Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-12-26
THE WIDOW wAKEMAN.
@ BY LYDIA WOOD.

OoCuy NokthaD gIenctu up IItu tne
pie she was edging with her special mark q
thumb nail imprin.-and stiffly returned
the good naturned salutation: "As we'll
as common, 'blceged t'ye"
"ls goin't snow, | guess" remarSed
her visitor, seating herself without re.
quest, and noticing the evident i'll humor
Of the tone. Indeed. Goody Wakeman's
temper had gained an i'll repute among
the neighbors. ~ 'Af <frt
II don't guess; l kncw It's. Guessing
is poor business" .'. .na
al expect you do know thought the
visitor, "folks say you are witch, and
you're strange acting without doubt"
ALI ud she only said. ut seems rather ear.
ly for winter to set in"
mo earlier'u usual. Wegenerallv have
snow by Thanksgiving time, She looked
in the oven. paying no further attention
to her visitor.
, A long silence ensued, during which
the gossip eyed the kitchen arrangements,
reviewing what little she knew Of her hos
tess past life in critical fashion. and
speculated vaguely about coming days.
The smoking miucemeat brought her
tongue to lite, as the pies came brown and
pauting from the oven. and arrayed them
selves on the blue cupboard in the cor
ner.
"Igucss you meant keep Thankss Twin,
for one"
Hi, Betty Martin tip'oe, tiptoe! Hi,
Betty Martin ,iptoe fue |" hummed the
dame, glaucing meaniuely at her neigh
bor. Presently she added, Il don't keep
it it keeps Ipe."
Now the visitors name was Betty Mar.
tin, aud she sat silently wondering at the
other. half disposed to resent the atfrout /;
however, good nature got the upper hand,
and held it.
"Ah. WE'LL" sighed Betty. "l've none to
come and see me. and I've nowhere tc
lgo. This is what It's t be alouc in the
world" ..
For wonder. Goody Wakeman seemed
touched BY the others fo,loru tone and
aspec'. And SO she says, very grac,ously
for hcr--"'Spose you'd like to come here
then, hey?"
Betty looked up astonishcd. The dam
bad never been known to invite gues
from the village, although certain news
mon gers affirmed that she had no lack o
visitors. Indeed. if common rumor coult
be credited, the lively cottage on the out
skirts Of the thriving village Was seldom
tenantless, and eyrie lights were often t
be seen glancing from its windows.
Half fearing she would recall the hos
Ipitable suggestion. Betty answered qick
lly-"I should, iudeed, if should net b.
lin the way" #H'@l l.' '5F5
"You won't be IN mine. don't carr
lif he don't" aud the DANES attention wal
again absorbed in culinary preparation
"Who's he7 She's widder woman
May he it's some beau she's picked VI
som 'ers--,he old witch. She looks like
Que. I'm most afraid t'come. But I've
heered no many stories that Im curious
to see Fl myself, Law | folks1i talk
but | Let 'em take it out in talkin'. They
do say that the house is haunted. and
Goody's as bad as any Of 'em. (she don
/, seem to care much f'r the speech Of people
1 do wish, f'r her own sake. that she dto
care more f'r gospel preachin', and would
he more neighborly j hut | tell 'em
don't know who kno,cs. If folks didn''
,alk. you know, they wouldn't say nothin'
Ia the midst OF her cogitation she caught
the inexpressibly keen eyes OF GoOdy
! Wakemsu fastened full Oh her countenance
, as IL reading her thoughts. which SO star
tied her that she almost jumped from The
yellow wooden chair on which she sat-
|, She presently rose. pretending dr0wsi
, ness, induced by the warm atmosphere
+ aud smell of spices, and took her leave
, the dame smiling grimly as she stood in
. the doorway. lcIH1Y ~ oig b
Betty Martin almost shivered as sh'
went along the grey roadside leading e
: Widow WAkcinan house the week after
dressed in her best, (Which WAS poor en-
ouuhA 10 do honor TO the festival. foor'
: s,c,;lo heart the world had not used II
; very we'll. drying up the freshness Of 1T
youth, without leaving any recompeuse
. bot che se.uom f,et,sd. even inwardly
9 aud perha ps she had grown used to ID
3 robbery. A grey. dismal Landscape me
= her eyes. The Indian summer had swep
3 i,s wave Of brigbtpss over the distai
hills and vanished. Soon came the spr'o(
!. like morning.. the dreamy, perfect n00i
!. davs. The delicious evenings. almost PEI
!. suadiup Us that winter was passed.
= N .llNa ~, =. l.~n .ova 1,