Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-07-22
A GARDEN PARTY.

flushed checks. It was a day for lotering
her eyes went beyond the garden to the
long white road.-once, when she was
little girl, on just such a day as this
she had been set to weed the garden bor-
ders, and instead, had wandered off to
spend long idle morning i'm the woods
Miss Kitty sighed little sadly; it was
hard to be thirty-fiVe and expected to live
up to the traditions Of lady-likc be-
haVior handed down to one from ones
great grandmuther- who, judging by the
portrait in the best parlor, must have
been an exceedingly uncomfortable per-
son to live with.
kitty. your bonnet" her sister Han
nah called from the porch. Miss Kitty
had "A thin delicate face, framed by soft
brown hair, blue eyes, and the complex
ion of a girl liittys complexion was the
source of much pride, also much worry
to Hannah.
Miss Hannah was sweeping the sitting
room. coming. now and then to stand at
open door or window, for a moments
chat with her sister.
Deacon Days coming" she called
presently. Summers here for sure
he's got on that old linen buster. Sally
| Palmer says she never let's her young
| ones leave off their nannels until the dea-
| con comes out in his buster"
The deacon stopped his old horse be-
/ fore the gate Anything I can get for
| you, down to the store?' he called.
1t was two miles to the village, and
/ the sisters kept no horse the deacon was
very oblging in the matter of errands,
| including mail-the latter consisting
mainly of a weekly religious paper,
Womans Magazine, and an occasional
/ letter.
Miss Kitty pulled off her garden gloves,
! and went down to the gate. Nothing
this morning, thank you, except to ask
for the mail Pretty day, isn't it,
Fine" the deacon answered.
buster Days come round again,
rather late this year-Yes'm that's what
my grandson named it-'Duster Day
and the deacon chuckled. Went out to
the old mill yesterday; saw your folks as
l drove past. They're down early this
year. Nice place that"
Miss Kitty drew herself a little proud
ly, "Oh, but you should see it inside
I Deacon"
She went back to the house. Han
NAH" she called. 1.-The deacon says John
and Elizabeth are at The Naples
The news brought Miss Hannah out
to the porch. I'm June! Well. 1 want to
know"
Perhaps they've come for the sum-
mer."
Miss Hannah shook her head. "Elz-
abeth would never be cOntented there a
whole summer" There was both pride
and disapproval in her voice.
Cousin Johns wife-pretty fashionable
/
in the sisters eyes. They could not al
WAYS approve of her waYs-"But you
know, my dear" Miss Hannah would say,
"she did not have our advantages in the
up-bringing. l fear her mother was a
very worldly woman" Nevertheless,
they found those ways an endless subject
of conversation.
During his boyhood John Winthrop
had frequently passed his vacations at
his uncle's; he ana Miss Kitty We're about
the same age, and had been great chums.
Some years since. soon after his marriage,
he had bought up considerable property
out on the old Mill Road, and built a
country home. lie was the same frank
generous fellow that he had been as a
boy. but the old familiar intimacy had
never been renewed. The John WIN
| thropS were seldom at The Naples eN-
cept for a few weeks i'm the fail, wher
there was always a houseful of guests
and much gaiety. The sisters We're IN
vted to tea, once or twice, according
to the length of Elizaheth's stay. not
tea in their sense of the word-a gener-
Gus comfortable meal but an unsatisfac-
tory five o'clock affair; with people com
ing and going, as they liked; and Away:
the danger of splitting the tea over one
best gown--the cup being held in ones
hand, instead of being placed sensibll
on the table.
on their part. the Misses Winthrop fur
. nished little we'll concealed amusemen
Ia Elfzahetb's guests who voted Mis-
IGarrab ouita a character and Miss KIT,
a pretty, quaint thing
As they rode home, there was Away
q sore feeling ot the bottom of Miss Kit
D Tvs baart and an indignant light in Mis-
= IIonnoh's grey ewes poor John,' sh
l.. would say shaking her head, Il may b.
I country. horn and country bred-but
Q was brought mn to remember that com
norv is comnonv and TO be treated a
sncb
sin they never refused to go when in
, yitadL If would have hurt Johns feel
:, ms besides they had not many out
: inos and II was something TO be- see
= ridinr through fine village in the hand
. som. Turnout with two men in livery %
= tho HOY
9 The dov following one of these tea
saw more than one caller open the sis
- ters front gate Last tan had come II
{ invitation. Elizabeth had called as usua
g during the early part of her stay, Jon
q had been over with the children-bu
s there had been no invitation. Inc SIS
Q tiers had wondered, hurt ana disappointed
d What would people think?
: They were talking IL over TINS morn
. ing, Miss Kitty on the steps MISS Han
S nah leaning against the rallns' dus'
n cloth in hand.
= You know Hannah Miss Kitty dc
TTizoIotI, v,hnn sho was here last. eve,
It tI,inq. v,a, rho Same ae usual"
=; IL r',o t,,st snroe v,bir Of hars" Mi,