The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1896-04-16
A TEST OF THE COMMON PLACE


Maffys cot ats sres sDd lhriVed
oil ditecilo1s a. 70 shsther or bot Ore
~ss belruibrd t. Mr. Chbtoo That b
h.i a.tei btr 10 msrry his,, even beto'
the bfeak wilb Miss Llnstos, VI. oer1slt
but shstbct ste bsa ssld ,es or DO, q
body ~s. sble - s.y,
Her msuoer TO him ws, be ssme Is b
fore brilliant eoqne,tr thst belonse
g. bsr .oue snd nobody dared qasstio
net
When early 10 the week II becsm
knowt thst Ffsuels Greyirrd sss cominl
duun from Bar HsIbof TO Squirrel lsisDd
appsreutly tot DO better reason than ths
Miss Morys sss there, those inteFssle'
u sds sure that at last they would be sbl
20 solve this riddle.
Then. the day before Mr. Greiord cam,
Chnton went oH TO New York, There IA
whisper that be wen. to buy Gre's ,b'
hapdsomest dlsmond ring at Ttl.Dy's bu
those things are rarely to be believed. sod
the hotel realized with dull throb o
duappointueIt tust now, perhaps, The
riddle could not be solved.
There wers OF course, several girls
ready 10 tell Greyiord about Clinton, but
he did not seem to miud much, and only
this morning be had been heard to ask her
to go rowing, 10 spite OF the stormy sea,
/ because be liked to be with her where 90
body else dared to go.
She had Laughed at him csresslngly and
looked out at thewindswePt ocean thought
| fully before she answered Yes, let US goi
1t will be an experience that will forever
after prevent surface acquaintance between
Us,
II gave her quick glance. DO yon
want 1t preyeuted?
(,eIs Surface acqpslntaDee with man
cannot be any bIng bot commonplace, and
do not like d man who 10 that.
Will you ell me. Miss Greta. what kind
OF man do you really like best2 Grey
ford's handsome eyes were very earnest
Gfeta pondered a moment; then with
little laugh, sue brought her eyes back
from the stormy sea TO the man At her
side.
would rather not, she answered.
Why?
Because there Is possible chance that
on are that kind OF a man. and that
would be 40 e.a absrrassing admission for
me TO make
II sbs Was really bstrothed to Clinton,
Greyford thought, she would hardly say
d thing like that,
Greyiord spent the half hour she was
getting ready an1iously watching the wa
ter. He was afraid be hs been unwise
10 asking het to 60 out, bat when she
came downstairs ready to go she was such
charming picture he forgot his anxiety.
A slim figure, gowned in sage green, with
broad collar and girdle OF white, she held
green bat, With white gloves on it. 10
her hand and let the brisk breeze stir her
bright hair into a hundred little ringlets
around her face.
As they strolled down the sandy road TO
the beach Grets touched again on the
theme they bad been discussing
There are, after all she said, few men |
who are not commonplace.
No man is always commonplace, be re
piled, gravely, There are times in the life
OF even the most ordinary man when b.
is unusHsl Those things depend too much
on environment 10 genersl4s about
them.
She gave him q surprised glance, which
he did not 20 ice, for they we're close to
the beach now aud his eyes we're 90 the
sea
Would yOu think me very commonplace
II | were to tell you that II will be 70 ost
unsise for us to row round the island TO
dsvf
Yes, should, she answered, ter
sely
He frovned impstienDly.
should not have asked yoa TO go, |
Look at that sky spd wiud ii is going
TO storm frightfuIly 10 about bsIi al
hour.
shall like that sal Grets, reckless
". When said | HDuid go told you 1t
was for the sake Of The experience.
You will lot ike it when it tsrns over
the boat.
Al. can swim, quite we'll, too, and
tbiS how exciting 1t will be out 10 the
midst Of that angry water
do not like the responsibility be ob
served,
she threw back her head sud looked nt
him through bali closed lids "Hos does
1t feel TO BE- sirsid?'
He gave her a grsthiul glance aud NOV |
ed sway TO the long, narrow boat waiting !
q the beach Without word be helped |
her 10. took mp the oars, aud with the
long slesdy sttt ks OF a Harvard crew man
swept ont into the chsnnel. Ii may have
been tb.t the group Of girls watching |
them from the pisrs, bad sonethise TO do /
With Gretss persistence, Nov, however |
ihey psssed cut Of view, snd Gretas stten
,iou w.s csimed by Gteyiurd She watch
ed HIN sdmitlbsly; the bro.d shoulders,
tbe ptoud poise Of the bead ard The annoy |
. dstermipstipo oI bis lace, then she
laughed softly.
Grey iofd locked At the lowering storm
cloud and ttsn al tho expressive face Of
the gtri before tim into which 90 touch
Of serIoa-ness had come
I've 20 roOsi 'be lsl.nd, be SAID, Ne