The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-01-12
SELECTED STORY.
NY Sisters Chance.


10 meet the postman. She had an open
letter in her hand.
Has some one left you a fortune9 l
asked.
Oh-better than that, was the reply.
I'm going 10 have beaul Listen, and
she proceeded to read me her letter:
DEAR E1IzABETH:-I write TO tell you
chat "A friend OF nine has fallen in love with
your photograph. He is a widower, and on
the lookout for anoth 3r wife. He hap pened
10 see your picture and It won his suscep-
hble heart AZ once. He asked all kinds of
questions about you, and when he found
out that you were fancy free he said he
had good mind to come and see you
Mebbe there was the chance he'd been look
snR for. advised him to come. You can
Tell by trying, l said. And-he's cominRl
He has got some business to transact in the
city on Thursday, and he will stop off at
bonneville on Wednesday and visit you.
BE kind to the poor man, and-send me an
Invitation to the wedding. Hastily,
AUNT MARIA.
That's just like Aunt Maria, isn't it7
cried Elizabeth, half amused and half
indignant, She's bound to have fun at
somebody's expense. can imagine
her laughing every time she thinks of
the joke she considers she has played
on me.
She did't exactly send him, Irespond-
ed. But l think she rather encour-
aged him to come. What's that
she says about Wednesday, To.day's
Wednesday, Ell zabeth, and you can
look for your admirer by the next train.
The letter ought to have got here yester-
day, you can see by its date. Go and
get ready to entertain him-there's no
time TO lose.
I'm thoroughly out of patience with
Aunt Maria, said Elizabeth. I've a no.
tion TO 60 away somewhere and stay till
he's gone.
But he'd come again If he's 80 desper-
ate smitten with your photograph, or
he'd stay till you came home, or he'd
fall in love with me and you'd lose your
chance, said, No-3tay and face the
music, Elizabeth.
know what III do, cried my sister,
the mischief-loving trait common to
her and Aunt Maria coming to the sur
face. I'll pretend Pm deaf, and I'll
have some fun out of it, as well as Aunt
Maria.
You can't carry out such deception
without getting caught at it, said.
Trust me for thatl cried Elizabeth,
with sparkling eyes. l think she be-
gan to be glad that Aunt Maria had en-
GOuraged the widower to come. Now,
remember, Pm totally unable to hear
word of ordinary conversation. 1t will
be neces 'ary for you to almost shout al
me to understand what you're saying.
Aud be sure tc keep from laughing.
The fun all depends upon keeping up
the deception. We must not let him
discover it, for that would make us
ridiculous, you see. Therel / hear
The train. We can expect him at any
moment now. Oh, dear l know l
shall want to laugh, but / shan't do
it--you see if l dol III go and get
ready to receive him. When he comes
you must meet him, and bring him in
and introduce him, and away ran my
fun-loving sister to get ready for her
visitor.
Ten minutes later l saw man COM
ing down the road from the station,
and knew as soon as set my eyes on
him that it was Elizabeth's admirer.
He was at least forty years old. with
very solemn-looking face, and an air of
having his Sunday clothes on. But
perhaps his errand made him look Sob
erer than usual and feel i'll at ease. /
met him at the door.
Does Miss Elizabeth Jones live here?
ne asked.
Yes, sir, answered. l think she's
/ expecting you. You are the gentle
man our Aunt Maria Thorpe wrote US
about, suppose?
Yes, Il be, was the reply. My names
Peters, oshua Peters. But mebbe
she told you.
No, she did not tell us your name
she simply said you were coming to
see Elizabeth. She's in the sitting
room. III take you in and introduce
you. You'll have to speak rather loud,
for Elizabeth's just a trihe hard of
hearing.
That's bad, said Mr.. Peters, pulling
out big red handkerchief and wiping
his perspiring face. Awful warm amt
il?
Quite warm, l responded. BY that
time we were at the sitting room door.
Elizabeth sat by the window with her
back toward us.
Elizabeth, said, raising my voice.
No reply.
Elizabeth this time in louder tone.
Still no reply.
She must be dretful def to not hear
that, said Mr.. Peters. How longs she
been 30?
did not trust myself to reply. l
went up to Elizabeth and put my hand
on her shoulder. She turned and saw
us.
Why didn't you speak when you
came IMP she asked, rising.
She did-she hollered, said Mr..
Peters in sort of stage aside.
Elizabeth, this is Mr.. Peters-the
gentleman Aunt Maria wrote about,
said close to her car.
Oh-yes, / understand said Eliza
beth, her face showing great delight
and interest. Pm happy to meet you
Mr.. Peasley. Sit down, please and
let's talk to each other. l want to get
acquainted right away. l hope you're
well, Mr.. Peasel,?
Peters, not Peasley, corrected her
visitor.
A little louder, please-I didn't quite
catch what you said, and Elizabeth
bent her head to listen.