Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-12-18
THE OTHER SIDE.
a chrl.lna. s.sr, By War, z. within.

II guess it was from Aunt Susan.
did Sylvy say what was in itf
NO she didn't. She Jest took it quick.
an slipped it into her pocket"
I'm warrant she did said Jane Evarts
She was large woman with a handsome
heavy face.
Sylvester was small, and as darkly salow
as a Spaniard He leaned over his plate
and ate fast his brows contracted with a
nervously anxious scowl. u shouldn't won
der if We never knew what was in it, =" lie
remarked
His voice had infections curiously like
his wfe's
al don't believe We ever shall either"
said Imogeu: but | don't care, for my
part
II do, said her mother I've got Jest
as good a right 10 know about Aunt Susan
a. anybody. / think it would have looked
full a. well if she'd wrote to your father or
me; an anyhow | cant stan folks bein 50
close a. Sylyy is I'm goin' 70 find out what's
in that letter, whether or no. I'm goin' in
the other side after supper
And after supper Jane Evarts went in the
other side. as she said The house vas a
double cottage connected only through the
cellar. She went heavily down one flight
Of stairs, holding her lamp well before her.
dul up duDlntT. DAIFld upDT AT the mead
Of the second flight was locked Jane pound
ed on it with impatient vigor, and waited
Presently Sylvia opened the door
oh it's you, she said: her voice was
very small aud thin She looked much like
her brother.
Il thought Id run across a minute, said
Jane "Imogen's washin' the dishes. an
Sylvester gone down to the store
Jane settled herself in a rocking chair
near the stove. She had brought her sew
ing, and Stl via sat opposite. with her hands
in her lap. There was a look Of restrained
energy about her whole figure her mouth
was closed as if 1t held down a coil Of
springs
Jane kept CHANGING unpleasantly at her
Il should think you'd die settin' there with
your hands folded " said she finally.
Il can't help it if do | can't see to do
anything evenins, anyhow
Il think you'd ought to have some older
1T amt nothin' to do with glasses, re-
torted Sylvia
She was older than Jane, who never lost
a chance Of reminding her Of it. Poor Syl-
Was extra ten years Of life appraised her on
an eminence which exposed her to many
shots that stung through her good sense
Il guess you'd find out il was " said Jane
Il don't believe your glasses are any older
than mine"
Sylvia made no further remark She sat
quite still her eyes fixed upon the opposite
wall Jane sewed: now and then she
glanced at the table, where d letter Law in
full view, but she did not allude to it for
some time.
Finally she spoke in quite casual tone.
81 see you've got a letter said she
Il :
be you'd like to read it with your gassesl"
Now, Sylvy Evarts | don t see anything
for you to be touchy about"
81 amt touchy."
"Well, you act touchy. if you amt. /
don't see anything for you to flare up about
because | said you needed some older
glasses. jest said it for your own good
do think if you had 'em yold take a lot
more comfort, an | can't help it if you
don't like it,.
Sylvia said nothing
81 s'pOse the letters from Aunt Susan
said Jane, presently, in peremptory man
ner.
Eyes, It's
II guess I'll take it home an let Syves-
ter read it when l go. He's always inter
ested in Aunt Susans letters"
Sylvia said nothing.
we'll OI course wont take IL nome II
you don't want me to, said Jane. 81
s'pOsed you wouldn't have any objections
knew Aunt Susan was as much Sylves-
ters aunt as yours"
Jane gathered up her work, and arose
She opened the door, and was on the top
step OF the stairs, when Sylvia spoke.
You can take it if you want TO, ;" said she
"Oh, I'm sure l don't want to see your
letter"
'She's comm here"
"Who's comin'l'
"Aunt Susan"
"Who's she comm to seel"
Both of US, guess. She wrote the let
ter to both of u.s."
g l should have thought you'd brought it
in, then instead of keepin' it here all to your
self"
Il was goin' to, replied Sylvia
Her voice was quite subdued. She got
the letter off the table, and handed it TO her
sister-in-law
when I'm goin to have company like
to know it, said Jane. "When's she com
in'l"
Next week"
Jane gathered up her skirts, and went
down the stairs. Her lamp cleaned out of
the dusk below, and her voice hoated back
81 should have most thought she'd wrote
TO me, she said; but | s'pose she thought
you was the oldest, and would kind of feel
it if she did"
Mrs. Evarts was laughing when she
opened the door at the head of her own
stairs. ''She had to give me the letter in
spite Of herself, she announced to Imogen.
1T was wrote TO me too
Imogen looked up ndifferently, almost
sulkily, from some worsted work in her lap.
"You don't act much interested" said
her mother. 'You act most as touchy
lately as Sylvy does. l don't see any use
in bein' so ugly about it, if you are goin' to
be an old maid. dunno as it's my fault.
If you'd had little better disposition"
What about Aunt Susanl' asked Imo-
gen, in a desperate voice
shes comm here next week
(Which side is she going to visittn
81 s'pose she's goin to visit some of the
time in the other side, an some of the time
in here, unless Sylvy manages to keep her
there. She was jest as grouty as she could
be about this letter. Want to see it,"
Imogen reached out her hand for it, and
let the red wool cape she was crocheting
fall in her lap After she had read the let
ter, she took the cape up again, and bent
her face abstractedy over it. Her cheeks
were round and pink, but her handsome
forehead scowed half miserably, half
Grossly, over her black eyes
'ltll be Christmas when she's here an
you can give her that cape you're maxim"
said her mother.
ii IL. II. - ne