Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-08-24

ply, and determined not to lessen it by any
explanatory remark
"He always SAID Dry should have the
fust / ide, - added Mrs Pease, unconscious
how much anxiety was being manifested
in her forij face.
81 amt sayin she didn't"
Mrs. Pease did not lack i'm penetration.
and could see that Mrs. Frost was endeav-
oriug to annoy her She was angry. and
Strengthening herself, made bold and un-
considered stroke
"'Twould be funny if she hadn't said
she, cooring with the effort she was max
ing. 81 s'pose some day twill be hern.'
The rockers on the chair occupied by
Mrs. Frost made a wide scratch on the
painted boards of the piazza as she gave an
involuntary lurch forward. Two little
spots of red famed in her salow cheeks,
and her eyes snapped visibly.
do tell, Well, | hadn't s'posed it was
so serious Then Ory's really caught him
at LAST
Mrs Pease was conscious of tumul-
tuous beating of all her pulses as she stared
her Questioner in the face. To hear the
inference drawn from her presumptuous
declaration voiced in such plain and un-
mistakable terms, almost paralyzed her.
81 amt at liberty to say any hing more
yet she stammered, confusedly. "An'
you mustn't mention it to a soul outside
till ! give you leave
"That's queer; should think you'd
want it spread said Mrs Frost, lifting
her thin eyebrows. "Steves the catch of
the place. If twas my Charlotte ] wouldn't
let the grass grow under my feet before I'd
Giro late it pretty freely
"OTy's queer about them things. She'd
be awful mad if she knew I'd told re
turned Mrs. Pease whose brain seemed to
| be spinning around erratically.
/ 81 shall tell Charlotte. anyway" insisted
/ Mrs. Frost. "Steve Judkins took quite a
shine to her one while, an he's invited her
| to ride with his new horse some day. Ii
/ he an Dry are goin' to git married he amt
/ no business to be takin' other gals to ride,
an she shan't 90. Shell have to have a
good reason, though, or there won't be any
stoppin' her
Mrs. Peases resources seemed on the
/ point of deserving her Diplomacy was as
foreign to her as the telling of untruths
/ Her pale blue eyes We're full of a perpleX-
! ity that mystifed Mrs. Frost, though the
latter had not yentured to doubt the truth
of her visitors statement, dsagreeable
! ILlOIEll IL was " utls
There's partc lar reason why can't
say any more Just now fee5ly reiterated
Mrs. Pease. Promise me faithful you
won't tell what said to anybody, not even
Charlotte"
The request, which partook strongly of
the nature of entreaty, had scarcely been
voiced when the green shutter above flew
back with a bang that sent both women
half out of their chairs, and a sharp young
voice called ont triumphantly
I've hearn it all without bein' told
Mis- Pease, You ought to be more careful
about tellin' secrets under open windows.
I'll be down in a minute
The tones of the sarcastic voice fell like
flashes on Mrs. Pease. She sank into her
chair as helpless as a wounded creature,
her face ashy her heavy mouth twitching
pitfully. The quality of Mrs Frost ques-
| tiOning gaze made her draw her breath with
difficulty, but that was as nothing com
pared to the prospect of Charlotte coming
attack. They could hear her bouncing
through the upper hall and down the stairs.
like herald of the approaching storm, and
in a moment more she came out. She was
tall girl with massive frame and BIZ
hands and feet. Her abundant yellow hair
rose in frizzy mass round her pink and
white face. Her white teeth were exposed
in smile that bordered on the malicious
I've been sittin' at the winder hearin'
every word you said, she began: $50 you
see it ain any use TO warn mar not TO tell
me. I'm spIised enough 10 hear about
Dry. From things I've seen an heard l
didn't think Steve would make up his mind
so quick
The girls audacity acted on Mrs Pease
! ~ Il
her to self-assertion. The saucy tone, the
self-conscious smile, the defiant attitude,
all had a part in her partial restoration.
Il never heard OF Steve's payin' any
particlar attention to anybody besides
Dry she advanced, with some spirit If
he has I'd like TO know who It's. Speak
up, Charlotte, if you've got anything to
say"
well, have. Steve Judkins has paid
me as much attention as ever he did DRY.
You needn't s'pose that because he's car
ried her TO ride of an on he amt carried
no other girls. ! guess I've been as often
as she has, an he called here reg lar all the
spring thl l went up to Aunt Maria 5. You
needn't tell me Ory's caught him in that
little time, because | won't believe YOU if
you do
Charlotte" demonstrated Mrs. Frost,
scandalized al her daughter plain speak
ing.
Don't Charlotte me. mar Frost, !
know what I'm a-sayln'.'
The girls large face was scarlet with
excitement. She had stationed herself
directly in front of Mrs. Pease her hands
on her hips, and her tall body swaying as
she talked. Her eyes had sparkles in them.
-
HE