The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-02-15
When her work was done she sat down
and wrote as follows:

and wrote as follows:
/" Dear Phil ;-You was kinder impolite In
your last but / thought Ide furgive you Just
once Mrs. Randol warnts a Man TO Fix
the ferniss. dolls a week, Do you warnt
the job? You come up here twice day.
Cawdially yours,
Della always omitted her obnoxious
second name in her correspondence.
The next day she received n note
from Phil:
" Dear Della (if you'd excus the familyar-
ity): My business IL now changed from
Odd Jobs to Groceries and provisions, 2083
Market St. All orders from Mrs. X.
promptly offended to. No time for Fer
Misses Saw Miss Sullivan of Dublin to-
day. She sends love. Never felt 80 well in
me life. Your Obt servt.
p. CROWLEY"
The tears were in Delia's eyes when
she told Mis-. Randol that the man
whom she had proposed as a furnace
fixer would not come. She was too
angry to recommend Phil's groceries
and provisions.
AS The twilight of that day came on,
Della sat at the kitchen window, sew
ing. She was putting on button for
little Jack Randol, while he looked ON.
This was just the time of day that Phil
Crowley used to drop in; but he had
not appeared since the night before the
ball. &c don't care; hope he won't
come" said Della to herself; and her
eyes, which were not quite dry, showed
how little she did care. Bridget came
in, and Jack asked for piece Of ginger
bread.
"Oh, wish ye was married." said
Bridget. She did not mean that Jack
had arrived at suitable age for matri-
mony, but only that she wished him
some where else. Before long, she
yielded to his persuasive powers, and
he departed with his button securely
fastened on, and his gingerbread in his
hands.
Della looked up from her work, and
out of the window. She could see down
narrow alley to where it joined
were, take an instantaneous pilot graph
of every one who passed along the
main alley. She heard footsteps; two
figures passed. They were Phil aud
Mis- Sullivan of Dublin. His arm was
round her waist. Della did not shrek,
as actresses do, when their lovers de-
sert them. She only left the kitchen
and went up 10 her own room.
1t was more than a week before Phil
came to call again. Della had been
schooling herself 10 the proper GOODNESS
of manner every evening that he did
not appear; and now when he really
did come, she felt disposed to melt.
However, she nerved herself for the
encounter, her little heart, l don't
doub', humping uncomfortably as she
entered the kitchen.
GOOD evening, Della" said Phil.
Good evening"" said Della. 81
hope you've enjoyed the last week and
half" She stopped and bit her lip.
Neither spoke again till Bridget had
gone out to see to the furnace. Then
Della took little package from her
pocket. i've got some things for you,
Phil" she said, her sternness of manner
having entirely disappeared. Thought
we might want 'em back, now We don't
come here no more" His eyes be-
gan to glisten. "There's those letters
we wrote from Narragansett last sum
mer when We was drivin' the hack, and
here's the bangle and the earrings ye
gave me last y, ar" Here she trembled
for moment before her last effort. 81
thought Miss Sullivan of Dabin might
like 'em, an poor girl like mes not
fit for 'em; an'-an'-an' hope you
an Miss Sullivan-will be happy All
an" here poor Della broke down and
began to cry.
Phil came up and took her hand.
"Why, Della, child, dye care for me
little bit, Thin? l hadn't no idea of it,"
He was going 10 put his arm round her,
but she withdrew.
mol Ye mustn't" she said, looking
at him with cleaning eyes. "She
wouldn't like it.
"Delia," says Phil, "just listen to
me-" Then he goes up and whispers in
her ear, "Nelly Sullivan's my half
sister,"
Poor Della is perfectly aghast. "Oh,
Phil, Phil" she says, "an' I've agone
an shown ye that L don't quite hate ye
arter ALL"
"Yes, me little girl" said Phil, San
! shan't forget it now / knows 1t; but
ye can't think the tin-thousandth part
o. me that / do o. you" Then, with
the eloquence which characterizes his
race, he went on: San l pray the AL
| mlgnty GOd an all the DleSseu salnlS
ye may niver suffer like l did for the
next twenty-four hours after We sent
me away"
"Twinty. four hours?" said Della.
"Why, twinty-four hours arter that was
the night o. the party. Why wasn't ye
unhappy thin? Sure, ! was cross enough
to ye."
"Ah, ye sweet thing, don't ye see
that that's how 1 began to think We
might care just bit for me after all?"
said Phil. An now goodbye, Della,
an before long III hope to see ye Mrs.
p. Crowley"
Fine groceries an provisions "
says Della. DWELL, Phil, l guess I'D
better say yes, if it's only to change me
last name. Crowley amt very fash
ionable "-here Phil looked trifle
abashed--" but it sounds Christian, an