Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-03-27

and liver complaints; 81 bottle.
during which time daily grew more I'M
comfortable at the part | was playing. At
last sought out Mlly one day, alone, and
confessed the truth to her.
81 am not surprised" she said 81
thought you were not much like the Char
ley l used to know. But am sorry for
yOu-sorry to think your cousin should
have got that e5000 while you were not
even so much as mentioned.
"Ahn' | said with sigh, THAT is Char
ley's luck-and mine. 1t is always the
same-always has been, and always will be,
| suppose"
| was thinking what | dared not say
that, if that $1,000 had been mine,
could have asked her to be mine, too ::
whereas now, with my poor prospects
well. of course it was folly even to dream
of such a thing
l watched her narrowly after that, but
could see no difference in her treatment
of me.
l had written to Charley, telling him of
his good fortune, and that l was going to
stay on down here for few days; but be-
You'd brief note expressing wonder at
whatever attraction | could see there at
that time of the year, he had said nothing
and written no further; not a word of
thanks, or of reference to his $1,000 leg
acy.
Another week slipped by and l still
stayed on. AT the end of that time l was
in such state of mind that, one day, find
ing myself alone with Milly, blurted out
my hopeless love for her, and said | should
go away at once for felt that | could not
possibly stay on there any longer. Milly,
always quiet and self-possessed, remained
silent while, and then said, looking down:
81 think you had better speak to papa"
WHAT | rapturously exclaimed, 'do
you really bid me hope, Mily? Do you
really think there is possibility of your
father'-I stopped and shook my head.
"Aias, non' l said, "Such a thing could
not happen to me. 1t would be Charley's
luck, that-not mine"
"Well," said Milly, composedly, "they
say you never know your luck till you try;
but if you are too faint hearted to try, why,
of course
"rll go off and find the Major and have
it out at once" burst out.
And saw him accordingly, and told him
the whole story, humbly apologizing for
daring to ask for his daughters hand.
'HND1 40 was DOullu W ICll ulul, was
not Charley, but Jack Wiburn, and l had
no $4,000 legacy, and no prospects in par
ticular, and "no luckr'
"H'm," said the Major, chow is it Mas
ter Charley comes in for all the luck in
this way?"
81 don't know, sir,' answered doleful
ly. "He goes about more, and makes him
self more liked, l think, while u. |
hesitated.
"While you stick at home and work. Is
that it?" he said.
"Well," l returned, 81 try my best.
You see l have nothing else to rel y on
or hope for-like Charley. It's his luck
and miner
However" said the Major, II have
been told you get your pictures hung, and
sell them, which is more than he does. Is
that luck, too?"
To this l made no reply; l couldn't see
its relevancy.
snow look here, Mr.. Jack Wiburn,"
the Major went on, 81 knew YOU were not
Charley Wiburn" Il looked up in SURPRISED.
"Milly told me; and l have made certain
inquiries of my own, and l have something
TO tell you. The late Alexander Stephen
Wiburn was very old and intimate friend
OF mine, and had long ago set his heart up
on Milly's marrying Charley" (Here |
jumped up excitedly, but he waved his
hand to me as sign to be quiet) "But
he was determined that if it came about at
all, it should be spontaneous, but not
through any compulsion or unworthy mo-
tive. But in that will you heard read the |
other day there was something you did not |
heart was mixed up in another matter:
but it comes to this, that if Mily married |
his nephew he and she were to have a |
certain sum between them to commence |
housekeeping with. l have consulted Mr.. |
Parchly upon this matter, and he agrees |
with me that, as 'Charley's' name is not |
expressly mentioned, and as he would not |
take the trouble to come down himself, even |
to the funeral of his poor old uncle, who |
had been so kindly disposed to him, if Mil |
ly likes you we'll enough to have you, YOU |
and she will be just as much entitled to the |
sum set aside as if Master Charley had |
married her; and am sure l shall not OBJ |
Ject to the substitution. In the will the |
only condition is that Milly shall marry his |
nephew and of course you are as much |
his nephew as Charley is. Therefore, | |
leave it with Milly; if she says Yes say
the same, and you will both have some |
thing to set up housekeeping with"
NO need to tell the joy with which |
heard this unexpected news, or the hearth
ness with which thanked the kind-heart-
ed Major.
"rll go off and tell Milly at once"
said; but had not gone far when he
called me back.
"You don't ask how much you will
have to start housekeeping upon" he said.
What matter, sir, since you think 1t
enough9' l answered.
"H'm; but you may as well know. You
may not think it enough"
"How much is it, then?" l asked.
Fifty thousand pounds!" said the
Major.
And this is what Charley lost and |
gained by that journey Milly worth more
han ally and e50,O00
And now Charley won't speak to me or
10 my wife-for Milly and l are married,
and he says l meanly took advantage of
him; but l say, as l used to say before, it
IS all his auckland mine.-The Gentle
woman.