Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-08-23
COPYRIGHT ~ DOUBLEDAY, aAoe q CO.

Same cOlOr mere" asked the painter.
I was about to answer yes, when
Miss Goodwin spoke 81 should think
you'd want these rooms lighter in
color" she said, '<as they face the
north"
1.-THE lady's right" said the painter.
'They always are,'' smiled. "You
two fix up the color for this room, then.
We can decide on the other rooms after
these downstairs are done"
mo-" cried the girl. II won't do any
thing Of the kind! You might not like
what I picked
"Incredibler' said I. eve really got
to get to work outside now" And I ran
off, leaving her looking a little angrily,
I thought, after me.
was so impatient to see how my
lawn was going to look that went to
the shed to hunt up a dummy sundfal
post. In a loft under the caves 1 saw
the dusty end Of what looked like a
Doric pillar pOking out. | dragged the
heavy column down, sawed off the up
per four feet carefully, and took my
pedestal around to the lawn. Midway
between the trellis and where the edge
of my pergOla was to be I placed the
pillar. Then I took out my knife and
thrust the blade lightly in at an angle,
to simulate the dial marker, and turned
to call Miss Goodwin.
But she was already standing In the
door
"Ohr' she cried, running lightly down
the plank and across the ground, ga
sundial already, and a real PEDESTAL!
Come away from it q little, and see
how 1t seems to focus all the sunlight.
We stood off near the house, and
looked at the white column in mid
lawn. It did indeed seem to draw in
the sunlight to this level spot before
the dwelling, even though it rose from
the brown earth instead Of rich green
sward, and even though beyond it was
but the unsightly, half-fnished, naked
trellis. Even as we watched, a bird
came swooping across the lawn, alight-
ed on my knife handle, and began to
carol.
''Oh, the darlingv cried Miss Good
win. ''He understands
I was very we'll content. I had IN
expectedly found a pedestal, and was
experiencing for the first time the real
sensation Of garden warmth and init
macy and focused light which a sun
dial, rightly placed, can bring. I did
not speak, and presently beside me
heard a voice saying, But I forgot
that I am angry at you"
'Why?' I asked.
Because you had no right to leave
me to pick out the paint for your din
| ing room,'' said she.
| "Why not?" said l. 'You picked out
the name of my house and the style
of the rose trellis."
'AThat was different" she replied.
81 don't see why
''Then you are extremely stupid, 80
| she answered.
Doubtless said I. "But that
! doesn't help me any to understand, you
know"
Come" she replied, "and see If the
paint suits you. Then I must go home
and write some letters
1 went back to my sundfal, between
two rows of cauliflower plants Bert
had given to me, and which Mike had
set out thus early for an experiment,
between threads Of sprouting radishes,
| lines Of onion sets, and other succulent
| evidences Of the season to come AS I
marked out the beds around the pedes-
tai, | found myself wishing Miss Good
| win were there to advise me.
By then the hour was nearly
twelve, and consequently too late to
spade 1t under, so l plodded up the
road to dinner. AS passed my potato
| field, saw rows Of green shoots above
the ground, and out under my lone pine
[ saw a figure, sitting in the shadow
on the stone wall.
l climbed through the brambles over
the wall, and walked down the a,~,oz
| Of potatoes toward her.
cit is time for dinner" said mee<lv.
She looked up. SIS it? 1 have been
listening to the old pine talk
sWhat was he saying?" I asked.
''Thinga you wouldn't understand. u
said she.
about words in 'hy'?"
she SHOOK uoF uedu. NOC at all.
nothing quite so stupid-but nearly as
saddening." She rose to her feet, and
her eyes looked into mine, enigmatical-
~ wistful.
II missed you after you went away
from Twin Fires said I suddenly. 81
don't know whether I got the sundial
beds right or not. Won't you please
come back to tell me? Or am I stupid
again, and mustn't you advise me
about that?'
Her eyes twinkled a little. 'sYou are
still very stupid she said, 'but per
haps l will consent to give my invalu
able advice on this important subject
"Goodp' I cried. 'And We'll buil6
some more trellis if your hands are bet
teri