The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-04-15


from the enormous bunch of lilies Of
he valley which she lifted from the
box.
Nothing from Sam-not a flowerw
she sighed. Last year he sent me a
big pink azalia." shaking her head SOL
EMMY.
She crossed the room and seated her.
self before an ornate rocco desk and
picked up the photograph of a man.
Leaning forward on her elbows, she
commenced to talk to it.
81 suppose you are right about it,"
she said. But I'd rather have--Sam
Burns. Id rather receive merely a
withered, dried up flower from you
than all the lilies. the roses, the orchids
and things In New York from the rest
Of them! oh, Sam, why didn't you
come or write orr
A sudden choke came into her voice.
Unable to restrain the tears longer, her
burst out crying. She sobbed out loud,
so audibly, in fact, that her father had
entered the room and was lifting her
up to him before she was aware that
he was near
whats all this about?" he asked,
tenderly brushing back the silky, dark
curls from her forehead
Then his gaze caught the photograph,
now all blistercd with tears.
Say, little girl" exclaimed John Alb
bolt, with a catch of surprise, as he
held her tighter and rocked her to and
fro as he used to do when she was a
baby, "you-you just go on and cry!
Cry it out! Coy as hard as you want
to! tn do you good" His face set
tied into lowering frown.
When the tempest cleared her father
led her to a divan and drew her down
beside him.
$50" he said, looking steadily at her,
its Sam, after ALL"
YES" she answered despondently.
But what's the use? It's all over
now"
"why?"
"Why?" she repeated. why? Be
cause it's too late, with the wedding
arranged for Wednesday and-and
the way Sam has actedp
what has he done that is so repre-
hensible? l always regarded him as
a pretty decent sort of fellow"
After mother talked to him the way
she did he never came to the house
again-never even so much as wrote
mew
What did your mother say to him p
ooh, so many distressing things"
she replied vaguely. And when Sam
suggested writing to you she told him
it was absolutely useless; that you
agreed with her completely on the
matter"
"Sbe did, did she?"
"Then, Of course, Sam felt hurt. Oh
father
And who rang in this Tichenor, q
man as old as l am? / wish l had
come home sooner"
"Oh." resignedly, mother managed
itw
"Why didn't you mention some OF
these things to me in your letters"
II couldn't, father. simply couldn't
trouble you with my affairs when you
were in the midst of al that worry
about the mines. 1t was good of Mr.
Tichenor to help you out with money
wasn't it?"
INDEPENDENTLY th-money!' roar
ed John Abbott, jumping to his feet
with more alacrity than he had exhibit
ed for many years. Money? What
in He checked himself from ut
tering strong mining camp expletive
well! What do you mean?"
Didn't Mr.. Tichenor lend you O
large sum of money to tide over finan
cial difficulties this winter" she asked
in wide eyed amazement at her ia
theirs perturbation. Mother said he
did"
Good Lord, MOI" he shouted, strid
| ing about the room as red faced and
angry as Katherine had ever seen him
Its a liza COMPOUNDED, inhuman lie!
he went on stormily, looking and act
ing very much like very large vol