Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-08-02

taut land the only person to whom it was
necessary to announce my intention was n
maiden aunt of miuC who lived in DOrb.
ing. She told me frankly that l was
fool. As she looked at me with a certain
Il mratiun, however. | was inclined to
think that i'm her heart of hearts she was
not without sentiment Of approval for
my action, and was firm once more and
reiterated the arguments with which had
favored Amy.
My relative gave Inc an excellent lunch
and "A bottle Of burgundy than which 1
never wish to drink better, and after
wishing her an aifcctionatc farcwell-for
she had always been very nice to mel
went back to town and commenced my
preparations.
My furniture, consisting of a desk, an
armchair and few dilalidatcd articles
which | forget. l disposed of lat "a sacri-
flee. So | ordered a coupleof suits Of clothes
clothes had understood were dear in
Amcrica-and | booked u passage by the
GCrmauia
Having Iut my affairs in ordcrand hay
ing roc.Nc,D H.. my surprise, "a letter from
/ ',..ig n, .a'iug that | W;s fool, and
inc!' n., c,pok for 800, l paid IA last
visit To ru"rr.utcs, folded Amy in my
arms aad sailed
l cnjur.. ,.r voyage Immensely Wa
lad "ucVc.-. 1880 liable lcui To- ON board,
and WAS r.iiara;rd by consciousness
that was d,i".. 81 lctrH rc.olutcthing.
/ smoked uvli;r with s.ti..lc;ion and
looked at tie orcan in the moonlight and
Amr's ll.uo-rl d with rlmsu4hle sen.
timrntalily somuch for the Trip.
arrived in New York with the best part
of Goo in l3, lui-c. thanks to my aunt
libefali,y. and went 90 80 hotel and thence
removed to comfortable boarding house
in order to give myself time to look
around
No immediate prospect of making very
large fortune presented it-olE and my
money dwindlcd RAPIDLY When II lad been
in New York "a few months, ] was glad to
forget my anxiety in reading.
Imcntion this because it led to an i'm.
portaut cNCnt.
Iltancd that there was an admirable
public lilrar, near hy-thc public libraries
of America age bcucr than uVrs-aud one
day | strullcd i'm tLcrc to SEQ what Of tho
newest fiction I could procure.
Ii was a huge building, and in the up
stairs room 10 which l WAS directed
found the attendants were all young
women.
Tie book J had asked for was tout, "
but / was supplied with another. I read
it and rcturapd il tho following afternoon.
when tie l.al. l most desired was "out"
again. This went ON for Wcck--I always
missed it-and ] expressed my annoyance
at last rather cmThatically.
As / Was doing so my eyes fell ON one OF
the girls behind the counter, who rivoted
my attention in the most extraordinary
manner for an engaged man. This girl
cannot find "A proper adjective TO describe
hcr-wcll, she was pccrlcssl Her hair was
positively Of the most glorious color had
ever seen on woman, there was just
soupcon Of red in it-only a soupcon,
though-and it had natural ripple in it
all over, from the whitcnc,s Of her brow
down the nape Of her divine neck. Under
this Imagine blue eyes, and you will have
an idea Of what she looked like-a vcrita-
bic goddess!
She had heard my exclamation and
moved forward with smile.
"NAat is it you are asking for?" sho
asked.
Itold her.
"Oh," she said, "you see it is n5w
book, and of course there is IA demand for
it. Ill tell you what III do--thc next
time it comes in l viii save it for YOU"
Thanked her cordially. and she proved
as good as her vord, - the following aft
ernoun when presented myself she nod
dod directly She saw me and held it up
Il am awfully obliged, l said THAT
was really kind of you Have you had it
yoursclf?"
eyes"
Somebody claimed her, and l went
away. 1t does not sound stable in fiance,
but l must confess that l read the work
hurricdly in order to have an opportunity
of seeing my goddess soon again.
l changed my books every day now, al
ways going othat part of the long counter
where she was standing and always adj
miring her more feryidly than before. 1
Toasted my eyes on the girl If l saw her
full face or in profile, or if she had her
back to me, she was still conspicuous,
stately and entirely adorable. 1 thought
about her when l was at my home. l
could not Danish her from my memory.
How this might have ended who shall
say Did Amy's dynasty totter in the bal
ance? | fear, surcly and tremendously l
fear that it did, but it was restored in a
hewildering and even n disparaging fash
ion.
Who can conceive my astonishmcnt
when on entering the library one morning
l saw my divinity with her hair cut short
cropped like a boys! l was staggered,
brcuthloss. Nomcntarily had failed to
recognize her, she was so painfully changed.
Gone those Intoxicating ripplesl Conc
even the richness Of colorl Gone the queen
illness OF carriage. "Why," l gasped-I
could not suppress the question--"my dear
young lady, why have you had your hair
cut since yesterdays
81 haven't" she said. at was cut six
months ago when l was i'll. VIVA. l have
been wearing till it grew on again was "a
wig"
No, did not break down. Icven STAN
mercd suitable commonplace, but the
shock was horrible l never returned to
the library
And L married Amy-yes. l did not
make IL fortune in New York, but my aunt
died very shortly afterward and it was
found that she had bequeathcd me the
whole Of her property-a very comfortable
one. married Amy, and we are very
happy together Only sometimes cannot
help wondering, if that other girl had
been all / thought her, whether But
then there was no such girl. l was in love