The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-12-13

to tea, to parties, to huskings, she had
without number. A few of them she
accepted. Half the young men in town
were her devoted slaves, but she re-
ceved their bashfu attentions with ILL
concealed scorn. But after the novelty
wore off she began to long for her old
life. Many night when she thought
no one would know, she would toss and
moan for hours in q rec despair.
Leila was mistaken. Someone did know,
and Victor Preston's heart ached many
time for the naughty girl who would
permit no one to sympathiz, with her.
Leila knew well that Victor loved her,
though he had never told her so, and
she fully determined he never should.
They seldom spoke. Sometimes Farmer
Jackson would ask Victor to drive over
to the school with her or bring her
home at night; he was always very
thoughtful for her comfort, and in fact,
when with her it always seemed to
Leila he was taking care of her. She
was used to being waited on; but not
in this way. 1t was dangerously sweet,
this thoughtful kindness, yet she often
rebeled against it.
One point of conversation was never
brought up without she and Victor
having quarrel; that was about the
laooring classes. Leila had lost none
of her horror of working. people since
her contact with them, while Victor
warmly defended them. He was usu-
ally quiet, but when reused astouDded
her by his eloquence and breadth OF
thought. II amused her greatly to get
him excited, and uuconsciously she be-
gan TO take up some Of his views of life.
October passed; November, with its
New England Thanksgiving, never to
be forgotten by those who have once
seen its old-fashioned glories; and then
came December. The winter hitherto
had been quite mild, but two days be-
fore Christmas it began to snow at
nigh fall. Leila was unusually de-
pressed; the contrast between her olden
life and the present was never so APP
parent as at holiday time. The next
morning the snow was two feet deep
and still falling, light wind blowing it
in slight ridges.
Victor took her to school in the
sleigh. The room looked very gloomy.
No one was there save Sammy Ross,
the boy that built the fire.
Victor hung up her cloak, and coming
back found her standing detected by
the desk.
Many a time she had checked him
when he would have spoken, but now,
'ere she can resist, he has taken in his
clasp The cold hands and begged her to
become his wife. ''I love you, Leila.
/ cannot bear TO see you suffering. l
ho 10
least"
Leila drew back haughtily. {" Mr..
Preston, am surprised you dare talk
to me in this manner; you know l thor
oughly despise people of your class"
"You forget" cried Victor, stung to
retort. /" You are one of the working
class yourself"
Il shall not long remain So" she re-
torted. 81 do not mind telling you,
who know my story, that | have re-
csived an offer Of marriage from Ken
meth Alden, and intend to accept it. l
20 to the city tonight. Tomorrow l
shall meet him at Mrs. Temples"
"Lelia, you cannot be so wicked as
to sell yourself for his money"
"Why not?" mockingly. "All
care for in this world l can purchase
with this wealth, which is mine by
right"
Impassioned brown eyes and scornful
blue ones meet, then Victor says slowly
"Men call you heartless; l never be-
lieved it till now. Some day, Leila, you
will repent
He turned and left her. A few schol-
ars came, twenty in all. The snow fell
faster, the wind blew fercer; by recess
they could hardly open the door; by
noontime the drifts were nearly up to
the windows. After lunch they began
to worry. Why did not their folks come
for them? To walk was out of the
question. They passed the time by
telling of expected presents.
Two O'Clock, three! no sign of any
one, and the storm increasing in fury.
Half past three! 1t was dark now, the
drifts up to the tops of the windows
no light save the fire. Luckily the
wood was stored in the entry. Outside
the wind howled in mockery; inside
the children, sobbing with fright, hud
died about a white faced, terrified
woman, who did her best to comfort
them. A sorrowful Christmas eve
| OhOWcu III III oiChiy NCW LhSlah'
school-house; no light, no food, a mile
from any house, and terrible storm
raging outside.
To her dying day Leila never forgo
that night 1t was the longest she haG
ever spent. About ten the wind dice
down and it began to freeze. And how
it froze! Down went the Thermometer
200 below zero. The children brough
their wraps and huddled about the
stove, few of the smaller ones falling
asleep with their heads in Lelia's lap.
The hours crept slowly by. AT las
came faint tinge of daylight, followed
soon by a faint ray of sunshine, anG
then the welcome sound of sleighbells
Wild with joy, they danced about; re-
lief was coming.
The sound of shovels breaking the
snow from one window, a brighter glar,
of sunlight, then window open, Farme
Jackson with an enormous lunch
basket, followed by the slender, up
right figure of Victor Preston.
Leila held ont both hands. her nridf