Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-12-28

good deal more than you are wondering
who he is. You don't know whether
brought him in my valise or folded I'D in
side the umbrella"
"Now, John" said Aunt Ellen, you
are positively cruel. Margey. this is Ar
thur, your Uncle Johns son. And, Ar
thur. I must make you acquainted with
my niece, Marcy Griffith"
The young people silently shook hands,
harmonizing in color as they did so. for
the recollection of her romantic fancies
suddenly came across Margey's mind and
flushed her face.
ooh. I am not going to be cruel" cried
Mr.. John. "This young man made the
trip with me yesterday, but | thought it
better for me to leave him at the village
and to come to the house by myself. for
when Arthur went away he was nothing
but a boy. scarcely Is, and | did not
know how he might be received"
(Which was all stuff and nonsense"
said Mr.. Horace Brunder "You ought
to have known that he would he well
come"
WELL" said Mr.. John, II thought
could manage things better by myself,
and as you sent for him early this morn
over, if had brought Arthur along with
me | don't believe | should have had
enough to eat last night for he's great
deal worse in regard to cheese and sar-
dimes in the middle OF the night than
am, but everything's all right now, and
as this young lady Is really to consider
me as one of her uncles she might as well
begin instantly, and SO | am going to bid
her happy New Year again and give
her kiss" which he did without delay,
and then Aunt Ellen kissed her. and then
Uncle Horace did so.
No. not Arthur. 1t was not until the
9TH of April of that year that he found
himself entitled to that inestimable prvi-
lege.
There were great many things which
had to happen before the 9TH of April
In the first place, Marcy had to learn
all about the trouble which had resulted
in Mr.. Johns leaving the old family
home, and when she discovered that the
quarrel between the brothers had been
caused by some mad pranks Of the boy
Arthur she set herself earnestly to work
to anayze the mind Of the young man
Arthur and to find out for herself the in
teresting series of developments which
must have taken place in his character
to change him from the reckless young
stcr to the exceedingly kind hearted and
considerate young man that he now was.
Like many other persons in this world,
Margey was very fond of the study Of
human nature, meaning thereby, as is
often the case, that she had formed an
ideal concerning u certain subject and
that she hoped to be able to convince her
self that the subject was equal to her
ideal.
She did not have uninterrupted oppor-
tunities for continuing her study, for aft
er a week or two Arthur was obliged to
go away, but he came back as soon as he
could, and he assisted her SO much in
coming to a satisfactory conclusion in re-
gard to himself and his relation to her
ideal that by the time the 9TH of April
came around her education in this branch
was entirely finished.
On the next New Years eve. n little be-
fore II o'clock every member of that
family, including Joseph Buckle and
some other household servants, assembled
in the great hall to invite the New Year
to enter. To Marcy was assigned the
duty Of opening the door, and she did it
all herself, refusing any assistance. even
ii'ih Ai'N WY uiEtht NOuuS llhll W uO
stood close beside her.
When the great door was opened wide
and everybody all at once cried out
cheerily. Come in, New Year, there en-
tered nothing but a great blast OF cold
and frosty air, but everybody knew that
the New Year had come in, and the door
was closed.
Now" said Mr. John. this is all very
well, hut can tell you, my good relatives
and friends that no happier New Year
will ever pass that threshold than when
last year and came in together"
Marcy and Arthur had some doubts
about this. for they were to be married in
the spiipg.