Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-10-13
CHAPTER Ill

Five years do not elapse every day,
but they elapse every five years Along
dreary time of anxious and waiting
hearts, if they be anxious and waiting,
but anxiety has been known to wear
away, and what was once painful wait
ing sometimes becomes condition of
easy endurance Charles returned. He
had seen much of the world and had
collected a few dollars.
$50 you have lover at home, chr
a miner had said to him.
eyes, "a sort of lover" he replied.
"a good enough country girl easily
surprised and somewhat verdant.
used to think great deal of her, but
was a boy, you know. "
your old lover will soon be home,
won't he, ErmanceT' a young lady
asked of the girl whose head resembled
a patch of jute
Il suppose so but why do you refer
to him as my lover?"
"Why. l thought that you were en-
gagged"
ooh we were in a childish sort of
way, but have put that all aside. Fa-
ther had more sense than both of us.
Charles did not rush over to the colo
nel's Immediately after returning. Err
nance, when she heard that he had re-
turned, went away on a visit. The
young man felt ashamed of himself. He
knew not what excuse to make, but one
day grasping all the courage within
reach he went over to the colonel's,
] l. l.
have been so foolish years ago,
"Why, my dear sir, exclaimed the
colonel, Il am glad to see you. You We
got enough beard to disguise an or
binary man, but you are not ordinary.
Little above fair to middlin, as the cot
ton men say.
81 am glad to see You again, colonel
How's your rheumatism
at got well Immediately after that
garden scene. "
Foolish children" replied Charles.
"Well, l should say So, replied the
colonel.
"How is, er-Miss HarleymanP'
"Quite we'll believe She went over
to Ralston' 5 few days ago. / sent the
buggy after her this morning. l hear
her now. Yes, my rheumatism is all
right First rate, for-Ermance, here a
minute. Do you know this gentleman ?"
Il think So replied the Young lady,
advancing without embarrassment and
extending her hand. "How is your
health, Mr.. Wexallg"
"Never better, thank YOU.
"Well, said the colonel, "you must
excuse me, as | have business out on
the farm Ermance, our friend must
stay to dinner
An awkward silence followed. Charles
knew not what to say noT how to say it
! Ermance was embarrassed because she
knew not how to express the nothing
which she had to say.
"Have you been at home all the time
since l saw you last ?" Charles asked,
after making several efforts to break the
silence.
"Oh, no; l spent three years at a
seminary"
Enjoyed yourself pretty we'll 1 sup
poser
Every much. soon became interest
ed in my studies. -
Another embarrassing silence. SER
NANCE suppose l may call you by
that
"Of course. We were children to-
gether."
$50 we were, and foolish children,
too, doubtless.
Eyes, she replied without hesita
ton. Father was wiser than we.
The situation was no longer awkward
81 thought 1 loved you, Ermance.
"And l thought that l loved you"
Childish fancy. You don't know
what a heavy weight you have lifted
from my mind. don't love you.
Charles, she replied, her eyes shin
ing with fervent light "you make mt
happy. l have long regretted our en-
gagement, and to know that a perfect
understanding is painless to you thrills
me. Let us be friends Here's father. ,
"Ah, hahl" said the old gentleman
Found that some one else had attend
ed to my business. Are you folks still
engagedR'
"No," replied Charles eve ar,
friends, but not lovers. -
"Ah, hahl" said the old man, 'sup
pose had allowed you to marryH Dom
you see that man sometimes has NOR,
sense than boyY Now you and Err
nance are friends. If you had married
five years ago, you would now in al
probability be enemies. Well, Charles
you need feel no hesitancy in remaining
to dinner. We generally have some
thing lying around, and you may com
over and eat when you feel like il
Why, Ermance, never saw you S
happy"
CHAPTER ".
Neighborly visits were kept up bt
tween the Harleymans and Wexalli
Charles and Ermance rarely referred
their childish freak of affection, an
when they did so it was merely to COZ
graduate themselves "How man
marriages result in disaster, >" sal