Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-02-26
WHOLE NO. 426.


fairly beating a retreat, and meyer pau
sing until he was out under the tossing
boughs OF the old naples. She's daugh-
J ter, and niece, and everything else to me
but | can't do it 1t would spoil all T.
Poor Jessie, poor little broken hearted
dove
Was Hezekiah Underhll demented
that be should break out into that strange
, smothered chuckle, even while the tears
we're streaming down his cheeks? Ger
, tain it was that he conducted very
strangely all that evening, reading the
newspaper with its columns upside down,
d depositng the pitcher of cider in his
: wifes work basket, and finally bringing
down on his devoted head that lady's re-
monstrance by stirring the fire with his
snuff box and trying to put the poker in
bis waistcoat pocket.
A 'Hezehiah, are you crazyT CALCULATED
Mrs. Underhill.
We'll, no, not exactly, said Hezekiah,
sheepishly; 'bu: do feel kind o eleva-
ted. Come up to the fire, Jessie; don't
= sit way off in the cold. That's right,
/ puss-nestle down in your old chimney
corner seat. That's the way you and
, f rank Steele used to sit together when
you were children
Father exclaimed Mrs. Underhill,
repyoachfully, as Jessie burst out crying,
, with her face hidden on her aunt's knee.
i didn't mean to- apologized Hezeki-
alb, but even then his face was in glow
with something brighter than the genial
r shine of the freight.
1t was evident that Hezekiah was glo-
rying in the mystery of some wonderful
secret And never did any secret strug-
gle so desperately for disclosure as Hez-
D ekah's on that Thanksgiving eve. But
he kept it. For the honor Of mankind
let it be recorded that Hezekiah Under
bill kept his secret.
! OF course it's no use trying. Soyer
Il himself even were he gifted with the de-
q scriptve powers of the wizard of Wa
verify, never could have given you any
idea of Mrs. UnderhilFs Thanksgiving
dinner. The brown, cracking turkey,
5 unctuous with stufiing & oleaginous with
Q rivulets of gravy the pyramids Of Grim.
- son quivering jeliies; green crisp pickles;
> battalion OF pumpkin pie, nesting like
amber lakelets in shores of russet crust |;
a. the pudding, triumphant mystery of
culinary art; the whole dictionary would
% fall short of expressing the plenteous
i, glories of that feast of fatness.
"a 81 rraa vaI ena,, az ar kraoG b
d. fast-whither he bad gone nobody knew,
in for all the explanation be vouchsafed to
bis wife was that he was 'goin' to bring
company home to dinner But punctual
to the noon mark on the kitchen floor, he
ne returned, but alone.
e1 Jessie was in her own room, thinking
ct sorrowfully and crying between whiles,
a., when Mrs. UDderhll came up with flush
ed cheek and voice strangely tremulous.
% Darling, your uncle wants you to C. me
down stairs
III Indeed, aunt, / had rather moi ! and
"a Jessie shrank nvoluntarily into her chair.
But be has brought home friend,
u dear, and would like
oh, no, aunt Let me stay here; /
e have such dread of strange faces now.'
Y MY dearest, but your uncle particular
:. Iy wishes it! Come, there's good girl +!
II let me smooth your hair and put on your
: pink ribbon bows. Now you look sweetly.'
d Mrs. Underhil's hand shook and her
'. eyes overfowed while she fastened the
:, simple brooch in Jessie's collar.
/" 'Why, aunty, what's the matterT
NJ
a you ready +?
n Hezekiah Underhill stood in the mid
=, die of the room as they entered and be-
side him Jessie's bewidered vision totk
cognizance of yet another figure.
n She stopped with dilated eyes aud pal
id cheek; her brain seemed in wbirl
but when the mist cleared frem her sight
le she was clasped to Frank Steele's breast
Of the noble breast that had borne the brunt
"a of battles fiercest tide--the breast that
should evermore be her shelter and her
!. resting place
Us Jessie, will you take me, pale and
ut Scared, aud sickly? Will you be my
n wife ?
If Il will love you all my lite longf
That was all they said-but it was
enough.
I'd 'Bu', Frank, tell me how i! happened =
40 1T vas your uncle's plot, love. | was
I'd lying in the hospital--sick, wounded, dy-
:, ing, as thought. when bis letter came,
telling me of your remorse at what you
p' fancied was your unkindness 1t was
written without your knowledge; but
Id Jessie, it was like draught of immor-
hv tality, an elixir of life to me. | grew
= better under the very eyes of the sur
oh aeon, who had told me | was a doomed
set man. And here | sm, on sick leave, TO
r. hear my happiness again from your lips
he The sweet lips confirmed his hope
but il was not in words.
D Il declare,' said Hezekiab, rubbing bis
IN hands gleefuly, it seems just like story
ell in printed book But there was one
he time thought should let the cat out Of
d the bag-when you sat cryin' by the
~ window last night, Jessie. But I'm glad
CHS | didn't tell. Frank wanted to surprise
you, and guess he's done it 7
is Frank Steele, sitting before the merry
,ce Thanksgiving blaze, with Jessie's hand
e. 10 his, felt that the great reward OF al
az those midnight watches and perious bat
led ties had come at last. May every gallan