Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-11-12

took his bag out of his hand.
Il cannot, he said in tone of voice
which would have made those who knew
him Taught cannot on any account
permit you to carry my bag"
The blind grandfather guffawed.
shes stronger IL she looks, - he said.
Shes made quick bargain bout the
room. Let her carry the bag"
Marshall bore it in and on to the
second story 'front.', Polly toiling up
the stairs back of him.
He took in the meagerly furnished
apartment
Il wonder if 1 am in my sphere
now?'' he murmured.
"Whaten?'
He had forgot Polly. He turned and
found her regarding him.
Il do not need you, he said
"Thank you for carryin the bag, she
stammered and was gone
Strange to say, her words startled
Marshall. He had discovered something
for the first time in his life-a girl was
grateful to him that he had recognized
his physical strength as superior to her
own.
He soon had occasion to ascertain that
no one considered her weaker than the
strongest. Not her blind grandfather,
who, sitting by the door weaving his
nets, babe her bring in loads Of wood,
and the like, which would have been
enough for two such as she; not Ell
Drear, the moon faced miller to whom
she had plighted herself, but whom she
refused to marry in the coming June
although in the winter she had prom
ised to do so.
Somehow me and her gran daddy
cain t make her do it nohow. " said the
miller to Marshall when he had poured
into the city mans ears the story of his
woes after that same city man had with
much freedom asked the lover the mean
ing of a very noticeable GOODNESS on the
part of the lady of his choice
Il CANT make herp' her grandfather
cried. It'll be the first time, then
Didn't I make her see your points, Ell?
Her go ag in me, indeedp'
Here was a tragedy. In the presence
| of tragedy all men are equal. Marshall
had found his sphere. He looked over
at Polly gathering vegetables in the
| garden, a sunbonnet obscuring her face,
and she was the heroine of the tragedy.
| Good for that, he would study the hero
inc He did so in his desultory fashion.
| He watched her for several weeks. All
at once it dawned upon him that he
had seen her before he had come to her
home.
"Merciful powers, he exclaimed,
"were she and l affinities in some pre-
vious state of existencer
Mr.. Marshall" said she one day,
when, smoking his cigar, he stood out,
side the kitchen window leaning on the
sill, she ironing inside, I'm obliged to
tell you somethin. was to Katco, and
one time 1 saw you givin the children
money.
Her face was red, perhaps from her
labors. He recollected the passing Of
the serious girl at Katco-that, then,
was the previous state of existence. 1t
was disappointing.
Upon my word, Polly" said he,
81 rather thought you were not I'M
known to me. l remembered you with
out being able to place you.
Ibid you now" she asked excitedly,
"really and truly?"
Really and truly" he answered SOL
EMMY, land l am sorry that it was at
no anterior date to Katco And now I'll
tell you why 1 am lettering outside
your window like an ancient knight.
Mr.. Drear has taken me into his conf
dence. He is unhappy and on your ac-
count. That is very cruel of you, Polly,
to make unhappy those who love you. "
She let the iron slide across the table
and confronted him with folded arms.
did he dare to tell you to come to
me?" she demanded
81 have found my sphere indeed, -
Marshall murmured, knocking the ash
from his cigar, "when Polly accuses me
of being Mr.. Drear's best friend and
perceives no incongruity in that fact. u
"What do you say?" she asked. Are
you maxim fun of me?"
No longer fierce, she had dropped
was leaning drearily upon the ironing
board, her chin upon her breast.
"Why, Polly" Marshall said
"should you so accuse me? Your love
really did,
"He amt no lover; he don't care TO
me for myself, only for my strength
Lots of hard work at the mill, an'
gran fathers gettin ole and don't so
how I'll be provided for when he's took
and he's forever tellin Ell how strong
am and economical and don't cost mex
. TO nothin, and Oh, wish was be
side mother and pop in the churchyard
do indeed. "
, Marshall, finding complaint with IT.
miller and the netmaker, saw 1t all
) new light. ~,
He turned his eyes away from til
! sad creature in the kitchen. On "a
? other side of the stream that was ne
' the end of the garden he could see Il
B mill where the miller loaded his car
5 The blind old netmaker crooned a SOL
as he meshed his cords around ola II
o step.
"Mr. MARSHALL ~
B. Polly stood in the kitchen close
. the window, her eyes red and swollel
2 her face extraordinary plain with Il
marks of grief upon it, yet plainti'
and touching. "Mr. Marshall, wal
d to tell you somethin. 1 don't like tn