The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-02-14

IclhupSi us Jutlbu, VIII WIS pOeJlCdl,
once breathed in suggestion, perhaps he
can't determine which posy to pluck. {"
Perhaps on the other hand, had he oonsid-
cred, he would have judged the "posy" to
be an old fashioned and withered flower
But sentiment has no business with proba-
bilities; they concern its enemy, sense. The
girls were well content to nourish this in
nocent flame until Rachel, the blunt
spoken, caused it to assume forked
tongue.
"Oh, girlsl' she cried one day, what do
you Think Our young doctor takes that
little mink across the way driving with
him and actually lets her hold the reins."
Then hatred swelled the common heart and
flashed from the collective eye. "Insatiate
archer, could not one sufficeP" Jealousy
can twist the hands of the clock in any di-
rection, give infancy the arts of maturity
and bedeck age with the charms of youth.
1t can, and it did Twice wounded, the six
vowed that never, never would they forgive
their unsuspecting and guileless antago-
mist.
Then came change and decay. Change
for Ruth, and-well, it were ungallant to
comment on the ravages of time Mr.. At
kins, Ruth's father had business abroad
and took his family with him. The gold
en- house was closed, and the little mink
across the way disappeared from view for
many year From view, but not from
mind, for the six now lived in "reminiscences.
AS they themselves did not change, so the
young doctor remained the young doctor;
Benjamin, in indulgence at least, the little
lad, and Ruth that chit of the pointing fin
ger and protruding tongue. Each day they
discussed her but they never added hem
to her dress, and never, never did up her
hair
Constant inspection of an undeniable
mustache at length caused 1.-The girls" to
jump Benjamin from 10 years to 20, in
which niche he was sure to remain for the
rest of his life. He was too alive to his own
dignity for them not to yield in this respect.
An occasional oath drove from him the de-
lusions which could easily enwrap the
young doctor and Ruth, alike distant. Ben
jamin had put on manly things in an I'M
manly way. The girls could cuddle him,
but only on his own terms, cash down. He
viewed himself with the eyes of faith and
thus was "the substance of things hoped
for"
In reality he was puny and meager, with
bicycler's back, but without the compen-
sating muscle. He made no mistake about
Ruth's age and appearance. She would be
altogether adorable and desirable. The
mistake he did make was in thinking that
such perfection could be for him. But then
be plumed himself on being young man
of the times, and young men of the times
are satisfied with nothing-that is, with
themselves. He was young man of the
time. All, well, the times must then be out
of joint
/ Matthew Loomis, the father, had long
since passed into another sphere, there to
/ oto NV or ,,a1 Al % ~.
Malthusian theory. The gentle mother
had sunk into that state where every day
is Saturday evening The girls managed
the household and Benjamin managed the
girls They and he shared everything in
common-that is, they held and he enjoyed
AS he told the boys at the club, he "looked
after the estate" He did, after its in
crease, and when he had finished there was
no need Of any one else doing so, for there
Misunderstanding to see. But he satisfied
the girls, and what more could brother
do? Since they proclaimed him the flower
of the family, he would accommodate them
so far as his attributes permitted by COM
placently abstaining from all manner of
toiling and spinning.
One day Elizabeth, the enthusiastic,
came to the assemblage of her sisters in
great excitement. The house across the
way was opened The family had evident
ly returned. She had seen grand, beauti-
full young lady at the parlor window.
Could it be that that little spitfire Ruth
had been so transformed by foreign travelf
Nonsense" said Abigail and a sibilant
echo arose from the four. You do imagine
such extraordinary things, Elizabeth. We
haven't changed; why should shep Likely
you saw her governess."
Poor Elizabeth, she thought of so many
arguments she could advance had she
dared. But suppose she deserted this COM
munlty of thought, oh, where would she
be? Wandering through a thicket with
the glimmer of one poor light, instead of
the glow of six. Oh, no, spinsterhood re-
qured support. 1T must have been the
governess," she assented
But the next morning Benjamin declared
the unfolding of the hated chrysais ~
made a call last evening"" he confided to
them generally as they witnessed the open
Ing of his eggs. "A most charming crea
ture, by Jovel My old friend, Ruth Atkins.
was quite taken off my feet" Luckily
the six were seated, else they might have
followed his example.
Creature, snapped Abigail "She W
always that" and there was an attempt
contemptuous laughter. Yet how could
one laugh contemptuously when one was
Inclined to cry and to scratchs The ideal
What right had that chit to gain form and
beauty? Was it not the height of impu-
dence and shamelessness to thus acquire
foreign graces for the undoing of yol
menS Thank God, the good, old fashio |
way yet suficed for them nor were thAy
without honor either. Did not the your
doctor still maintain his respectful admira-
ton? There was comfort in this common
thought, which covered over, though 1t
could not deaden, their fiery rage against
Ruth.
And the next day they met her face to
face. or rather six faces and such fiinty
ones against, ali, such tender onel An I'M
equal combat. yet the weaker force with
drew the fresher. Ruth smiled rs she ap-
preached and blushed a little. Her eyes
were raised almost imploringly as she
bowel The six, in serried column, glar-
ed, with Chances as cold and expressionless
as bosses on church window. Oh, the de-
light of such triumph For once six dis
Greet dresses were trifie tight across six
exultant breasts. For once there was a