The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-02-02

exultant breasts. For once there was
break in old time "reminiscences. 1--WE have
taught her her place" said Abigail. And
Benjamin q lesson" responded the five.
All, the confident bliss of ignorancel At
that moment Ruth's place was by the young
doctors side, rehearsing her encounter to
their mutual amusement. At that moment
Benjamin at his club was assuring some OF
the boys that he was gone coon" and
about to do the great act and to put his
head in the moose. $50 let's have one
more for send off" A pleasing habit it
is to thus substitute flushed fancy for sober
fact-a pleasing habit, but dangerous
one, especially if the next day continues
where the day before left off.
1t was nearing the dinner hour on the
following afternoon when Benjamin sought
his home, sought it literally, although the
way was so familiar. Amid his mental
muddle as to identity and whereabouts his
imagination dared continue upon Ruth. 1t
pictured him as he should be and her as
she then would be. A tricky thing is this
same Imagination and never so insidious
as when it masquerades as reason.
Benjamin had absorbed too much and
was too much absorbed to heed such sub
lunary trifes as distant shouts, which kept
gaining in intensity. He saw Ruth sitting
on the porch. Surely she, too, saw him
and was motioning to him. All. what had
he told the boys and what but now had
been his reassurances? He would cross oven
why, she herself was rushing toward him
with arms extended What man he was,
of what presence, Of what charm! The
shouts had increased into screams, demand
ing attention. The pavement rumbled and
sent forth sharp, menacing clinks. At
length Benjamin did look around, and away
fed tickle imagination, leaving him sur
rounded by fright and panic and deadly
peril. A runaway team dragging heavy
dray, that swayed and tossed from side to
SIDE as if lighter than pastehoard, was al
most upon him. Benjamin turned and
slipped and fell. AS he did so he, too,
screamed horrid sound, the keynote of his
soul A repulsive object he certainly was
to any fair young votary of love, yet deli
cate hands seized him, a beautiful form
bent and strained and dragged him to one
side just in time.
Benjamin, gasping and giddy, lay prone
In the dust. 1t was comfortable there, since
one knew that one could not fall any lower,
and when trees and houses and sky were
behaving in such an extraordinarily I'M
natural fashion, such comfort was no
trife He knew, moreover, that it was
Ruth who stood beside him, and he reached
out his hand and grasped her dress and
pressed its hem to his lips. The girl tore
from his clutch and fed into the house
Out from the LOOMS homestead poured
the devoted six. They bore the stricken
man within, weeping over him as often
they had wept over naughty schoolboy
with dirty face and tenderly ministeriug
to him.
And when Benjamin was fast asleep in
his bed and the girls had settled into six
accustomed chairs five inquisitive noses
and five expectant chins were turned to.
ward Abigail! She spoke, and her words
were like the clip of the shears of Atropos.
Dear Ruth" she said, 81 always did
love her. How nice it is that she has grown
up under our united eyes-I may say that
our joint hand has formed her. Girls, we
do not lose Il brother, we gain sister"
At this original remark there was pen
tachord of signs, and then the six shared
an unalterable belief.
1--WE must go to her at once with our con-
CALCULATIONS" continued Abigail.
"Shall we wear the MORE" asked Eliza
beth tlmidly.
"Certainly-out of respect to the head OF
our house."
The girls, stiff with proportional shares
of that MORE antique whose wholesale par
chase had been one of the last acts of their
late lamented father and a viaticum to his
departure, stalked across the street in order
of age-thgt is, in an equal line. The even
ing was balmy, and the parlor windows
opening on the porch were thrown apart.
1--WE mustn't stand on ceremony with
, relatives" said Abigail. And one by one
they passed into the room like camels
through needles eye. The interior was
dark; yet from the conservatory, in the
, rear there came glimmer, and thithel
} they made their way. Before the broad
: arched entrance they paused and reformed
: their line with the precision of veterans
Then forward Through the clustering
: palms appeared a glimpse of white. Yes
there was the sweet child musing doubt
less on the bissfulness of her lot! Twelve
arms were elongated to fullest extent, si2
tongues lisped Dear sist-" and then Glow
with horror to the roofs of six individual
? mouths! For as Ruth rose to receive he
guests the young doctor rose also, nor die
r he deem it unbecoming to retain his en-
! thralling embrace.
"Hussyr' Missed Abigail.
"Well, never" exclaimed the five. AnC
( with vehement gyrations they swept bacl
and away, and if any dust of that hous
chung to their feet it was not from lack 0
4 vigorous shaking.
e After this it was generally remarked tina
> the Loomis girls began to show their age
for idealty, like all other cosmetics, is onl.
successful through constant use.
! AS for Benjamin, when the news wa
? broken to him, he became quite tremulou
t of hand and pallid of lip. But later in tn
e day at the club he regained his equanimit.
= and boosted that however sweet the song o
7 the sirens there was no remedy so effectiv
as stuffing ones ears.-New York Times.
e Booming a Brand of Wine.