The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-09-13
Gathering the Fragments.

am interes ed in that girl" said
Mrs. Draper to her young friend, Miss
March.
More in this one than in others?
You are interested in all girls"
Yes, l think l am"
And why?"
Because she seems little out of
place She looks to me rather too nice
to be dong all she does here. And yet
don't know. Her work is, of course,
laid out for her by wisdom highe than
ours, so why should we question:"
But | think that girl sometimes
gets into groove that she doesn't fit.
Then think it her place to make a
struggle TO get out of it,"
q" Perhaps we are too much given to
criticizing the shaping of our grooves if
we don't happen to like the fit of them.
But I'd like to talk TO her," following
with kindly interest the young girl who
appeared in sight for a moment as she
crossed the grassy back yard of the
pleasant old farmhouse to hang out
some white tea towels. Only M irgaret
herself could have told how many
dishes those towels bad wiped before
reaching the hanging-out stage.
She never seems to have any time
to talk"
mo, nor much disposition to seek
opportunity for it. like her face. I'd
like to know by what ordering she has
| been set down as dishwasher and gen
eral convenience for summer boarders.
She is not daughter OF the home"
go, you are idealizing her after your
usual fashion," said Miss March, with a
laugh. 81 dare say that before you
leave here you will have full opportu-
nifty for your talk, and that you will
then find that your interesting heroine
will melt down into very ordinary in-
dividual with very ordinary and com
monplace aims. She is probably the
daughter of some other prosperous
farmer about here, working during a
short summer season for the purpose of
securing extra finery with which to
dazzle the country swains during the
winters merry-making.
Perhaps So" said Mrs. Draper, re
turning the smile.
She was an invalid, lying day after
day of the country summer season in a
hammock under the broad vine d
side porch, with little opportunity, she
often insisted, of doing any good to
any body. Yet many might have told
of quiet help given and loving words
spoken, whose results can only be
known in the developments of the Great
Day.
/ am beginning to share your iu-
terest little" said Miss March, re-
turning from her first attendance on
the service at the country church
81 saw our pleasant-faced, ever-busy
enigma led the choir this morning."
"Indeed?"
eyes. l didn't recognize her a,
first in her dainty and tasteful, yet very
plain Sunday outfit. Evidently she has
not gotten to the winter finery yet
and l am ready to modify my opinion
of what it may be. Yes, she led the
singing, and in way, too, which
showed that she not only has voice
but that it has had some cultivation
think, with you, that she is little
out of place. Please exert your pow
ers upon her and make her talk"
1t was not very long before Mrs
Draper, in one of her limited walk:
about the place, came upon Margare
in an arbor in the il-kept, yet attract
i've old garden. The young girl was
reading, and the lady gave little sa
isfied nod to herself on observing tina
her book was an old copy of one of thC
leading modern essayists.
I +" It's q real comfort" said Margaret
$ laughing, after they had chatled owe
= il Tor a while, "that so many of thu
boarders leave books behind when the,
v Dot oFr
Q should be at ioss for reading here"
. a shadow fell over her face as he
g thoughts seemed to wander TO othe
o things.
: "Do tell me something about your
5 SELF" said Mrs. Draper, laying kind
IS hand on Margaret's arm.
The tone was cordial and the eye
which met hers so kind that a reserv
u far more persistent than Margaret
= woud have melted before il.
! "Why, l haven't anything to tel
= which would interest YOU" she said
with frank smile. " You see wha
my life is. What is there about it l.
talk OFF"
"But feel quite certain you hav
\ not always lived this way"
mo, | haven't. If any one bad toll
me two years ago that | should spen
|. mouths and months waiting on sun
"a mer boarders, should have laughed q
the idea. But it came around so nat
o urally that can't see any other way.
"When my father died-my mothe
had died years BEFORE" she went OF
after a pause, 81 had just enoug
money to finish my education, and f
n me to support myself as | wanted. Nc
this way. | went on and studio
. hard-too hard, for | broke down, an
was i'll for long time among strangers
Then, when | was utterly discouraged
and my money all gone, Aunt Sara
came to me. She is not my own aun
only the sister of my fathers brother