News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-01-30

sunbright hair, its short, arch feat
ures, its delicate coloring, and dreamy
violet eyes. deserved better gownins
to emphasize its exquisiteness THAI
the faded and mended old blue cash.
mere which she wore.
But, Auntie, all your other OLD
heirlooms went long ago to buy bread
and butter for us both-went in the
time before l was old enough to earn
the little 1 do. Why do you prize
this so much more highly than the
rest?n
The small. withered old lady, dress
ed in black alpaca, with a net hand
kerchief crossed over her bosom. ceas-
ed her slow rocking and looked up
into the questioning young face.
''fm keeping it to give you for a
wedding present"
THAT is very kind of you, auntie.
but indeed | would rather have you sell
it and enjoy some comfort now"
Mrs. Merritt's little brown, bird-like
eyes twinkled shrewdly.
al would if l were offered enough tor
it"
But" cried Phyllis, stopping in the
act of filling the tea-kettIe, '$75,
auntie."
''Seveuty-five dollars can't touch itr'
declared the old lady with asperity.
Phyllis sighed.
1t was quite useless to argue with
her aunt when she got an idea in her
head
AS the girl washed up the supper
dishes and tidied up the tiny room,
which was both dining room and kitch-
en- and which with two other apart
ment, she recalled many of the odd
stories she had heard about her aunt.
A peculiar character every one
seemed to consider her-demented.
many intimated. Certain it was that
one episode related of her seemed to
justify suspicion of her sanity.
Very wealthy in her own right was
she when she had married handsome
had converted all her property into
money, invested the money into bonds.
I'D then made bonfire of the bondsi
-ffSF JIsWets disappeared, no one knew
where She said she wished to test
the sincerity OF her husbands love,
and believed husband should solely
support his wife
But a test so severe Oswald Merritt
could not and did not stand. Infuriated
at his brides deed and doctrine he
told her he had only married her for
her money, and took himself off.
For years, worthless, abusive, dis
sipated, he hung around the neighbor-
hood, seeking no reconciliation with
his wife, but ever to her proving d
persistent and malicious menace.
To her immense relief she learned
one day that he had fallen out of a
third-story window and broken his
neck.
His widow devoted herself to the
care of her brothers orphan child,
PHYLLIS CLYDE, till the latter was of an
age 10 work. had supported them both
by nursing. doing plain sewing. and
occasionally selling a bit of her an
tique furniture and old family silver.
Now the only relic left was the fire
screen, with which Mrs, MERIT sc
stubbornly refused to part.
That night, when she had given het
aunt Der regular cup OF cocoa and tuck.
ed her suugly away in bed, Phyllis
went into the wee box OF parlor anC
stood before the screen in question.
Worth more than $75 indeedr she
murmured, disgustedly, That clum
se, ugly, useles old thing! But then i
IS iust the articles which are ugly
clumsy. end useless that rich people
seem to run crazy after nowadays
1t was oval 81 shape, bound in dull
silver. and swung IN slender frame
of black mahogany. The back-i
was a couple of inches deep-was o
papier mache. the front. a queel
tumble of appliqued pictures in oil
India ink, and water colors. all beine
projected from the dust by glass.
The following day was Saturday
and Phyllis, in her best gown;
pretty, soft rose and white challie-
set off for the Van Roosevelts'. wher'
she was engaged to instruct tri-week
ly the younger children in music.
Quite the show place of the neigh
borhood was the Van Roosevelts'
Built in the most elaborate style G
modern architecture, it was surround
ed by conservatories, orchid houses
all terraces of emerald velvet
Phyllis was endeavoring to max
the most diminutive Miss Van Roose
welt COMPREHEND the difference be
tween q cretehet and q quaver, whe
Archie came into the room.
Archie was thR Van Roosevelt
eldest son, their pride and heir. An
Archie was most tremendously in Low
with Phyllis Clyde. This, to the girl
decided embarrassment and consterna
ton. Not that she didn't like Archi
one couldn't help that, SO frank, an
kind. and handsome. and honorabl
was he-but Phyllis felt their path
law In widely different worlds. an
that che would be more content wit
her mosaic existence If she barred on
from 1t the dreams which never, neve
could eliminate In realization. ,
that was why she gave him now tn
merest nod OF recognition Yhen he en-
tered the MUSHROOM.
To half a dozen random remarks sh
made no reply. He tried the strateg.
of questions.
my mother went TO seq your ann
yesterday, didn't she?"
.'Yes"
about that curious screen?"
Yes"
why, won't she sell it? NJ
mother has her heart set on securing
TT
Phyllis looked up and laughed.
She says she is keeping for wed
ding present for me-"
"Phyilisr'
well, one, tEo. three, Bessiel"
-'Oh, infantile tuition be blessed |!
cried Archie in evaporation as h
flung out of the room.
But he managed 10 meet Phyllis o.
her way home.
''Phillis." ne said, Give thought O
"A great scheme. Marry mer'
you've said that before, with
shake of her head.
Eyes, but about the screen. yo
know. Well give IL TO mother as
peace offering when you are he
daughter-in-law-"
Phyllis laughed merrily. But st
Eas absolutely unreleDting.