Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-08-18

MhIu HlduNt ONtl llo UNll oAhbbAh9
aged road.
We've prospered, amt we, Maria?" he
said at last and his wife, uncOnsciously
following his thoughts, in the manner of
those who have lived long together, stroked
her black silk viste, and answered. with
well satisfied nod:
81 guess we amt no cause TO complain"
The roadside was parched under an Au
gust sun: tansy was dust covered, and ferns
had grown ragged and gray. The jogging
horses left behind their lazy feet suffo-
eating cloud.
"My land!" said Mrs. Pike, "if that
amt godenrod. / do believe it comes
earlier every year, or else the seasons are
changin'. See them elderberries. Amt
they purple! You just remember that bush,
and when we 90 back, Wen fill some pals.
| dunno when I've made ederberry wine."
Like her husband she was vaguely eX-
cited: she began to feel as if life would be
all holidays. At noon they stopped under
the shadow of an elm tree which, from its
foothold in field, completely arched the
road, and there they ate a lunch of pie and
doughnuts, while the horses, freed from
their headstalls, placidly munched gen
erous feed of oats near by Hattie and
her mother accepted this picnicking with
an air of apologize amusement, and when
one or two passers-by looked at them, they
smiled a little at vacancy, with the air of
wishing it understood that they were by
no means accustomed to such irregular
titles.
81 guess they think we're gipsies," said
Hattie, as one carriage rolled past.
"Well, they need MT trouble themselves"
returned her mother, rising with difficulty
to brush the crumbs from her capacious
lap. 81 guess I've got as good an extern
sion table at home as any of EN-"
But Eli ate sparingly, and with a pre-.
occupied and solemn look.
Land, fatherr' said his wife, ''you
amt eat no more n a bird " And he
answered:
81 guess I'll go over to that well and gel
a drink of water. | drink more n l cal
when amt workn'." But when he came
back, carefully bearing tin pail brimming
with cool, clear water, his face expressed
strong disapprobation, and he smacked his
lips scornfully.
dreadful flat water!" he said. "Tastes
as if it come out O. the cistern." But the
others could find no fault with it, and Sc
reno drained the pail.
'Pretty good call it, he said, and Mrs
Pike rejoined:
You always was pretty particular about
water, father"
But Eli still shook his head, and ejacu
lated, "Brackish, brackish!" as he bega1
to put the bit in Dolls patient mouth. He
was thinking, with passion of loyalty, o.
the clear, ice cold water at home, which
had never been shut out by pump from
the purifying airs of heaven, but lay where
the splashing bucket and chain broke every
day the image of fern and moss. Hi,
throat grew parched and dry with longing
When they were within three miles of tn,
sea, it seemed to them that they could tast,
| the sadness of the incoming breeze; tn,
road was ankle deep in dust; the garden
flowers were glaring in their brightness
1t was a new world. And when at las
| they emerged from the marsh bordere,
road upon a ridge of sand, and turned I
sudden corner, Mrs. Pike faced her hus
band in triumph.
"There, father!' she cried. "There >
is" But Ellis eyes were fixel onitbe dasl
board in front of him. He looked pale.
"Why, father" said she, impatiently
"ain't you goin' to look? It's the sea-
Eyes, yes" said Eli, quietly; "byme- by
I'm goin' to put the horses up fust."
swell, never"' said Mrs. Pike; and a
they drew up on the sandy tract wher,
Serene had previously arranged place TO
their tents, she added, almost fretfully
turning to Hattie, 81 dunno what's com
over your father There's the water, an,
he won't even cast his eyes at it,"
But Hattie understood her father, by
some intuition of love, though not of like
ness.
Don't you bother him, ma" she said
"He'll make up his mind to it pretty soon
Here, let's lift out these little things, Will
they're unharnessin' and then they can ge
at the tents"
Mrs. Pixies mind was diverted by the ext
| gencies of labor, and she said no more; bu
after the horses had been up at a neighbor
ing house, and Serene, red-faced with eX
ertion, had superintendent the tent ra ising
Hattie slipped her arm through her faith
er's, and led him away.
"Come, pa she said in a whisper
"le' s you and me climb over on then
rocks"
Eli went, and when they had pickeC
their way over sand and pools to head
land where the water Numbered below, anC
salt spray dashed up in mist to their feet
he turned and looked at the sea. He face,
| IL a. sun ulShl iaCC almighty pl0atHeSs
only to be stricken blind thereafter; TO
his eyes filled painfully with slow, hot tears
Hattie did not look at him, but after {
while she shouted in his ear, above tn
cutlery of the surf:
"Here, pa, take my handkerchief.
don't know how t is about you, but thi
spray gets in my eyes"
Eli took it obediently, but he did no
speak; he only looked at the sea. The tw
sat there, chilled and content, until 81,
o'clock, when Mrs. Pike came calling T.
them from the beach with dramatic shout
of:
"Supper's ready! Sereno's built bur
fire, and I've made some teal" Then the
slowly made their way back to the tents
and sat down to the evening meal. Seren
was content, and Mrs. Pike bustling an