Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-02-03

been doing for the past few days I'm
going to pack up my trunk and leave
next week. What possible pleasure do
you think / find In q lot Of stald ladies'
who knit on the porches and children
who squabble"--
'There's Jane" suggested the girl
demurely, watching the fash OF bird
-through the rift In the foliage. "She
likes to be with you, Mr.. Campbell,
I'm sure. And I'm sure"-here the
pearly teeth caught the scarlet under
lip-"Jane's neither a staid knitting
lady nor a squabbling child. And why
should You miss me7 I'm not beauti-
full like Jane. I'm just
''Just Miss june" finished Campbell
simply. But there was a world of
quiet pride In his voice.
June trembled beneath his words
and knew not why she trembled. But
there was sufficient dramatic force In
her to go toward the making of a
great actress. She spled spray of
scarlet columbine on gray rock over
hanging a dark pool. Internationally
the contrast of colors struck her ar
tlstic eye, and she made use of 1t all
to hide her sudden emotion.
"Will you fetch me those column
bines that wave from the rock and
throw colored patches ON the pool, Mr..
Campbell?" said she quietly.
But when he had gone her hand
went for support to the column OF the
beech, her bosom rose and fell and her
wide eyes dilated, then half closed.
ooh. dear God" she prayed inward
~, 1--WE never had any one in my
whole life really to love me. And he
is so big and so knightly. Don't let
me imagine a vain thing that would
break my heart Let me remember
that / am plain-and that he is just
kind"
Here" cried Campbell cheerfully,
coming back with q bunch of the CO.
lumbine and handing 1t to her. ."rhe
scarlet just matches your lips, little
maid" 1t was not alone her lips that
were scarlet now; flame spread hot
Iy over her cheeks.
In few moments she jumped up,
laughing, smoothing out her blue ging-
ham frock. ~ ever l come to regard
myself as be%itching fairy princess
III hold you responsible, sir. But I
must be going now. I'm still Cinderel-
Ia" she, added. ~ promised mother
to make the salad dressing for lunch
con-"
And so the fragrant summer month
drifted irresponsibly on.
One warm evening when the air was
! filed with the gold of fireflies, maze
of spangles, now darkening, now
Frightening, Mrs. Austin came out on
her side porch, which, for wonder,
was vacant, and swung her portly
weight none too gently into the ham
mock. The silver Of the moon was
beginning to tremble through the
leaves of the trees and to show patch
es of the garden path that wound to-
ward the front gate.
"Those locusts sound awfully. shrill,"
thought Mrs. Austin, trying ineffectu-
ally to put the hammock in motion.
Then she lay there inert, yielding to
the drowsiness Of the air.
She must have dozed off a bit, for
suddenly she started as is the way Of
QUO WIZ llltS W SoptuAC ohS "onAho
wits.
"And you know, dear, that / love
you. I guess I've been loving you right
from the first, but I didn't realize 1t
tilp'-
Two figures had just passed the
moonlit patch in the path and were
emerging into the shadows that stretch
ed toward the gate, so Mrs. Austin
couldn't exactly see who they were,
but she recognized Campbells rich,
deep voice.
"At lastp she cried, smiling broadly.
"Well, Jane deserved 1t, and she'll
have a good husband" She raised her.
self up in the hammock. Sleep had
fed.
Now, just at that moment Sarah, the
cook, who had been buying some rib
bon and ruching in one of the village
shops, happened to enter the front gate.
AS she came abreast of the wide porch
Mrs. Austin leaned over the railing.
Sarah" she whispered, with mater
nal pride In her voice, twas that Miss
Jane who went out of the gate then
with Mr.. CampbellT 1t was state
ment rather than a question.
"No'm," said Sarah, looking up quick
iy; 'that wasn't Miss Jane, ma'am. 1t
was just Miss June"
Sk.ff 1F A. aa.L xe E.sI~.I