The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-08-05

1--WE got to have Clothes" said she,
"an' I've got to have little money of
my own. And I'm goin' to earn it in
this way"
'You hain't no business in that house
nor on that land" snarled the old man,
"unless you rent it of me-"
Its my mothers land, not yours!"
flashed out Irene.
"And Pm your guardeen till you're
twenty-One"
Not legally0" cried Irene.
"Wal, if you want to take it into the
law courts, I'm willin'," said Parsons.
II guess you'll find out I'm right. And
what's more, L leased that land last
week for five years, to Squire Tolland's
son. He's notion to go into the
tobacco raisin' business"
But" gasped Irene, "rve papered
the house and painted it, and furnished
it! And my city boarders are coming
next week."
81 can't help that" chuckled Parsons.
"You might a-took COUNSEL with me. But
look a-here, Irene. l don't want to see
we cornered. You can let your boarders
come here to this house. It's deal
more comfOrtableT an more slightly than
the other one, and the hay hands can hev
them little chambers in the barn loft.
Thar's room for all of EN-"
"And will you allow me for my work?'
eagerly questioned Irene.
"pll allow ye your board an Clothes"
said the tlinty-hearted old man. AN
that's all ye're wuth."
| NO" said Irene firmly. 'If am to
be your maid-of-all-work, father, must
have a maid of-all-work's wages"
''Well, we won't!' indifferently spoks
Deacon Parsons, as he put his clay pipe
on the windowsill.
And as he watched Irene go out of the
room he muttered to himself:
81 guess I've got her this time"
Quietly and silently, like one smitten
| hat and walked quietly up the dusty
road to the old farmhouse where her
mother had been born.
The windows were all open, the pretty
muslin curtains huttered in the wind,
the cinnamon roses were all in bloom.
| In the kitchen the carpenter was put
| ting up the last wooden shelves. Miss
Merritt was hanging buff linen shades in
the parlOr window.
Irene stood at the foot of the garden
path, dreading to go in and tell her how
the deacon had frustrated all their plans
by his willy Vaccinations.
Just at that moment there came
quick, elastic tread down the road 1t
was Harry Tolland himself-the young
fellow newly returned from Montreal.
''Irene!" he cried, gally. SIS it you?
Well, what do you think of my new spec
ulation, ell? Halloa! Why, there's some
one living in the house. Your father
! never told me"
"a woman was planning to take sum
mer boarders," said Irene, in choked
voice. women haint many ways of
earnin' a Twin you know"
"Well, she'll have to earn hers some
other way" said Tolland lightly. 1--WE
leased this land and I'm going to live in
this house. And l want you to live there
with me. Don't start so, Irene" passing
his arm caressingly around her poor little
calico-clad waist. 1--WE always loved
you since 1 was a boy, and I've always
looked forward to this time. VIII you
marry me, Irene? Wen buy the
furniture of the boarding keeper,
if it suits you, dear. don't want any
poor soul to lose money through me, and
We'll move right in. Come, dearest, let
us go through our own house together!"
For her head had fallen on his
shoulder. She had burst into an April
"Oh," she cried, 'itseems as if | must
be dreaming! Do you love me, Harry?
Do you really care for poor, stupid, in
significant me?'
~ love you, Irene," he answered sim
loved you?''
"Then Harry" she whispered, 'let me
tell you a secret. I'm the boarding
house keeper"
And she confided to his astonished
ears the whole story of her venture.
"And you must let me go on all the
same, Harr!' coaxed she. because you
know, DEAR we're young people just be-
ginning the world, and | want to con-
tribute my share. And Miss Merritt has
assisted me, and she must be paid. And,
oh, Harry, shall be so proud to do
something to help-my husbandw
For the sake of those two sweet
words you shall have your own way, my
darling" said young Tolland, exultingly.
But, Irene, what plucky girl you are,
to be sure. Do you know I'm proud of
you'll"
The city boarders were rather sur
pmsed when they arrived, in the purple
dusk of lovely July evening. In all
the negotiations nothing had been said
about Mr.. Tolland.
81 didn't know there was a man of the
house," said Mrs. De POyntz.
"Why, of course there isl" said Miss
Merritt. "Who else would take you for
long drives to all the cascades and grot-
toes and mountain tops? Who would
put up the lawn-tennis nets and hang
the hammocksp You might have known
we couldn't get along without man
about the house?"
Hes very handsome, anyhow" said
Miss Gramont. But how extremely
young our host and hostess are!'
"Oh, they'll get over that every day
they live," said Miss Merritt, laughing.
And Deacon Parsons CRASHED his teeth
in vain. Irene had outgeneraled him,
after all.-Satuday Night:
~ .rr,r, &C.,.