The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-11-13
SELECTED STORY.
Fifty Cents a Ticket.

like young creature, with large, limpid
eyes, q brown skin not entirely inno-
cent of fire. ckles and mass of lefty
shining hair, which had broken loose
from its coarse horn comb, and fell in
nk-black ripples down her back. There
was little brook twiniDg its transpar-
ent sparkles around the gnarled roots
of an ancient tree, and background of
black green laurel, which, with the sun
bathed meadow in front, made a sort of
rustic picture that struck Paul Gessnef's
artistic fancy as he crossed the wooden
bridge.
81 should like to sketch her." he
thought to himself. 81 wonder, now,
what she would say to it,"
But before he could get his pencil
and mill out the young Diana had
poised the empty basket lightly on her
head and was gone.
"I'm sorry for that" soberly pom
dered Gessner. "She had brilliant
Charlotte Corday sort of face that would
have stood the test of perpetuation on
paper"
Aud then Mr.. Gessner went into the
inn and set hims elf at work to elaborate
the notes of his lecture on "The Liter
ature of Queen Anne's Time" which
was to be delivered the next evening at
the village hall.
There were plenty of people at the
inn. Brookbridge was a wild, sylvan
sort of place, which attracte d people in
the summer season. Every farmhouse
and cottage in the vicinity was crowded
and "lecture " was something to stir
the quiet stagnation of their everyday
life. Moreover, Paul Gessner had a
reputation for scholarly polish and
graceful wit, which had reached even
to Brookbridge. In our New England
villages, the cooks are often esthetic,
and The hired men critics, and every.
body was talking of The lecture.
Cant | go?' said Natty Purple.
"Oh, wish | could go!''
The towels and tablecloths were all
bleached whittier than snow. between
the daisied grass and the July sun
shine, and Natty was sprinklng and
folding them now, with quick, deft fin
gers in an obscure corner of the kitchen.
"You go, indeed" said Miss Carrie
Podham, who condescended to wait at
table during the crowded season.
You've too much to do in the kitchen,
and besides the tickets are fifty cents
eachl"
Natty Purple sighed dolorously.
"Fifty cents" she repeated. COB,
then of course it's out of the question:"
For Natty's slender wages were all
of them expended in the support of a
good-for nothing old grandsire who,
when he was not drinking great deal
too much whiskey, was suffering un-
heard-of acOnies with rheumatism. She
never wore anything but calico, and
drudged away in the inn kitchen like
modern Cinderella, without any of the
eclat which, in ancient story, apper-
tanned TO that young person.
But later in the evening, the head
stable man looked into The kitchen
where Cinderella was darning we'll.
worn table napkin, and Mrs. Podham
was preparing brook trout tor breakfast
for the nOrrow's early travellers.
Where's Jim?" said the head
stable man.
"Gonc out" said Mrs. Podham,
CURLY.
6 want some one to row one of the
boarders out on the lake." said the
stable man. He's pictur-painter, 1
guess. He wants moonlight effects, he
says" with chuckle) "I'd deal
ruther hev feather pillow fleets, my.
self. Then where is Dck?"
''Dick never's on hand when he's
wanteG," Mrs. Podham replied. 81
haven't seen him since supper"
Then he'll lose a fifty-cent Job"
said the stable-man. "Well, 1 s'pose
l can hunt up some one somewhere"
Fifty cents' cried Natty Purple,
springing to her feet. "I'l go, Thomas
Pm handy with the oars, and Pm lust
perishing for breath of cool air from
the water"
"Them napkins isn't mended,"
croaked Mrs. Podham, discouragingly.
"I'll finish 'em when 1 come back"
said Natty, coaxingly. "Do let me 90,
just this oncel"
SO that when Mr.. Gessner came out
to the edge of the lake with his pictur-
esque Spanish cloak thrown across one
shoulder and his sketching apparatus
under his arm, Natty Purple sat in the
boat ready to row him whittier he
would go.
girl!' w.
Yes, Pm girl" apologetically
confessed Natty. "But Pm a GOOD
hand to row and know all about the
lake. | can take you straight to Echo
Cove, where the water lilies grow thick
est, and past the Old Indian Rock,
and"
Agreed said Paul, good humor-
eddy. But was there no man about
the place to undertake this disagreeable
job2"
"Oh, it isn't disagreeable," said
Natty, earnestly. 81 like to rowl And.
besides, do so much want to earn fifty
cents"
do your" said Paul, as the little
boat, propelled by Natty's skillful
strokes, vanished into the deep shadow
OF the overhanging birches that fringed
the lovely tides. "May venture to
ask whJ?"
ooh, yes" said Natty. "It's no
secret. l want to 60 to the lecture to-
morrow night"
Danl Gaaonar lol 4 l.: =.