Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-07-14

She had on her bonnet and wraps, and
he knew what her action meant. With
out waiting to be asked she had ar
ranged to give him the pleasure of ac-
companying her home. He saw that he
was trapped He bad feared that she
would play the spelling school game on
him again by waiting for him, and he
had intended to defeat her by. leaving
early, but she had got the better of him
There was nothing for it but that he
must submit to fate and the ingenuity
of Sallie Perkins. He was too much of
gentleman to be rude even under
great provocation.
That night Sallie had recourse to her
little arts of lovemaking, as before but
Turner was insensible to it all. She APP
pealed to his affections She prattled
away vivaciously. She sighed and grew
sad He seemed almost unconscious of
her presence At last, as a final resort,
she burst into tears. That disturbed If
it did not touch him. He stopped.
'What are you crying aboutf" he
asked.
'I-Im so miserable and unhap-hap-
pyr' she answered between sobs
"What about?'
"Oh, don't ask me, for I'd blush TO
tell you If you wanted to know, you
could see.
II don't see anyhow.
"Oh, " she cried, "you are so hard
hearted You make me so miserable
when you could make me the happiest
girl on earth. "
Il don't know what l have done to
make you miserable, he said, cor how
it is in my power to make you happy.
"You do know, too, " she replied,
"or at least you would know if you ever
loved somebody who didn't love you"
Turner walked little way in silence
Then he said gravely:
"Miss Perkins. l understand you
now, and am sorry you have honored
me with your affections. | do not and
never can return them.
"Then you spurn my lover she cried
through her tears
"No, but | cannot return it. -
ooh, dear And everybody thinks we
are going to marry. l don't know how
l can look people in the face after this. "
at is not my fault if people think we
are going to marry. 1 have not given
them any reason for thinking so. "
But You have, though.
"Howf'
"By your attentions to me-
"My attentions to you'll have not
shown you any attentions.
"Oh, how can you say that after 60
ing home with me from the spelling
school and after the way you treated
me tonight2 ?"
Turner left Sallie at her fathers and
returned home, vowing that he would
never be caught by her again How
well he would have kept that promise
will never b. known.
The next day Sallie was not at school.
Turner hoped she would never come
again and that he had seen the last Of
her
Along about the middle of the fore
noon, however, old man Perkins entered
the schoolhouse. He was great, broad,
portly six foot man, with pair of cold
gray eyes hidden under massive black
brows. As he stalked into the school
room there was a heavy frown on his
face and determined expression in his
eyes that portended evil for somebody,
and that somebody was no other than
John Turner.
"Mr. Turner" he said, "jest let up
on yer teachin fer a minute an listen
to me. "
"A1l right, Mr.. Perkins, Turner re-
piled. "What have you to sayT'
1--WE got right smart to say meb-
by but first l want to ak ye far an
squar if We intend to marry my gal2"
AZ do not -
"Why hain't yer"
"Because it doesn't suit me"
"Ah, it don't suit ye, ehH"
mo, sir. -
"But it suited ye we'll enough to
make love to her an win her affections,
eh2"
81 never made love to her.
aye didn't walk home with her from
the spelhn school, reckon p
81 did. but how could avoid it IN
der the circumstancesH
eye didn't set up to her over at the
dance last night like a sick kitten to a
hot brick, eh?''
~ did only what l was forced to do.
"Ye made love to her an won her
heart, an now if ye don't marry her
she Il pine away to shadder Young
man, love my gal too well to let any
spindle shanked chap ruin her life an
cause her to grieve herself into the
grave. Ye must marry her.
81 cant do it. ="
Eyes, but We kin. See here now. I'm
willin to do this thing up friendlylike,
an if yen marry Sal without any fuss
or rumpus III make it to yer intrust
I'll give We a COW an a feather bed tc
start tO housekaaDin On What va sav