Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-02-09
AN AUTUMN STORY
BY Isabel Ward.


"And during all these months you have
been writing, of courseT
"Oh ycs!'
"Then you will take up my plot If
bring it and work it up?"
"If you will help me-"
"And | may bring it soon?"
II wish you would"
"Goodby till then"
"Goodby." And she looked merrily
after him as he strobe down the path
and was lost beyond the bushes.
All her life she had been beautiful,
all her life men and women had loved
her; but the women complained of her
GOODNESS. The men looked deeper and
saw the warmth they could not reach.
Some called her mysterious, but this
seemed to lend her even greater charm.
| They understood part of her nature
half, they said. behind this half there
rose wall, and only through it's chinks
did warmer CLEANS now and then shine
out. But they had known her only in
| summer. In the winter every one left
town, and she and her father lived alone,
apart from the world, in their beautiful
home. One saw her seldom then. But
now-now it would be different And the
girl thought of the man who had just left
her and smiled again.
He had come back, and perhaps the
winter would not be so dreary. for they
were old friends She had known him
always. As children they had played to-
gether and had read and cried over her
first stories. Sad little stories they were,
that never ended happily. He did not
like to cry, and one day he had said that
when he was grown up he would 20 into
a far country and would find story to
write about that had no tears in it.
He came. She was seated in the great
room, with its crimson hangings among
the golden beams of an October sun. \
small tea table stood near her. and on a
crane water was boiling in brass kettle.
81 am glad you've come" she said, and
her hand was firm and cool.
IL wanted to come before. but was
afraid" And the gray eyes looked into
hers.
Afraid" She had seated herself
again and was watching the figures
which the wind was making with the
sunbeams on the lawn.
81 thought perhaps to find you great
author and filed with scorn for mere
ordinary mortals."
She smiled.
There are other reasons too You
might guess them il you chose"
IL am not very good at guessing" She
was wondering il she could use his plot;
perhaps. after all, he had forgotten TO
bring it. She rousing herself, pointed TO
low chair by the tea table. II wish
you would sit there" she said at is
much more comfortable than the little
chair you have, Try it, and then | will
make you some tea. Do you still like
teaI'
"Of course. Why do you askY Every
man likes tea What would become OF
US If We didu't|
"Oh. but do you really like it? Other
wise | would rather not make it,"
"Oh. please"
"No. don't like to do things people
do not like, would you believe it?
really care great deal about people.
have always thought how beautiful II
would be to have one person all to myself
Just one whom ! could please"
His eyes glowed. But you have every
one"
"You think me cold, don't you? Well
listen" She hesitated a moment, clasp
ing and unclasping her fingers, her eyes
bent on the yellow fender.
There was once n man-there were
many-but this one came oftener thar
: the others. lie was tall and big anC
I talked to me of foreign countries where
;, he had Travelled and of the people b,
:, had seen, and read to me histories anc
. stories, and liked his voice--and by anC
10y liked him. Just little at first
hardly knew it-but after awhile die
= know and liked him better-a great dea
= and then he went away-across the
, water somewhere" Her hands wer,
:, quiet now, her voice steady, her eyes
a shone dark and clear as she looked Al
y the man before her. THAT was all. 9th
;, ers have come and gone since then. and
" have liked them all. only"-she caugh
~. her breath-''it could not be that again
- and so people call me cold. | grow yer!
: tired of it sometimes. but"-her voice
changed-"I think should like to hea
- the plot of your story now" She smileI
NJ up at him. His face startled her.
u Then in an instant it all flashed owe
- her. He had read TO her; he had gon
away, and now he had come back. and b.
=. had thought she meant
"a Margaret!
- He had seized her hands and wa
drawing her to him.
- A mist rose before her. 1t was anothe
" face, another form that was bending
= over her, another voice that was whisper
= ing to her, "And | loved you always, al
i ! waysW
H. The mist grew thicker. The sun was
- treat yellow ball, that shot blindin
~. parks into her eyes. The brown leaves o.
=, ~. The lawn danced about and Knocked hel
:, She caught her breath. Should she te
- him? The blue flames threw itfu
" glances at her. Should she cause him t
'e suffer as she had suffered? She had pu
- out her hands to steady herself Nc
~ She could not tell him. No! A thousan
= times, no. Did she dare thus willfully
~ break human heart? Within her
-, voice cried out no. And the girl whoT
80 the world thought cold was silent An
~ he silence was her answer.
~ ~ Only as the yellow light faded and tn
w. crimson Goals burned low, as he rose
~, rave, she said, smiling family:
% But the plot for the story-am nc
10 have itT
Dear" he whispered. "is there need {
=. 1 new story? Is not the old one bestT'
~ He scarcely caught the answer:
nu Eyes, the old, old story."-Club Fellow