The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-07-03
DOROTHY.
TT J.. L. cHITTENDES.


by the sea, known aud appreciated by
certain set, who come summer after
summer to enjoy its lovely location and
famous table.
Broad porches extend around the
house, and these shelters from the suns
fierce rays, are generally well filled of
morning. On this special morning when
our story opens, the western porch is
occupied with a bright bevy of pretty
girls, who arc all apparently talking and
laughing at once, as only girls and mag
pies can. One exception to this merry
hubbub, is found in girl withdrawn a
little from the rest, whose head is bent
over her book with an almost eager in
terest in her bright face. At last the
girls hail her, longing for fresh cars
into which to pour their gossip.
80 rare, sweet Dorothy, prithee give
us heed" gaily cries her cousin Amy.
''Lend us those small, shell-like ears"
Chimes in another tormentor.
"For we would tale unfold" sums
up a third.
But Dorothy is deaf to Establishments
or entreaties, and never lifts her head
until ball of crewel deity tossed into
her face causes her to exclaim i'm
patiently: "Well, what is it now." tell,
and have done, and then let me alone"
"Now, Dodo, you know, in your MUD
you added, idle anticipates to that
sentence" says Amy reproachfully.
"If you know so well what am think
ing, perhaps it will occur to you to leave
me alone" returns Dorothy bending over
her book again.
20, you strong-minded young person."
cries Gertrude Vaile ''to pretend not to
be interested in our news. It's thrill
ing! It's sublime! and you prefer Emer-
sons essays, dry old Emerson-why l
always take him as sleeping draught. ;"
II don't doubt it at ALL" answers
Dorothy drily.
"Now Dodo, you must take your
medicine. So sit up, assume pleasant
expression and wink as often as you
please, as the man said who took my
tintype on the beach the other day. BY
the way girls, have utterly forgotten to
tell you about that romantic adventure of
mine. The other afternoon tallow-
candle-looking creature with a camera,
met me down on the beach and implored
me to have my picture taken with the
whole Atlantic for a background. Of
course did; could I resist the appeal of
such an Adonis9 Nay, l should have
been taken as Aphrodite Gin a tailor suit,
with my classic head rising above the
waves crests, had he so elected. For
tunately he did not. I do wish you had
been there girls, but you were all sensi-
bly, taking siestas at that hour, and l
ought to have been, but l had a new
novel and the hero and heroine were in
extricably involved in a hairbreadth
situation, and really couldn't with a
good conscience leave them there So
was taken with my novel tucked under
my arm; and the result was a most sur
prising combination Of female sufragist
and book agent, that you ever beheld,
for was morally certain that if l let go
the corners of my mouth to assume the
pleasant expression should outroar the
Atlantic. Here it is. Behold it in all
its pristine loneliness"
So saying, Amy produces a tintype
from her handkerchief bag and passes it
around. Whereupon the girls giggling
chorus rapidly crescendoes into wild
shrleks of laughter, as they gaze upon
the dark, stern face and ramrod- like pos
lure of winsome, dimplcd Amy, always
running over with fun and laughter.
Meantime Dorothy has again sought
refuge in Emerson's "Compensations."
"Dodo, Dodo," they call shrilly and
in every key, but with no result until
their victim suddenly arises, bangs her
book together with emphasis, and is
walking away with majestic air when
they all with one intent fall upon and
surround her with such mass of billowy
mulls and such chaos of babble, that she
yield perforce, and they escort her back
to the piazza and put her in huge arm
chair and surround her, a most unwilling
prisoner.
"Now will you hear our gossip or
not'" queries Gertrude with uplifted fin
ger.
''If your shrieks and yells have not
absolutely deprived me of the sense of
hearing and you can focus your accumu-
lated mass of weighty intellect upon this
important subject in hand, l think very
likely shall hear it, returns Dorothy
with dignity.
"The prisoner at the bar is fined ten
kisses for contempt of court" says Ger.
trude, and proceeds to collect the fine in
person.
"Now, we have leased her long
enough, girls, " says Amy, $50 Dodo pre-,
pare! Who do you think came last
night2'
1.-THE President and all his suit"
"Guess again"
"The clam-bake . ...:... F"
''Horrors, no! Now, once more"
~ can't think of any one else, unles:
It's Gertrude's Dick"
''No such good luck" pouts that
young lady, "or we'd be riding the
waters blue"
"And burning your nose a rosy hue, ;
chimes in Amy readily.
"Well, I'll tell you before you 90 wild
with curiosity. I hope you haven't for.
gotten your old friend, Wayne Palmer
ston, who lost his wife three or four year,
ago. Well, maamselle, they are here
Not his wife, you understand, unless hel
harnt has come, but he and his little bov,
He is no end ricn, handsome, and fascin
ating, we know. Could anything hav,
been more desirable2 No, not the deati
of his wife, Gertrude, blush for you
but his coming here"
"This is positively his first appearance,
since his grief" says Gertrude. "Ah
Dick look out, if you stay away mucl
longer, there is no telling what may hap
pen, for. of course, he is after a wife. /
that is not a bonanza for this man les
resort, where the bug professor is belle o
the ball, I give it up"
Dorothy's face, usually most expires
sive, is positively rigid now, SO anxious i
she to keep any betrayal of her feeling
from this giddy crowd of butterflies
When they finish talking, she sit
y