The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-10-25
BOTH INCORRIGIBLE.


you've already picked out the girl and Percy
will have her for dinner and tea, for ball and
luncheon, at charming little tete-atete meet
ings, ETC., until he'll have to give In from
sheer helplessness and marry her"
Il fail to understand you, Mortimer" said
his wife, Grossly.
Come, now, don't get angry, Floss, but
you lnow you love nothing half so well az
making a match for people who are toe
stupid to arrange one for themselves. And
/ must confess you've made some jolly good
ones, too" he added, automatically, seeing
a dangerous sparkle in her eyes. But you
must confess there are just two people you
cannot do anything with-Percy and Vir
ginia Tarelton."
percy and Virginia Tareltonl" exclaimed
Mrs. Brandenberg, clapping her hands &c
staticaly. "Thank you, thank you, Morti
mer; you've suggested the very thing. Vir
ginia and Percy are admirably suited to each
other-the same artistic tastes, the same in
tense love of travel, both with independent
fortunes and"
"And," interrupted her husband, "yos
could no more induce the one to marry than
the other No, Floss, you'll have to give
them up; they're perfectly hopeless, unman'
ageable."
GO away, Mortimer, and don't be so silly
/ tell you they were made for each other and
i am only doing my duty in bringing them to-
gether," said Mrs. Brandenberg, tossing her
head defantly.
"Gang yer own gait, missus," replied hei
husband, smilingly, "and meet with defeat
But III wager that is all you'll meet"
"What'l you wagerT queried the little
woman, briskly.
"The price of your portrait painted by
Chatran," he responded, confident that he
would never haYe to pay 1t. Done! And !
intend to win" Mrs. Brandenberg cried,
gleefully, just as, by strange coincidence,
the door was thrown open and Virginia Tar
elton was announced Mr.. Brandenberg cast
a quizzical glance at his wife as he escaped
from the room, but she was already embrac'
ing her dearest Virginia and did not notice
him. Miss Virginia was rather stately
young woman OF eight or nine and twenty,
handsome, accomplished, and very wealthy,
but having been raised by maiden aunt who
had met with a disappointment in love in
early life and had in consequence turned
into veritabe man-hater Miss Virginia
had been led to believe that men at best
were Enthusiastically creatures,
Flossy Brandenberg, who was very fond
of her, had made several unsuccessful at.
tempts to make her happy for life by marry.
ing her to some venturesome sutton, but Vir
einia fought shy of all such well meant aid
When, therefore, her friend began to re-
count the many attractions and virtues OF
her Cousin Percy Virginia listened but cold
ly; finally, being rather hard pushed, she
turned at bay
"Look here, Floss" she said, theoretically,
Np1aaca cay nothing moro about mon and
marrying to me. I'll have none of it'll"
"Marryiyg!" exclaimed Mrs. Brandon
berg, tartly. "Why, Virginia, pardon me Il
] say what seems uncomplimentary, but
Percy Pentacoast would not marry you nor
any other woman-under any considera
ton"
"And why not, pray?" demanded Virginia,
quite huffed.
because" her hostess replied, soIemnlly
'Percy has Just as intense loathing for
matrimony as you have. never knew man
80 insanely opposed to anything as he is to
marriage. And it's a shame, too, for Percy
Is so companionable, enormously wealthy,
has travelled the world over, paints, plays di'
vinely; in short, know of nothing that he
is not master Of.
"And nothing could induce him TO marryt
Are you sure Floss?" Virginia inquired, eau
tiously.
"Quite sure" was the decided response.
"Then," said Virginia, drawing breath OF
relief "you may introduce him, Floss"
Mrs. Brandenberg seemed suddenly TO lose
all interest in Cousin Percy. She stifed a
yawn before replying, carelessly: Il will if
ever get chance, but Percy so seldom goes
out. But perhaps could arrange it" doubt
fully.
Miss Virginia's feathers were ruffied. She
colored up angrily "Pray don't put yourself
out on my account. It's of not the slightest
interest to me-" she said, stiffly, and then
plunged animatedly into discussion of the
new play. But when she had taken her de-
parture Mrs. Brandenberg laughed aloud az
she said to herself:
"Point one scored"
The day was an eventful one for Mrs. Nor
timer Brandenberg, for Miss Tarelton had
hardly left the house when Percy Pentacoast
ran in to pay his respects.
"You came just too late to meet one of my
most interesting friends his cousin said, as
she greeted him warmly, after which she
| broke into praises of Virginia and kept 1t W
until Percy interrupted her, sarcastically.
"In fact, she's a perfect female paragon,
suppose" he said.
"No," returned Mrs. Brandenberg, look
ing sad, Gar from it, Percy. She would be Il
b were not for the unnatural antipathy she
has for marriage. / wish it were possible fol
you to meet her, Percy, for you have Sc
many congenial tastes and pursuits, and you
would be perfectly safe in her society anC
could enjoy it freely, knowing that even i
you wished she could not be induced t.
marry you."
'You wish it were possible. What do yol
mean by that?" demanded Mr.. Pentacoast
stung into interest at last
ooh, Virginia has built such a Chimes
wall about herself that she's almost inacces
sible," she replied.
give scaled some pretty high walls AM
broken through many others" Mr.. Penta
coast said, rather sulllly, "and if wante
to make myself agreeable to any woman
would do so, whether she willed it or not"
"Youre game, Percy, my boy, but YOU
not likely be tempted in Virginia's case, a
you'll probably not meet her" and ther
having accomplished her end, the wis
woman changed the subject. When he
cousin left her he was pledged to attend
email dinner the next week which she CAV