The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1903-09-10

II The old place 10 ~ clos ~ u used ie
be II will be npc ior . rest
Benton looked bescechipsly a hi'
uiis. bat che appeared otliviou, 10 the
fact ths, he vss s,ill on The isoc OF lhe
globe - be bssitsteds nilpte snd then 70
mem bsrins the boy end sirl iriepdship.
be glanced 81 bis vile and ssid dsasntiy,
We shoola be ssinily plessed 10 have
you.
And Mrs Benton sstopished him by
adding With suspicions irisn dimes.
Yes, do came, We shsll be perfectly dc
lighted.
With more astnteness than her husbsnd
sooid have sivcn her credit Tor. Mrs,
b. bad come 10 the conclusion that .
dose Of % old svssthsast when abe is
~ impossible % Flora lis almost % good
for = msn % 90 occssiorsl dose u rho
barb.
Fiors came John Benton ssv-bu.
Mrs. BSntou corquered.
Forth from FLORES volomirous baggage
came gowns fesfiully snd voudtriolly
made from mstsrisIs vhich might hsve
last arrived from ~ .saisn bazaar. The
hst with The green feather vss not
circumstsn . 10 the creations which
crowned Fiors's yellow pompsdour when
she impefsonsied the heroine 10 some
glowing meloirsms -snd she wore them
oil ss Feu Smith.
Ga Sundays Mrs, Benton systemsticsl
ly manufactured excuses TO remsin home
from service. aud John Who liked 10 zee
women gsrbed ss soberly a. quskers. was
compelled to slink down The aisle 10 the
wake Of purple gown sud . green and |
purple velvet Gainsboronsh hs,.
Fonr weeks went by aud still Flora
Showed no signs OF early fitting, Mrs. |
Benton absolutely refused to tiisr susges
tioos 90 10 . moment Of desperation Ben
ton bethoueht himself Of an old.time iued
between his mother snd Flora. which
dated back TO biz and Floras schooldays
Hs wired bis mother st onos. "Need you
here Immediately, do not fail me" and
veil did be know tbs. the fret available
tram would bring the faithful soul. A,
dinner that day be casually snnou nced
that be expected bis mother that night.
or the next morning st least.
In the afternoon Flora received q mys
terioss message presumably from Mar
90. which dem ,uded her immediate pres
socs elsewhere. and by $50 the Benton
household knew ber no more.
The next morning found John in bed
With . rscking nervous hesdsohe, Az
Mrs. Benton waited on him In her quiet
restiul way be wondered how be ever
,ould have bsen fool enough 10 fancy
himself tired Of such = woman. Catch
us her hand boyishly. be ssii reprosch
ully:
Margaret how could you what made
Iou sct so and try 10 keep herf
With spics Of mischief 10 her calm
Irsy eyes chs smoothed his hesd and
lnswered:
Well, you see John, dear. bad MOTTO
ID 10 you . tendency to talking in yonr
lesp you seemed 10 have restless
|resms sbout 3 mysterious "Flors' who
res connected in sn odd way with cher !
J trees snd equally youthful things.
10 when l saw Flora IL occurred to me
bet At last l saw . way TO restore your Q
sleep and my own pescs OF I
aind, which l don't mind telling you
ow-vss fsst slipping away. l an
yon know. snd-well some
oisons sre their own an.idotes, when
iven 10 proper quantities. Was l right
ohui
He kissed her hsnd and said:
Az you slwsys sfe, darling, bat don't
on think you gave me 40 unnecessarily '
Irge dosef :,
She shook her head lsughinsly, "
You see didn1 want TO risk . repsti y
on.