Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-08-20

utter freedom and relief. She found
her head we'll up in the lew hung bows
of stanch old apple-tree, whose twigs
slapped saucily at her cheeks and sent
the big hat flying rakishly down over
the tip of her determined nose.
She gave an angry little cry, and as
she disentangled herself her face
flushed hotly.
"That's it," she cried, "always my
height-my awful height! What other
girl is there in this whole State who
has to walk around with her head up
into the trees? And it's just SO every
way-I wish ma would be sensible
about Gus Sanderly. Goodness knows
I don't think he's much to brag OF
either, but can't she see he's the only
fellow round I don't look silly with?
If there was only an inch or two diff.
ference between Joe and me now-but
q whole foot" and as she picked up
the pail and pitcher once more she
gave really tragic little groan, for
Joe Sampson, the only son and heir
of their next door neighbor, was gen.
orally acknowledged to be the hand
soonest, "smartest" and best young
man in the county, and devoted al.
mirer of Eudora Stebbins only, and il
was very big only, too, as Eudora
was the tallest girl for miles around,
so he was the shortest man, measuring
but five feet one in the very highest
heeled boots that lie could by any
means buy or wear.
Eudora had remarked after he had
taken her home from party one night
that she felt very much like picking
him up in her arms and telling him
mot to be scared of the dark-she'd d
carry him safe home," and after that
night she systematically refused to
walk or dance or ride with him under
any circumstances, by daylight or by
dark, SO causing the poor little man
great anguish of soul. He knew just
as we'll as she did how ridiculous they
looked together, and his height was
even a greater cross to him than hers
was to her, but he was quite willing
to sacrifice these personal feelings on
the altar of his love, and he thought
she might be, too.
But Eudora was firm, and drove
both Joe and her family nearly frantic
by her evident preference for the
lazy bones of the town-gigantic Gus
Sanderly, who allowed his mother to
support him from the proceeds of her
little candy store, and accepted the
worship of silly young women as if it
had been his by divine right.
At present he had really done Eu-
dora the honor to fall slightly in love
with her, and she was not at all sur
prised when at the next turn of the
winding country lane a tall, broad fig
ure rose from the corner of the snake
fence and, dofing its correct straw
hat, came quickly toward her.
"I thought you'd be coming down
to-day" he said in his soft, deep
voice. "Let me carry those things
for you-well, the pitcher anyway"
and as she let him take it from her
she looked up into his lazy blue eyes
with feeling of pleasurable relief.
1t was so good to be able to look up
at anybody at all. He was the only
person she knew with whom she
could do it, aud even if he had been
the worst kind OF bad fellow, which
he was not by any means, she would
have enjoyed his company for that
reason alone.
They made magnificent pair as
they walked ON side by side-both so
straight and tall, so handsome and 80
healthy, and poor little Joe Sampson
realized it with a sickening catch in
his throat as lie stopped to push his
broad hat from his heated forehead
and saw them coming toward him.
He had made his father very angry
that morning by insisting upon going
over to help the Stebbinses with their
belated hay instead of going into
town with load of their own, and he
had done it simply because he knew
the men would not be likely to leave
the distant field for dinner and that
in that case Eudora would bring it
down to them and wait until they
were through. to carry back the pail
and cups again, and lie knew from
former experiences how considerate
Mr.. Stebbins and the boys would be
about leaving them alone, and that
under those circumstances, away from
all prying or joking eyes, Eudora
would unbend aud talk and laugh and
be sweet and friendly with him.
Taking all this into account it is
not to be wondered at that the sight
of big Gus Sanderly, who was all he
wished to be and was not, walking
down in close and evidently pleasant
converse with Eudora should turn all
Joe's thoughts to bitter ones and
make his handsome eyes grow dark
with anger.
He was not even modified when Eu
dora produced the pile OF sandwiches
made expressly for him, without bit
of mustard, or when she gave him the
biggest quarter of the pie, and when
the two visitors started to pick up the
debris and journey back again to their
own dinners lie determined to go along
with them.
Eudora was in mood that day which
made this arrangement suit her very
well. She thought it would be rather
to see the two men glare at
each other little longer, aud she even
home by another road in order
to extend the episode. You see there
are some things in feminine nature
which do not not need cultivation or
experience-they come by nature.
But, contrary to her expectations,
talk lauguished. and when they struck
the path that led along top of the rail-
road cut and the chimneys of the Steb.