers-howers that Ouch
ess might have been proud to receive He
/ sent them more than once. and thev were
/ accepted he argued much from that He
made friends with the baker in order that
/ he might bow TO him morning and evening.
Then he waited. He said to himself. "She
Is English If / 20 10 see her. if put my
hand ON my heart and weep, she will ieer
at me but if wait and work for her in
silence, then she will believe me He
made a parlor for her in the room above
his shop. and every week as he had time
and money, he went out to choose some or
nament for it. His maiden sister watched
these actions with suspicion, threw scornful
looks at him when he observed her watch
fulness, and lent kindly helping hand
when he was out Of sight The parlof grew
into shrine ready for its divinity. and the
hairdresser worked and waited in silence.
All, how many another lover has made his
mistake As if love unexpressed and un
known had power to bless any but the
heart of the lover.
Meanwhile the girl also waited She
could rot 20 back To the hairdressers shop
lest she should seem to invite renewal Of
those attentions which had given her the
sweet surprise Of the joy Of love. The law
of her woman's nature stood like lion in
the path. She waited through the months
Of the dreary winter till the one glcam of
sunshine which had come into her sad
young life had failed, till the warmth it had
klndled in her heart died-as lamp flame
dies for lack Of oil; died-as a flower dies
in the drought died into anger for the man
who had disturbed her peace. and when she
thought she cared for him no more she
Went again 70 get her hair cut.
Nou have come, said Saintou but the
very strength Of his feeling made him grave
Good gracious, yes, have come to have
my hair cut You would not cut it when |
was here, and have been very poorly these
three months. / could not come out. 50 the
other day | had my sister cut it of MY
father wanted to send for you but said
no, and oh, my it looks Just as if don
key had come behind and mistaken it for
hay
How quickly train Of thought can flash
through the brain Saintou asked himself
If he loved the girl or the hair. aud his
heart answered very sincerely that the
hair, divine as it was, had been but the out
ward sign which led him to love the inward
soul of the girl
'Mademoisele ought not to have said
no : ! should have come very willingly
and would have cut your hair if / had known
It must be So
Il made my sister cut it, but its fright
tul. 1t looks as if one had tried to NOV
L.. al
with "A penknife"
Il will make all that right, said Sain-
ton soothingly &C. will make it all right
Just in a moment | will make it very nee" "
Yes it wa, too true, the hair was gone:
and very barharously had it been handled
Il shall make it all right. he said cheer
fully. Il shall trim it beautifully for
mademoisele All, the beautiful color is
there all the same
As red as sunset or geranium, she
said
you do not believe that" sighed Sain-
ton. He trimmed the hair very tenderly,
aud curled it about the white face, till it
looked like great fair marigold just he
ginning to curl in its petals for the night.
He worked slowly, for he had something
he wanted to say, aud when his was done
he summoned up courage and said it. lie
told her his hopes and fears. He told the
story hlunderingly enough, but it had its
effect
mon Deu :" said Saintou. but he said it
| in tone that made his sister who was lis
| tening 10 every word through the door,
| leave that occupation and dart in to his as
/ sistance.
/ "Qu'elle est morte," was her brief stern
comment And so it was The bakers
/ daughter had felt, and she had died
This is not wholly Unexpected said
| the baker sadly, when he came to carry
[ away the corpse of his daughter. We all
expected it, said the neighbors; 'she had
heart disease And they talked their fill,
and never discovered the truth it wodld
have pleased them best to talk about
The short hair curled softly about the
| face of the dead girl as she lay in her cof
| fin, and Saintou paid heavily for masses
for her sweet soul. When they had laid
/ her in the churchyard he came home and
took the key and went into the little parlor
all alone She had never seen it, She had
never even heard Of it, 1t is sad to bury
baby that is dead it is sadder, if we but
/ knew it, to bury in darkness and silence a
/ child that has never lived. A JOY that has
gone from us forever is a jewel that trem-
hes like a tear on Sorrows breast, but the
brightest stars in her diadem are the mem
ories of hopes that have passed away un-
realized and untold All well, perhaps the
gay trappings of the little room, by their
daily influence ON his life, drew him nearer
to heaven. He gave the key to his sister
afterward, and they used the room rs their
own but that dav he locked himself in
| alone. and, hiding his face in the cushion
of her dainty chair he wept as only
strong man can weep .-LOHgmdH'S Mdgd-