Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-01-01

multitudinous voices arose upgathering iko
the sound of many waters and one weak voico
among them broke into cheer, the signal for
another from beyond; there was . whir
swelling into roar Of commOtion and at once
with handkerchiefs all madly waving, figures
swaying, women leaping, orbic mouths and
faces flaming, out burst the long-pent hurri
cane in frantic cheers. Cheers that Jared
the rooms and elashed the windows made
the flags quiver on the wall, and the dense
holly shower its scarlet berries, and drop it's
leaves; cheers that made Elkanah totter
back, and fall in aching rapture on his Ru-
pert's neck. with wife and sons and daugh-
tiers punched tight about with interviewer
srms-a solid grove of family affection tied
moveless in the tornado-whirl around them
Cheers dizzying, redoubling, hoarseniDg into
fury from determined lungs the leaves down
fiittering, specks of white from the ceiling
dropping, the lights Of the patriot-tapers wa
verlng, the phrenetic flames OF the heart
uproaring in the gale of gowns, the elements
let Loose, the joyous tornado rising into the
deli ious simOom for Rupert welcome home
And, bark amidst the tremendous incom
municable tumult, the wild bald-eage scream
of Bob Toner'S fiddle, And they dance-who
hears the tune?-it might have been a dirge
they dance like drunken seraphim-they
dance and cheer-they stop the cheer to dance
the harder the family-group Is moving away
all locked together,-they dance, moving with
it, in furio glad mu ie, with sobs, with
cries, with laughter they pranee, they ca
per, they plunge, they whirl, like menads,
like bacchantes, raying, raging-till, at last,
all stream away together, leaping, bounding,
through the doorway, across the passage into
the apartments beyond, where in lessening
tumult the dance goes on, and the room u
left in solitude.
There Is a limping step upon the stairs,
and in tottles little pigmy Lillian, blue-dress-
ed and yellOw-curled, dragging big shawl,
which she proceeds to endeayor to wrap around
her. Presently enters old giant Elkanah.
hurried, pale. trembling, with a strange look
and light upon his face, and starcs. craned
over, with weak astOnlshment upon the do
ings of his grandehild.
- God bless me little one - he stammers;
So what are you up to with that shawl
Where's my best friend gone top
"Grandpa," replies the mite, gravely,
wrapping herself up with intense determina-
ton, ''what YOU said to uncle Rupert WIS
horrid gollawash. And went up stairs to
get this shawl And had an qlrtH hunt
acfH. And then found it. And I'm 60
ing along. too, with my dear uncle Rupert
this very minute
"No, darling, replied the old man, ten
derly, forgetting to laugh, IN his emotion,
- no, uncle Rupert is not going away-never
He's going to live with Us always.-But
where's Mr.. Carpenter
My goodness, grandpa?'' said the little
midget, ceasing to enwrap herself Not
going Then I'll stay my own self But
there's been an awful change Of front some
where -
Lily, dear, said the old man, weakly.
bending down to her, 81 can't YOU tell me
where uncle Peters old Good Man has gone
to? He's not in the rooms, for I've looked"
" Amt he, grandpa? Then guess he's
gone back to heaven this very night" she
answered.
% o my friend - sighed the old man, ris-
ing to his feet with a burst Of controlled and
tender grief. My strange. best benelactor,
could but Just once see YOU again D my
heart, my heart 80 drained Of all IL blocd,
50 full Of light, 50 full Of sorrow and grati-
tude, so full Of gentleness and love Could
but once look on your dear iace-c0uld but
once see you, even at a distance, again
- GRANDPA said the small, silver voice,
b. wrap ne up in this shawl, for its cold, and
take me out, for maybe, YOU know, he's out
side the door.
The old man feebly started, and, STOPPING,
wrapped her in the shawl and taking her
up on his breast, where she aiectionately nes-
tied, went out into the winter-darkness. Grand
and cold, and lit by many stars.
For moment, coming from the lighted
room, they saw nothing in the vast, dim OBJ
scuritv Behind them. the noise Of the re-
yellers was loud. mufiied in the cloak of the
frigid outer silence. Presently, the dark
swales of the farm became apparent. with
clumIs Of vague bushes, and amorphous
shapes Of trees, rising here and there. Their
eyes sought the path, which led away from
the door, and curved over sort of mound or
hillock against the east, to bend again TO the
distant road. And there they beheld him.
Look, grandpa - said little Lillian. Il see
him there
The moon was coming up, through still
below the horizon, and half the heavens we're
lit with an immense pure radiance. He stood
upon the mound, looking toward them, en-
larged in aspect by the frozen air, a grave
and manly figure. darkly defined against that
great light arising on the world. They gazed
on him with straining eyes. Within, the
glad noises Of the earth rang merrily With
out, was the form of love undying, moveless
in lev darkness against the peaceful and ten
der light Of God moment. and they saw
him raise his hand in benediction and fare
well. The old man eyes filed with tears
the little child nestled low upon bis breast.
He was gone.