The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-12-12

be dashed to the ground Wllnout
murmur.
Ruthy went to bed very soberly. Her
darling ambition was far from quenched,
although she was deeply touched by her
aunt's unsel6shness.
On other nights she had lain awake
picturing TO herself the aesthetic side of
a life devoted to art. There were lively
dream of the " cute" little apartment
in the tall Studio Building in New York
which she WAS to share with Miss Dill
loway, an elderly artist friend, who was
a successful illustrator of magazines.
Ruthy meant to work like Tr jan,
of course, but when one was not work
ing what Joy to inhabit such charm
ing rooms with their gay artist trap
pings, where there was such a darling
tea table with faiiylike Gu and
saucers, to say nothing of brass Kettle
ready at any moment to brew real
Bohemian cup of teal And couch
with such tremendous pillows, and the
funniest closets where all sorts of
things were artfully tucked away
Makeshifls there might be, but the ug-
illness of uncultured poverty would,
happily, be always missing.
But to. night these fascinating dreams
were extinguished by the lonely de-
tails of Aunty Tins forlorn bonnet
shop, and by that awful gap in {" the
business which she knew could only
be filed by herself
That she was born milliner she was
that moment too painfully aware.
Her artistic instincts would serve her
in the making of a bonnet as well as in
the painting of picture. But how
could she give up her hearts desire,
VIII CHI was the e open door to her OF
all thinl s beautiful, just to add touch
of beauty to two homely old lives!
Ruthv turned re stlesslv on her pill
low. The g open door" which an ar
tistic career seen ed TO offer her was
persistently flung back in her mind by
Charles Kingslty's imaginary old lady,
" Mrs. Do-as- YOU would-be done-by,"
who had evidently come to stay until
matters were adjusted more to her
liking.
AT last Ruthy could endure Mrs. "Do-
as-you-would be done by's" society no
longer, and with an impatient sigh she
Jumped out of bed and carefully felt
her way to the chamber across the hall.
A second later, Miss Cynthia's blood
ran cold as she was reused from peace
full dreams by sharp shake of her
shoulders.
Lawful sakesp' chartered the good
lady els the house aire, or has the
dam given away"
"Shl no. It's l." said Ruthy,
softly. 81 want to talk to you"
Amt the days long enough" in
terrupted Miss Cynthia, Grossly.
81 'stenl' and Rutby put her rosy
mouth to Miss Cynthia's wrinkled ear
and whispered mysteriously
"You do beat all !" said Misa Cynthia,
admiringly, when she at last mastered
the situation, and was capable of doing
some whispering on her own account.
Then, like two conspirators, they ex-
changed vows of secrecy, and Ruthy
stole back to her bed.
Next morning Miss Cynthia seemed
trife more acid than usual, and the
minute she had swallowed her break
fast she delivered herself of the follow
ing:
"Seems to me, Sybilla Tim, you
haven't done your duty by 'Rastus'
folks. Here's 'Rastus BEEN dead four
months, an 'Rastus widow probably
worn to a shadow through mournin' an
hard work, and th,t youngest child
having fits, and you, own cousin to
'Rastus, have never been to Pembroke
Corners to see his folks since the
funeral"
"Wby, Cynthial You know" began
Miss Timbrook, fixing her eyes re-
proachfully on her friend Then she
| storped from sheer as constituent.
Hadn't she reed the making of that
very visit ever since 'Rastus died? But
Miss Cynthia had invariably flown into
rage at the mention of it, saying that
in her state of health it was the fool
ishest piece of business that she had
ever heard of. "Just because 'Rastus
had died was no reason why feeble
woman need go tramping round the
county, when she couldn't mend mat
ters," Miss Cynthia had said.
But it seemed that Miss Cynthia was
on the other side of the fence. So,
after much persuasion, and the assur-
ance that Ruthy would extend her
visit, Miss Timbrook Imply resigned
herself to be made ready for an eight
davs' sojt urn at Pembroke Corners.
No sooner had she set forth on her
travels than Ruthy took train for New
York, a journey of several hours dura-
ton. The fourth day she reappeared
Just at nightfall. An expressman fol-
lowed her bearing several mysterious
boxes.
All of this kept the neighbors in a
feverish state of curiosity, but when
the next day they beheld the blinds
tightly closed, and huge placard an
nouncng "Grand Millinery Open
ing" on Saturday, then indeed they
were richly furnished with subject
for gossip. In addition to this, cards
were sent out to the select few who q
Ruthy designated as the IF. F's."
Behind the blinds Ruthy and Miss
Cynthia worked ike bees. The money
which Ruthy had previously conse-
Grated to art had been expended in
millinery goods. She had visited the
leading shops in New York, and her
quick eyes had taken in every new
wrinkle and fold.
The rugs, lace curtains, and a few
| nj har trir Eato Oha bod haau bnav1iao,