Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-05-20

She read with ANXIOUS eyes, nut saw
no line of care or illness upon the gay
features she had learned So we'll He
was the center of the group and leaned
lazily back in great armchair look
ing up with a smile into the face Of a
girl who stood beside him and who wore
gown as soft and white as the one
worn by the snow mountain.
He seemed to assent to something
this one asked of him, for she went
through "A doorway, upon either side Of
which hung fleecy curtains and re-
turned with Z strange something i'll her
understanding that she held out to
him and that he took with another
smile into her face and a few words
which Laurel could not hear, they were
so low
The one she had come to see toyed
calelessly with the strange instrument
and, moving his fingers across it, drew
forth a tender sound such IA had never
before been heard by the unseen listen
er. 1t was not like bird voice, nor "a
choir of birds. 1t was not like the sigh
ing of the wind through the frs. 1t was
better and swectCr. for it seemed the
spirit of each blending and mtorchaug-
ing and softcned until fitted to Ministos
to that fair company.
He began TO sing some words III an
unknown tongue which thrilled her
through and through. Something That,
because Of the look upon the face OF
that other girl, Laurel knew hc was
singing to her out of all that happy
group.
And this was girl Young like her
self, tall and slight, with proudly car
ried head. but fair instead OF dark
heavenly fair, with hair that CLEANED
like "a bit O wheattirld when III sun
be shinin - poor Laurel said TO herself.
She had never before seen any one
with golden hair. That Of the child was
flaXcn but dun Of color like the fog
that sometimes lay dank and cold about
the mountains in winter, while this
was gloriously warm like the sunlight
and strayed over the fair forehead IN
little waving lines
There must be something to make a
heart stand still at the first sight Of q
face crowned SO shiuiugly. One may
love the dusky masses better, but he is
sure to bc arrested at sight of the other
Ii the English really received the com
pliment Of which they are 30 proud
when, in the slave market Of ancient
Rome, the good St Gregory was So stir
red at sight Of "a fair uorihmau as 10 call
him mot Angle but an angel, 50 then
what must have thrilled the innocent
being whose heart was SO III sympathy
with all beauty whether of earth or sky:
The looks and the dress of this girl
We're like those from another world than
Laurel s-a world to which the heart
out III the shadow must own that h,
too, belonged Herself wa, the alien one
AS she looked and a she listened t.
the tender music she began 10 under
stand
The afterglow died suddenly. Tinted
lights shone cut from an inner fair
scene. one by one the others went
| within, but those two remained. The
music ceased He laid the instrument
upon the rug beside him and held out
/ his hands.
The bright one arose and sat upon the
broad arm Of his chair and laid her arm
/ pbout his neck. He lifted her other hand
to his lips. His head was against her
/ shoulder. His words were low, but Lau-
/ rel's heart interpreted the tone Her in
nocent soul was stuug. a sense OF cru
city shortened her breath. God be mer-
/ ciful TO a young heart when il learns
Its first lesson in the uutruth Of life
She sank upon her knees and with a
faint cry would have fallen but that the
youth caught her about the waist and
dragged her along the turf beside the
drive SO that their footsteps made 10
sound
He untethorcd the horses and lifted
Laurel upon her own. They were soon
in the edge Of the desert, where he drew
freer breath But when her beast paus-
ed, UNDECIDED 10y her, to browse bit Of
chemise wood he dismounted and pull
ed it hastily forward Then he tied the
two lettering ropes together and led
the animal upon which the young girl
sat in almost utter Inconsistencies.
The desert solitude upon one hand
and the deep, mysterious mountain SOL
itude upon the other weighed upon hi!
spirit. A coyote howled dismally in tht
distance. He jerked the lettering ropt
and urged his own beast into a swiftel
pace.
At last they reached the point where
the trail turned toward the mountain
The scraggly cedars became ghostly fig
ures and the red barked pines and tai
frs seemed threatening spirits. Still ht
urged their way upward, looking bacl
to see that the dropping, swaying figure
did not fall.
When the cleared space was reached
Laurel aroused gave a slow glance
about her and slid TO her feet in tn,
very spot under the blasted pine tree
where she had watched the coming anC
going Of her beloved. She sank upon
the ground and turned her face toward
the snow mountain with a hoarse hal
prayer.
The youth had grown to mans estat,
in brave sympathy and ready action
He cared for the beasts with gentle ca
resses because they had been so faith
full and brought blanket to cover tn,
still form that lay beneath the light
ming SCARED tree.
He watched beside her all the night
his young heart fierce with ange
against the one who had caused he
such anguish. When the light of morn