The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-07-20
SELECTED STORY.
BelladOnna,

forms the dean had insisted on his
right to the exclusive possession of the
ancient bowling green which stood on
the north side of the Close. Before he
came the canons had made use of it in
common, but the dean discovered in
the old chapter records an entry which
determined once for all that rye an
ciente garden, encompassed on four
sides with the stone walls set up by
Prior Richard de Setria, having alleys
spacious and fair and now commonly
called ye Bowling-Greene, appertain-
eth unto Mr.. Deane for his delecta-
ton" There was no disputing the
record, and when "Mr. Deane" request
ed the canons to restore to him their
KEYS of the door beneath the old Nor
man gateway leading to the enclosure
the request was at once obeyed. AT
least it was obeyed by three out of the
four residentiaries. The fourth, Canon
joyce, no doubt would have sent in his
key to the dean had he been able to
find it, but it had been mislaid most
unaccountably.
"Ethel," he said to his daughter, ~
can't find the key of the bowling green
anywhere. 1t was in its usual place
yesterday, but to-day it has disappear
ed. The nail is there, but the key is
gone"
"Have you asked the servants?" sug-
gested the daughter, with sweet smile
on her pretty face, and the frank and
open look Of innocence in her brown
eyes.
"Yes."
"Well?"
"They can tell me nothing. per
haps Miss Ethel knows" is all they
say" A ringing laugh came from Miss
Ethel "Isn't that just like servants,
papa, dear9 Their one idea when any,
thing is missing is to tell you to find
out from somebody else," and the sill
very laugh began again.
"All the same, it's very annoying.
The dean wants it,"
81 know" replied Ethel, land l
think it very uncivil of him, that's all L
can say. wonder you and the other
canons submit to it. We have always
had the use of the bowling green, and
l consider it piece of the most'-
But her father did not wait to hear
the conclusion of the sentence. =.
Ethel Joyce and her father were din
ing at the generals. 1t was large
dinner party to welcome the new dean.
Ethel was enjoying herself immensely.
Major Brooke, the second in command
of the troops quartered in the barracks
at St.. Hilary, had taken her into din
ner. She had met him several times
before, at cricket match or two on
the cavalry ground, at one or two gar
den parties, and notably last week at
the officers ball. He was big, broad
shouldered dragon guard-"none of
your dapper hussars," thought Ethel,
with pride-his face bronzed with the
suns of Egypt and India, so that his
blue eyes took deeper blue by con-
trast.
GLOW sweet your daughter is look
ing tonight" said Mrs. Marjoram to
the canon, with genuine admiration. 1t
was true. Ethel was radiant in a soft
silky gown of pale yellow. Round her
neck was an old fashioned amber neck
lace, while in her black hair an amber
ornament was tastefully displayed. The
whole was perfect harmony in black
and yellow.
The major and she were laughing
and talking together most happily.
"Been botanizing lately Misc Joyce?"
asked the major. The man of blood
was himself keen botanist.
''No, haven't. / have had 80 much
to do" was Ethel's answer.
"Ah, it's only idle men like us SOL
diers who can find time for such inno-
cent amusements, l suppose, eh?"
"Idleness and innocence are rare
companions, Major Brooke. You know
the old rhyme, Satan finds some mis-
chief still,' etc."
"Well, then, and what particular
form of mischief have you been up to
lately?" asked the major, with laugh.
'But before you confess your sins Miss
Joyce, want to remind you of prom
Use you made me about certain
flower"
ga certain fower?"
"You don't mean to say you have
forgotten? What clever man l should
be if only remembered half as we'll as
you forgetI"
"Now you're getting caustic and i'm
personally personal, which is hOrrid."
"But have you forgotten9" AS the
major spoke he looked at her with his
clear blue eyes as though he would
have read her very soul. Ethel had no
uOTo lOIROlLcu ludu tu6 mdJOT, Dut
that did not prevent her from lifting
her eyes to meet the full gaze of his
She raised her eyebrows slightly, as if
she were still hopelessly In the dark
and were waiting with childlike sim.
plicity on this unknown and undreamt
Of subject.
"Frailty, thy name is womanl'
sighed the major, with a mock tragic
air.
81 can't compliment you, Major
Brooke, on that quotation. It's not po-
lite, and, worse than that, it's so very
hackneyedl"
"Quotationsl like that Who first
began them, eh, Miss Joyce2 But
we're wandering from the subject.
Forgive me for reminding you. Don't
you remember telling me at the
dance last Tuesday that you had the
deadly ghtshade-Atropa belladonna,
you know-growing in the bowling
green of the Close? I've not seen it
since was in Ireland, and you prom
ised me you'd show it me-"
Glnid T0J1 Mioa Touoa 1oo6ad oh