The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-12-04

/ --N~N~~N~~N
guess from the confused directions of
that old idiot at the railway station and"
But the current of the soliloquy was
cut short by the sudden appearance of
bright welcoming face at the door
Helena Vane herself, in pale blue muslin
with blue fillets of ribbons in her hair,
sash picturesquely looped at one side and
rosetted slippers, like dream of Cinder-
ella.
"Miss Vane can you pardon this intru-
sion," he began, courteously lifting his
hat. "Oh, Mr.. Hazeltine, 1 am so glad
to see you'll" cried Helena, extending
both her hands,
At the same moment Hernia and the
tub of whitewash appeared around the
corner of the house. In her surprise at
the sight of an unexpected visitor-and
the unexpected visitor of all others
Hernia dropped her end of the tub, col.
oring as red as a rose.
ooh, my dear!" cried old Mrs. Vane,
trying but in vain, to save 1t, there goes
your whitewash!"
''How do you do, Mr.. Hazeltine?" said
Hernia, recovering her self-possession,
and advancing with proffered hand.
"My sister is-ahem-practicing for a
masquerade" stammered the scandalized
Helena.
mo such thing!" retorted Hernia,
blushing more vivid scarlet than ever,
81 am going to whitewash our back
kitchen ceiling"
"But can't l help your asked Mr..
Hazeltine, laughing. 81 used to be a
good hand at the brush in my schoolboy
days"
'I've no objection to your trying"
said Hernia, gravely. "But you'll have
to borrow sheet from grandmamma to
cover up your fine clothes"
''I'll risk the fine Clothes" said Mr..
Hazeltine, resolutely.
Hernia! Hernia! are you crazy?"
protested Helena, turning pink and white
by turns. $50 and change your dress at
once and come down to the parlor."
mot until have done my whitewash-
ing" insisted her obdurate twin-sister.
Remember, Mr.. Hazeltine, it was your
own offer!'
And MIR. Hazeltine, looking into the
sapphire depths of those sparkling eyes,
stood to his colors.
my own offer!" said he. "Of course
it was; and l shall feel too much honored
by its exceptance."
And to Helena's Vane's infinite dis
gust, Mr.. Hazeltine spent the whole
morning in the kitchen, disguised in a
paper cap and a piece of an old sheet,
helping Hernia to whitewash the cell
ing
"Hermy" said Helena, when Mr.. Haz-
eltine was gone and she cOntrived to OBJ
tain audience of her sister, 81 am
ashamed of you"
"And why2"
ITO let Mr.. Hazeltine into the secret
of our poverty"
Hermia's eyes flashed.
''If he despises us on account of our
poverty" she said. ''his friendship is
not worth having. l shall not play hyp-
ocrite to accommodate any man."
"He will never come here again"
81 beg your pardon, Lena. He is COM
ing again tomorrow"
And sure enough Mr.. Hazeltine made
his appearance the next day, quite
ready for another job of work." as he
himself expressed it.
"But you are not in earnest, Mr.. 1Iaz-
elton?" Helena pleaded.
YES, am, | never enjoyed myself
more than | did Yesterday. With Miss
Hermia's consent I'll see the house
cleaning through"
you'll be of no use at all with the
scrubbing brush and the broom" said
Hernia, mischievously; "but I've no
objection to your helping paper the little
west room when we get the paste ready"
1t was nearly week before they got
to the west room, but Mr.. Hazeltine came
every day. And when they put on the
last strip of bright colored bordering,
Mr.. Hazeltine laid aside his paper cap.
Hernia" said he (they had grown to
be great friends during this alfresco sort
of life), 1--WE a question to ask you"
"Well?"
Don't you think we work together
nicely?"
pretty well, considering" said Her
mia.
would you object to me as a part
ner?"
mot at all"
''Then may consider myself accept
ed?'' he asked eagerly.
yes" she answered, with half blush
and half a smile.
That was Hernia Vane's last job of
housekeeping.
Helena is single yet She says she
cannot comprehend the men of the pres
ent age.-Omdhd Bee.
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