Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-07-09

SIdtcu clearly ana WIN NlS0F; dISo |
the reasons why she should receive a |
higher salary than had previously been |
paid were set forth. It was something
Of surprise to Elsie, as it had been
to Ralph, to see how highly the towns
people-that is, the respectable portion
Of them-seemed to value the opinions
of this good natured but uneducated
seaman. And yet when she considered
that she. too, went to him for advice
that she would not have asked of 9th
er and far more learned acquaintances
it did not seen SO surprising after all.
The clergyman had had several can
didates in mind, but he was easily won
over to Elsie's side. And so, as Cap
tain Fri said, the stump speaking be-
ing over, there was nothing to do but
to wait for the election, and Elsie and
he agreed to keep the affair a secret
until she received formal notice of the
appointment This was undoubtedly a
good plan; but, unfortunately for it's
success, Solomon Bangs called upon
his fellow in the committee, Mr.. Null
lett, to inform the latter that he, ZEN
tirely unaided, had discovered the very
teacher that Orham needed in the per-
son of John Bakers granddaughter.
Mr.. Mullett, living up to his me too
reputation, Endorsed the selection with
enthusiasm. and not only did that,
but also told every one he met, SO that
Captain Perez heard Of it at the post
Office the very next afternoon.
The natural surprise of this gentle
man and Of Captain Jerry at their
guests sudden determination was met
by plausible explanations from Cap
tain Fri to tie effect that Elsie was q
smart girl and didn't like to. be .ssilalrg
in round doin' nothin' now that Les
grandpa was some better .;ss
own reason, as expressed to theis
ing just this, the pair accepted Il 49, = +:
out further questioning. NeitloE {
them attached much Importance to II.
letter which she had received. aitho21zy.
Captain Perez did ask Mrs Snow il
she knew from whom it came.
The lady from Nantucket was not
so easily satisfied At her first oppor-
tunity she corneEed Captain Fri, and
they discussed the whole affair from
beginning to end. There was nothing
unusual in this proceeding. for dis
cUssions concerning household matters
and questions of domestic policy were
between these two getting to be more
and more frequent. Mrs. Snow was
now accepted by all as one of the
family, and Captain Fri had come to
hold a high opinion of her and her
views
The marriage idea, that which had
brought the housekeeper to Orham, was
| now seldom mentioned. In fact, Cap
| tain Fri had almost entirely ceased to
ruftle Jerry's feelings with reference
| to it. Mrs. Snow of course said moth
| ing about it. But for that matter she
said very little about herself or her
affairs.
| 1t was curious fact that the. lady
| from Nantucket had never referred eX-
| cept in casual way to her past his
tory. She had never told how she came
to answer the advertisement in the
Nuptial Chime nor to explain how so
| matter of fact a person as she was had
ever seen tbs. famous sheet.
Mrs. Snow was certain that Elsie's
reason for wishing to obtain the DO
sition of schoolteacher was something
more specific than the one advanced.
She was also certain that the girl was
troubled about something The root
!
of the matter, she believed, was con
tanned in the mysterious letter. AS
Captain Fri was Of precisely the same
opinion, speculation between the two
as to what that letter might have con.
tanned was as lively as it was unfruit
full
One thing was certain-Elsie was not
as, she had formerly been. She did hel
best to appears the same, but she was
much more quiet and had fits of alb
sentmindedness that the captain anG
the housekeeper noticed She had NJ
more evening "errands,' but she oc
casionally took long walks in the after
Moons and ON these walks she evident
ly preferred to be alone.
Whether Mr.. Hazeltine noticed thi:
change in her was a question. The
captain thought he did, but at any rat,
his calls were none the less frequent
and he showed no marked objection
when Captain Jerry, who now consid
, cred himself bound in honor to brin'
: about the union he had so activel.
, championed, brought to bear his art
, full schemes for leaving the youni
t folks alone. These devices were 8
: apparent that Elsie had more tha
: once betrayed some symptoms of ar
i noyance, all of which were lost on th
( Jealous matchmaker Ralph, like tn
t others. was much surprised at Mis-
e Preston's application for employment
t but as it was manifestly none of b
D business he of course said nothing.
To be. continued.
Does evil still. your whole lie fiji?