Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-10-03

LIE WAS competing for a prize Of
/ Ill fered b. a big publication and
had buried himself in Ashton because
I It was the first place he happened to
think Of. Ashton was mildly gay in
! July. In January II was not much
livelier than lis own quiet cemetery
pm the West hill. Naturally Broad
bridge did not mind the dullness. The
mornings he devoted to writing. the
afternoons to long tramps down the
main street and out into the country
u was during these tramps that he
planned his story His evenings were
+ a trifie slow vat first. Ii was at the
end Of bis first week IN Ashton that
he met -the ugly girl" on one Of his
walks. She wore q sensible short
skirt. sensible stout boots. "a short,
mnnnish coat and a scarlet tam o.
shauter He noted these details with
disapprotaL He was accustomed to
elegant women Of the hot house va
riety Most Of an. ne objected TO the
ugly girls lack Of beauty. Small eyes
Of a noudescript color, though one
might stretch q point and call them
blue, a tip-tilted nose and wide
mouth; these things be observed with
unkind criticism on that first meet
ing. That lips and cheeks matched
the tam o shanter In color might
have compensated somewhat for the
irregular features. but, alas. nose
and chin were only a shade paler.
Then, too, the ugly girls manner dis
pleased him. She had looked him
over with a provokingly superior lit
tie air, as II he were the green |
grocer's clerk or one of the other
young men Of the village, and Broad !
bridge had always prided himself on
his air Of distinction He was angry |
that evening TO find that be could not
forget the episode Of the meeting.
4 crimson tam fitted between his
eyes and the pages Of the book he
was trying 10 read. The next morn
ing but one he walked down TO the
village post Office and met her on the
way. Three dogs were jumping about
her, two great Danes and terrier
lie went home and wrote steadily the
rest OF the morning. Before lunch
con he read what he had written ane
tore IL up.
.She's The daughter OF the Episco-
raj minister" said his hostess that
evening, in answering blunt inquiry
"She keeps house for her father.
They live in that pretty little white
cottage next the church which you
think Is 80 picturesque.
He found the rector TO be a gentle
man and a scholar whose broker
health welcomed the quiet Of Ashton
for the flesh pots Of mod
sru Egypt. Dr. Peters welcomed
cordially The two took
, tramp together, and upon their re-
turn Broadbridge was invited 10 have
"a at the rectory He found that
he ugly girl had much self-posses-
.ion for a country lass and the tanei-
ful name OF Carr. She chatted cheer
FULLY about many things with him Z
md her father. but Broadbridge felt ,
NAT She hardly separated the two I
md he was only 30. he had learned
hat the best way to attract an intel ,
ieent Young Woman's attention was
q say something rather rude
II hardly expected. Miss feters' Z
e observed. while slipping his coffee 5
n the COSY library one night after =
linner-tbe rector had been called r
,nt by member Of his parish-'to E,
nd ANYTHING quite so new as your
elf in sleepy Ashton" One Of Broad 7
ridges many gifts was an expressive e
dice. That adjective new implied g
many things, not all of them tatier- a
ne. ......,. >, q
And you don't ike new women "
Ala Miss Peters. frankly. Well we
- Quits. have no great admira- ia
ION for the modern man. Please a
moke. II YOU care 10. Father always
mokes here, Z,
And what is your definition Of the s.
anN0ru maus NNNAANN 81
nth interest. ...--- Il
AN opinions and no convictions I,
.,arted Miss Peters. succinctly. Are
~ fond 81 Chopin? q,
The abrupt change Of subject an :,
ore5 Broadbridge. The ugly giri "
,sbed tact. he thought. p,
>rbat night wild Polish melodies =
a.til,ed nose. a hooking mouth ana
al check we're curiously mixed up n
Rroadbridge' dreams. The next m
ming he began a new story
Aftsr his acquaintance with me 81
.,ers ~ altered his plans somewhat ?.
, stiu wrote in the mornings ne -
n framped about the country n
/. afternoons. but now red tam
.banter generally bobbed near ms
,onlsrr In the evenings he VISITED y
! peters al the rectory- MISS ie' Is
: ,rss interested in the story.
az w;r be detestably CYNICAL she II
"A uitb her usual frankness. An