Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-06-18


forenoon, he would have seen nothing
amiss. At Bray's Flat, at Powderville,
and again at Long Mountain, Anderson
kept well within the letter of his in
structions handing the locked pouch to
the postmaster and lounging about in
front of the store until it was brought
out to him again. At the Gap, however,
which was the end of his route for the
day, he hitched his horse before the
largest of the three stores and carried
the pouch back to the high desk, where
a young girl was perchcd upon a stool,
knitting her brows over dogs cared
account book.
"Howdy, Lafe?' she said, getting
down to open the pouch.
Purity toler'ble. Whar's you uns
pawr?"
~ don't know-down to Lukens',
reckon.
She pulled the strap through the sta
Piles and, dumping the mail on the
counter, began to cali it off to the group
Of expectant loungers and townspeo-
pie, keeping up desultory conversation
with the mail carrier at the same time
doc Parks, Many Collin, John Ire
vor-what-all news is there down at
Vigo Lafe?"
"Nothin much, not as / heerd.
YOU'D new hear anything, nohow-
JEFF Greer-Eph SandCrs-here' a let
ter for you-all. Eph-hawss gone lame,
Lafe?'
mo Why?"
Thought you-all seemed sort of
tired-Bud Gordon-Wiley Pryor.
LATE Strengthened up, and thcl
thought better of it, resuming his loung
ing position on the counter because it
brought him nearer to her. She went
on calling the names, and he watched
her dexterous fingers juggling the let
tiers and stole occasional glances under
the brim of his soft hat at her face. 1t
was face for which the language pro-
vides no adjective. Pretty" is too
| trivial. Beautiful" is too fine 1t was
face on which strength of character
was written very legibly and yet with
out marring its womanly attractiveness;
dark eyes that Knocked oftener than they
caressed; finely penciled brows; masses
of dark hair gathered back into a heavy
knot which was transfxed by a lead
pencil; a nose that would have been
pert without the correcting suggestion
of firmness about the mouth and chin;
young woman who would rise to her
opportunities, one would say, adding the
saving clause that she would probably
never miss them if they should happen
to pass by on the other side
When the last of the expectant ones
had gone, Late asked, Have you told
you uns pawr yet, Willie?"
moo Seems like you re in a power
full hurry, LATE "
"Reckon | have to be, don't I?''
She twisted the ring on her finger and
smiled down upon him. There's plenty
of time" Then suddenly, Where did
you-all get this-get this ring, LATE"
Bought hit, of course. Whar did you
low got hit?''
Il didn't know. 1 was just thinkin
Of John Corny and Annie Hester. He
lowed to get her ring and says he
sent to Nashville for it. 1t new did
come, and now Annie she don't believe
he ever meant to get it, and she won't
so much as say 'Howdy?' to him. Didn't
you all hear about it down at Graft
ville?"
Lafe's lips said "No, but he looked
up into her eyes and changed it t.
yes. Then some one came in, ant
there was no more said about JohI
Corny or his ring.
T The dew was still ON the grass thu
! following morning when LATE called a
Godfrey's store for the mail pouch TIL,
girl brought it out to him.
Lookout you all don't fall off tn
hawss, " she said, hooking him. AnC
! then, by way of compensation, "Mayb
I'll tell paw before Friday.
81 wisht you would, Willie. Seem
= like 1 cayn't look him in the face n
;. mo- till you do He wouldn t take nothil
4 from me, but hen listen at you.
= maybe, was all she would say
But she stood on the porch and watche,
him as long as he was i'll sight
Granville was the first office on tn
\ return route, and when the carrier wen
=, in with the mail the postmaster wa
!. busy. When he got around to the gov
. ernments business, he made show c
4 hurrying He was relocking the pouch
II when a farmer drove up and came i
with a letter in his hand.
"Hold up a minute, Mr.. Johnson
got letter to go in thar, and recko
~ it'll have to be registered. "
- "Cayn't take it now nohow; mail
all ready to CO."
"A "Shucks" said the farmer, moppin
/ his face with bandanna. Done dru
At TO- mile to get that thar letter off TIL
q mornin Hits got $40 in for that fellt
l. that sold me the mowin machine, and
r lowed to him he could count on h
So shore today"
- "Cayn't hep it, Mr.. Kilgore. Lii
mighty we'll to do you all favor, bI
ID / cayn't hold the mail to register no lie
ters now. Orders is mighty strict.
ed Then LATE spoke up: "Thess put h
~ in with the rest of 'em," he Suggested
nv might nigh everybody does tn
n, away"
II The farmer hesitated for nome
n and then concluded to risk it, and fl
ed minutes later Anderson was once mo
n Jogging on his way to Vigo.
be There was the usual crowd OF loG
ers in Cantrell Bros. store when t
IN mail carrier rode up to the porch al
~ dismounted ON the high platforl
No Throwing the bride to his 1O-year-o
60 brother and giving the pouch to w