The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-01-29

little ese than lack of thrift, and want
of success, would have rendered utterly
miserable. A clean hearth, cup OF fra.
grant tea, sense that the days duties
were being done, with whatever of poetry
there might be N her nature cropping out
i'll bits of bright effect, which made her
home tasty, her dress becoming and neat
these bounded her horizon
The latch was lifted when Bertha said
Come in,' and man entered the room.
"Good evening"" he said cheerfully.
"Ah, Abel !" and her eyes dropped an
instant as she greeted her visitor, $50 you
didt 90 over to to the christening party"
"No," he answered, rather shortly, and
bringing n chair he placed it beside hers,
before the fire.
She rose then, lit candle and set il on
the Shelf AS she sat down she drew her
own chair little further from her guests
very gently, quite unintentionaly, one
might have supp
81 thought you might be loncly--New
Years Eve, so," lie said next.
She smiled
"Tve not often time TO be lonely, you
know, Abel" and then, as though the
words might seem churlish. she added,
quickly. ''Iou were very good, though,
TO come into give up the dance too
Abel Garth's eyes fell, and he answered
in half-embarrassed way:
"Twas nothing to give up, as know"
. oh G., 81,
there isn't place on earth as pleasant to
me as your kitchen-when you're in it,"
with an attempted laugh at his last
words
'It is very nice Kitchen" she replied,
gravely, casting her eyes on the fire
There was little pause, and Abel
Garth's glance stole back to his compan-
ion; taking in the trim form, the small
head, coled with its compact light brown
braids, the plump, busy hands, the string
of gold beads around the full fair throat :
"You make as though you dindn't un.
derstand me-" he said at length speaking
huskily, "but you know well enough
what | mean Bertha Griffin"
81 know that you have been n kind
good nelghbor to me, Abel. through ter
Lonesome years." she answred, composed
ly, with even less sentiment In her tone
than there was in her words. "And
that you've been very careful what you
have said and did, or never could have
forgotten, and she looked very plainly al
him, 'that your friendship was rather
unnatural"
The mans color changed. lie strecth.
ed his broad right hand abruptly out or
his knee, and said, unst .adly;
81 would give that right hand. Bertha
Griffin, to be able TO take back that night:
act; yet God knows there was little enough
harm in my heart when | did it-ant
Jules might have known, his voice
broke down and his features worked ner
vously-"Wheu think of it ALL" he burs
out again, Il feel as contemplate as q
snake"
She listened without any embarrassment
though, strange to say, through ten year.
OF association this Itopic had never beer
talked of by them before
'lt is no good thinking, now, how i,
might have been helped" was her answer,
in conclusive tone
"No-and yet I've always felt if i,
hadn't been for me. nothing Of the sor,
, would ever have happened And it seem;
as though owed you, somehow, some
kind of offset for what you have been
through some"
'lour own loss was heavy" interruDt-
ed Is t IA, spract CT. end conscientious to
the last, recurring to the struggles which
1t had cost Abel to keep his farm after the
loss of his harvest.
"But you know you have always held
me alool, he continued, in half aggrcv
ed way, attended to his own train of
thought, more than to her words (;
you've given me few chances for doing
you tavors, Or"
"1ou have been very kind" she inter-
rupted again, as though she would be
glad to change the subject
VI on are very cold and Independent,
Bertha, he went on; sometimes I've
thought YOU didn't even want my friend.
ship, hesitated a moment looking
sideways at her face, and added, awk- :
wardly, 'fhis is the first time in all the
ten years that have even sat down in a
room alone with yoa"
"1 1es," She answered, quietly.
AS her monosyllable was encouraging,
he asked:
"BerIha, why have you always kept
me off so ?"
"Because I wouldn't let folks gossip
about me" she said, promptly. "a didn't
mean that either your coming too often,
or not coming at all, should give them a
chance to say that Jules had any reason
for hating or hurting YOU
lie was sharp enough to like her an
swer.
"And yet, Bertha, you've been free all
along to do as you liked about such things.
You know YOU'RE noways bound"
She gave him swift look.
81 mean TO Jules" he said, determined
to explain himself
"No. | am not legally bound to him
| know" she answered, in Thoughtful
undisturbed tone.
Abel half started with surprise at hel
composure. 1t rendered him bolder, how
Io a.