Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-11-23

way" said Emmett, comfortably.
"This has been borne in upon me
since the arrival of the American
mail yesterday"
"You had news from your brother n
81 believe so! I have just grown
accustomed to the pleasing certainty
that all the words in his letters will be
spelled according to the dictionary ;
possibly you can comprehend the
shock I experienced yesterday on
reading in his own hand writing thai
he is engaged to be married"
II congratulate you, Emmett, on
the acquisition to your family
probably your example recommended
this step to your youthful brother al
eminently desirable. Let us see-he
must be about twenty-five now?"
"Possibly-Ly the almanac, but tc
my recollection he is still bidder fol
tips and spankings. The next mai
will bring out her picture and his, and
these, with the course of events, may
compass my comprehension of his
present legal age. I shall reply on
your assistance. Fordham. The most
charming girl in the world, you
know"
"Of course''-an answering smile
sparkled over Fordham's dark face.
''Knowing that you had honored the
State of the wooden nutmeg by being
born there" continued Emmett. 81
thought it barely possible that you
might know something of the family
of this young lady, and shall be glad
OF any information you may be able to
impart, provided your fee is reason
able
~ believe it is one of your maxims,
my friend, that time equals money
it is period of seventeen years, more
or less, that you desire me to cover. !
will undertake the case for 1000 ru.
PEGS down."
"Done! You recollect that always
pay in brass. Well, the name of this
young lady who will soon have the
good fortune to become my relative is
Nutting-Miss Sylvia Nutting-and
she resides at present in the town of
Brampton, county of Brown, State
of Connecticut, U. s. A. Do any of
these cognomens c Iuse the chords of
memory to vibrate in your patriotic
breast?"
eyes," said the lawyer, laying his
pen carefully across its rack. 81 had a
college friend of the name OF Nutting.
He was two or three years older than
I and married very yonng. As his
house was in Branptou, this young
lady is probably his daughter"
II hope that will prove to be the
case," said Emmett. he proceeded to
impart the information given by his
brother upon the subject, which
proved beyond doubt the identity of
the young lady's father with Ford
hams college friend.
"You will appreciate the first meet
ing. Fordhsm," said Emmett, in con.
clusion; it was out of the ordinary
line. Tom was deeply impressed-in
fact, hard hit. About the middle of
this summer he was wandering about
the country on one OF those solitary
pedestrian tramps he pretends to en-.
Joy, and happened to pass through
this little town of Brampton. It was
what they consider there hot day.
Tom had covered stretch of ten miles
or so, and, happening to behold a
shiny tin cup Cd the hydrant in yard
he was passing, he suddenly felt con-
suming thirst. Without regard to
meum ct tuun, he proceeded towards
that hydrant, but he never reached it.
It CHANGED to be one of those occa-
sions when the innocent suffer for the
guilty, and Tom received on his head
a stick of stove wood, hurled by the
aunt of his future tiancee at sinful
old hen that had astray from its right.
full premises. The blow nearly knocked
the boy under. The aunt appeared
from the woodshed, Miss Sylvia came
on the scene inquiring: Did you hit
one, auntie? I hope it's that old roos.
ter And then Tom saw fireworks and
all the stars. He was half senseless -
they thought he was crazy man.
Well, they called in a doctor, aud he
kept the boy prisoner there for six
weeks-he and Miss Sylvia, and the
result, you see, ls q sister.in-law."
"a charming result, have no
doubt" said Fordham. otis strik-
ing story"
They left the Office together and en-
tered the lawyers gharry that stood
waiting in the street. Tall and state
Iy white buildings cast weloome
shadows along the wide thoroughfare.
and in the arcades of their lower
floors were heaped jewels, silverwork.
brass, silks and shswls. The
merchants guarded their
treasures with sleepy.looking, keen
eyes as they patiently waited for Gus.
toners. Crowds of shoppers, idlers,
coolies and water carriers filled the
street, and the tropical sunlight
brought out the glowing richness OF
brilliant .hued brocsdes and silken
shawls, the dazzle of white garments,
the satiny shine of bare bronze limbs
and chests. Little public hackeries,
or cabs, curtsined with bright deep
colors and drawn by brisk little bull
locks, rolled constantly by. Hump
backed COWS strolled placidly among
the throngs, and a pet ram With gilded
horns accompanied its Brahmin mas
ter. Presently the gharry turned into
4 narrow side street where luscious
fruits were heaped up in rich-hued
piles that freighted the air with spice
and perfume. Dusty roads appeared
when the business portion OF the city
was left behind, and they rolled the
palm fringed roads of Malabar hill,
the residence district of the wealthy
foreigners. At the entrance to his
bungalow Emmett alighted and Ford
ham rolled on toward his own home.
It was not far, aud he was soon enjoy
ing the renovsting effect OF bath.
He replaced his white garments with a
negligee of India silk and became &C.
cessible to his little daughter, lovely
child with pale little face like flower.
She had been motherless for year.
He took her on his knee and drew out