Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-12-18

worst Of the struggle ca ne upon poor Su-
san, who was in something of the position
of living and painfully conscious bone be-
tween two dogs.
Christmas day was just three weeks from
the day on which she arrived, and then
came the fercest contention Of all She
slept in Sylvia's side on Christmas eve, and
ate breakfast there on Christmas morning
They had breakfast early, about seven
o'clock. Sylvia worried a great deal as
they sat eating in her little kitchen.
"'Im sure dunno " hat to do about din
ner," said she Sometimes Jane she asks
me in there Christmas, an sometimes she
don't. She amt said word about it to-day,
an dunno what she expects. I've got a
chicken, but ten chances to one, Jest as
soon as | get it on, she'll rap l dun mo-
what to do. She amt said anything TO you
about it, has shei"
mo, she amt, d." replied Susan. She had
lilac ribbon in her cap. and her delicate old
face had tinges of pink and lilac. 1t was a
cold morning and Sylvia's kitchen was
chilly. Susan slipped her cup of tea with
meek amability ; now and then she clasped
her cold unsteady little fingers around the
cup TO warm them.
I'D like to had EN- all in here" said
Sylvia "but land Jane don't think she
can eat meal in here nohow. Sometimes
Imogen will. She's more like her father 5
folks. She's got her mothers temper,
though. Is'pose she's feelin' pretty down
10 the heel to-day, though you couldn t
make her own it, She wont have nothn'
from Isaac Bryce. Last year he give her
about the handsomest breastpin ever set
my eyes on. | dunno whether she give it
back to him or not. 1t had red stones in
1t, an | s'pOse they were real ! don't be-
lieve they we're glass. The Brvces are
pretty well off. There amt nobody but
Isaac an his mother Well, dun no what
to do. | dunno whether to put that
chicken on or not"
'Why don't you wait a spell an see ~
suggested Susan. "Mebbe she'll be in"
"Well, ! can wait till ten o'clock. but |
can't no longer if we're goin' 10 have that
chicken for dinner. It's a pretty good
sized one. | wish knew if Jane was goin'
TO have a turkey. If she's got a turkey,
she's goin' to have us in. She most always
has chicken when they're alone. | wish
/ | knew"
Sylvia cleared away the breakfast dishes,
still worrying. Susan sat by the sitting
/ room stove knitting There was a white
| drive of snow past the windows, 1t seemed
too cold TO snow, yet it had begun.
Sylvia came in with the dish towel in her
! hand Jane she's fixin' some kind of a
I fowl at her siDk-room window" she an
nounced IAN the feet look TO me lest like
turkeys feet wish you'd Jest 20 to my
siuk-rOom window, Aunt Susan Maybe
you can see through them far-seein' glasses
of yours"
Susan laid down her knitting work, put
on her glasses, and went out in the uniin-
ished sink-room, where the windows were
turred blue with frost She shivered so
she could hardly speak as she peered
through a little clear space between the
ridges of frost
What do you think it looks like 2" de
manded Sylvia
I'm 'fraid-I-can't make out" Her
little plaid shawl was pulled tightly over
her head the small wedge of face between
its folds was CHASTITY in the blue-white light.
"Well, | s'pose you'll catch your death
out here you'd better go back, ." said Syl-
via. 81 didn't know but what you could
see through your far-seein' glasses"
"You -try-'em," shivered Susan.
Land they'd be too old for me" said
Sylvia with resentful embarrassment in
her voice. YOU'D better go in. I'll wait
till ten o'clock, an then if she don't come
in, I'll put that chicken on, whether or no. 4"
Jane did not come in, and Sylvia put the
chicken on TO boil at ten O'Clock.
81 guess wen have it stewed instead of
baked, like it full as well, don't you ~
Eyes, l do, ".said Susan, happily She had
an innocent pleasure in certain dishes, and
stewed chicken was one of them. She was
inwardly delighted that she had not to go in
the other side and eat turkey. Then, too,
she much preferred a dinner with Sylvia !;