The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-01-10
THE DOCTORS NEPHEW,
BY EMMA A. oPPER-

bf EMMA A. oPPER.
Cora alighted from Philo Wilson
nigh and narrow and somewhat raft
onggy, and sat down on a loo with
sigh of relief, while Philo hitcbed b
aorse to tree.
II was not an enticing thing at best
20 to a picnic with Philo Wilson: h,
the picnic itself was preferable to II
or've thither. There were distractio,
81 least, and, with good luck, a chan,
Ior brief escape. But driving 81
miles with him, making spasmodic a
.empts at conversation while he sat
ms usual open-mouthcd but onsur.tie
silence, tall and lank, uuinspired an
uninspirlng-driving with Philo had n
alternating points. 80
Fairly at the grounds. then IN,
snook out her white dress aud straighI
sned her chip bonnet and even smiled
little with the buoyancy of youth. Tn
picnic was large, she noted, gaily.
Ihere were the older people gatherc
seoateiy together among a group q
oirches. Cora's father and mother wer
among them, in black broadclcth an,
alpaca, and they looked over at -tbe;
pretty daughter and Philo with nlaci
smiles. wa" p'"oi
They approved of Philo; he wa
STEADY" and their practical concer,
went no further. Cora smiled back a
them. And grouped about thu lon,
9oara platform, where there would b
oanclng later, were all "the girls"
Cora deserted the log.
IN go over where the rest are, " sh,
And though Philo, who was bit Of
uesPot under his phlegmatism, did NO,
look pleased, she hurried awsy.
The girls" were gushingly glad r.
zee her, after the manner of girls
You look lovely" said h ate Miller
What did you bring" said Marg "
ruler. "Pve got an angel cake. but 81
perfectly horrid! 1t isn't white a hit
and the frosting-" '
You know it's splendid, Marcy, " said
Cora laughing; yours always are. Isn't
tnat Dr. Sanoorn's nephew"
The girls" did not look around-it
WASH necessary. They had him already
wei nxed on their mental retinas, by
reason OF sundry furtive glances-the
handsome Young fellow, blue-eyed and
Diack- haired, in loose Jacket and sand .
ehoes and soft cap, who sat talking to
oadle Sanborn and Sadie's beau at the
other end of the platform. Thew burst
into subdued inquisitorial chorus.
"Oh, do you know him." We
enought, OF course. he's relative, be-
cause he's with Sadie" "Isn't he lovely.
anyhow" 'NJ'
HE is very nice. looking" said Cora.
!alntly tinted as to her round cheeks
Yes, he's the doctors nephew. He
was mere last summer, but only for a
week or so; and the doctor was in to sea
!atner one evening, and brought Mr..
Hill with him, and we got pretty well
acquainted. He'd run over and NAV
croquet real often, and one day we
But little excited murmer inter.
rupted her:
He's looking at you'll" "He's bow.
ing| HES coming straight over here,
So he was, with the eager smile with
winch young men have greeted pretty
maids since the world began, and with
an impatient, outstretched hand.
:, Cora's fingers smarted, In truth, under
the pressure it gave them. =
miss Gilman" he said, finding a seat
beside her land the girls" edged away.
swed by the nearer presence of the
Doctors nephew. ~ have been looking
Tor you, do you know? came only
yesterday, or you'd have seen me before.
nov are you, Miss Gilmanl You look
vel! And the croquet grounds it
'.Yes, it's there" she said, smiling up
at him. Philo had been buttonholed
Dy Hank Lee, at a safe distance.) "pve
improved, Mr.. Hill. Will you believe
You" he cried, in humorous alarm.
Why,. you used to 'whitewash' ME
every time as it was. Well play some
thing else this year, Miss Gilman-tae.
or lackstones, or something I'm proficient
They laughed delightedly. y
How nice he was she thought
bright and jolly
She was a little frightened to find
now well she remembered all about him.
And he-she couldn't tell what he was
thinking, OF course-but he was looking
a. her with very eager eyes and amanner
almost excited. She dropped her own,
her cheeks pinker. .
remember it all, you see. What a
good time we had, Miss Gilman. now
didn't we-the day VIC went off black
Derryinga You haven't forgotten ita
You had on an old blue dress and
shaker, and some gloves of your fathers"
MI. Hill threw back his head In boyish
Elee. "And we got ten quarts, too.n
He grew suddenly sober. IL did enioy
that week, Miss Gilman. I've lived It
over in my imagination often enough
since II it hadn't been for you, Miss
Gilman, ! shouldn't have come here this
summer" he ended, courageously. "But
I'm in for month here now"
She looked at him breathlessly, her
heart beating hard.
Did he mean it? But she knew he
did. And he hadn't an idea of Philo's
existence. She wished that she had not.
The doctors nephew rose impulsively.
"Come, Miss Gilman, +" said he; don't
let's sit here pokily. We never were
poky. you know. Let's have ramble.
Isn't there an ostensible purpose-an OBJ
ject of interest, or something2"
She smiled, with an inward conflict
of gladness and misgiving.
There's the willow arbor, down BY
the march; it's pretty there" she fall
tered.
Hank Lee had released Philo; he was
turning this way, with his loose gait, his
hands in his pockets.
II love willow arbors," cried the
doctors nephew. ST there's anything
I've always adored and yearned for it's
. willow arbor. You'll gol"
81 don't know" said Cora, wistfully.
But Mr.. Hill knew. Philo Wilson, at
any rate, stood the next moment staring
after their disappearing figures.
1t was not quite eleven by Mr.. Hills
handsome time piece when they started; /
but it was fully one when they got back.
They Fad forgotten the picnic, almost