Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-12-21

the bright pipes of lie organ, the brasses
and strings of the ichestra, the head of
the tenor-quite dlYinctly she saw that.
Nearer, the acolyktE in their stalls, but
more dimly, and ~ the close foreground,
gilded bars that stlmmered in her vision.
and child's haIi lifting the pain b6nit
toward her-a u fr of scarlet and white
sthis child, for IN Ile vision the nearer OBJ
jects were least ystinct, and nearer still
hand-a man 1and-that took and gave
her to eat of II blessed Christmas food.
H -
H.---ChriS as Eve i'm New York.
The day bel ire Christmas the year after
was Daphne 3gedding day. She was mar
ried in a Pr estant church in New York
the Churc bf the Ascension, at the cor
ner of FiftA avenue and Tenth street.
They had ch said the great words, 81,
Merlin, tals thee, Daphne" and 81, Daph-
ne, take Il L, Merlin" Lafarge's Christ
had looked Down on them in blessing; st.
Gaudens' S angels had held the chalice be-
fore their yes; the organist had played the
LohengriF march and the Mendelssohn
march, a a choir boys had sung,
9TH voice that breathed DER Eden;'
and the were man and wife.
TheIt had come the breakfast, congratu-
lationsl weddihg-favOrs Even the white
poodleJ Gyp wore a big bunch of bridal
BLOSSOMS at her throat in honor of the
day. Then Daphne had cut the cake; the
ring fell to Clarice Leighton. Then Daph-
ne mad thrown the BRIDES bouquet; Clarice
had caught that, too, as it fell-pretty
! blushng Clarice, with big blonde Percival
standing proudly near her. Then-then
the partiag upstairs with her mother, a
strange wonder in Dapbne's happy heart
| that that other heart so near hers should
beat as If to breaking, while hers futtered
N,to such holiday measure Then the satin
slipper, so neatly guided by PercivaPs
hand, that tapped the back of the carriage
as they drove away, she and Merlin. And
then--oh, then the peace and quiet and
happy comfort of her own little brougham,
one of Merlin's wedding gifts And oh,
| the happy comfort of the big husband,
| Merlin himself
They drove up the avenue. Everywhere
people, sunshine, gayety. For it was
| Christmas time, remember. But Daphne
saw nobody but Merlin, and nothing but
this pretty interior four-by-four feet of
paradise sits just a wee bit of home,
Daphne, your travelling boudoir," said her
lover-no, her husband now. $40 you
like it?'
Yes, Daphne liked it. 1t is such coy
corner for tete-d-tete, ones own brough-
am, the most poetic bit of luxury possible.
1t is like lyric interlude in the epic of
life. The passing show goes on, the world
comes and goes, and yet here, side by side,
like dainty couplet, are the two rhyming
hearts.
Daphne began to look about, to get ac-
quanted with this anteroom TO her home.
The little carriage clock was set in deer's
skin, and the deer had been killed by Mer-
lin himself. The card-case and tiny hand
mirror were finished in the same fashion.
| There were all sorts of devices planned for
her pleasure bouquet-holder to keep
her flowers fresh; a big bunch Of yiolets
filled 1t, with a card attached, and on the
card was written, "To my dear, dear wife"
"And see here, Daphne" said Merlin; and
he showed her little case for books