St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-11-10

to follow the path and find out lis DIES
tinatlon, and following it he came pres
emily into Il lonesome hollow, where
brook gurglcd among the heaps OF bar
limestone rocks that filled its bed Fol
lowing the path still, he came upon
queer little cabin built of round logs, i
the midst of a small garden patch incloS
ed by II brush fence. The stick chimney
daubed with clay and topped with bar
rel open at both ends, made this 4 typi
cal cabin.
1t flashed upon Ralph .hat this plac
must be Rocky Hollow, and that thi
was the,house OF, 'old John Pearson, III
one-legged basket maker, and his rhcu
matte wife, the house that hospilabl
sheltered Shocky. Following his i'm
pulse, he knocked and was admitted
and was not little surprised to fin,
Miss Martha Hawkins there before him
You here, Miss Hawkins ~ he saic
when he had returned Shocky's greetin;
and shaken hands with the old couple.
''Bess You, yes" said the old lady
That blessed gyilr'-tLe,, old lady call
ed her Il girl by sort of figure ofspcecl
perhaps -''that blessed gyirrs the kind
est creetur you ever saw-comes her,
every day, most, 10 cheer Il body up will
somcthin' or nuthcr.'
Miss Martha blushed, and said Ssh,
came because Rocky Hollow looked ;,
much like 4 place she used TO know a
the East. Mr.. and Mrs. Pearson wer,
the kinGest ofpeople They reminded hcl
Of people size knew at tie East. Whei
she was to Bostng-"
Here the old basket maker lifted hi:
head from his work, and said ''Pshaw
that talk about kyindness Qor he was q
kcntuckian and said igmdlc>l) is al
humbu@. wonder so smart a woman
rs you don't know better. You com,
ncarder 10 bein' kyind than anybody
know but, laws a mo, were all SelfSl
akurdin' TO my tell"
"Guu wasn't selfish when you set III
with my father most every night for two
weeks, said Shocky, ~ he handed the
old man Il splini.
''lcS, | was, too 1Lis l.. a tone
that made Ralph trrmbe. You. faith
rr was Il miserable Brit.>her. I'd fit
reI-raai>, in the war Of eightcen-twelyc,
and lost my LEG by one of EN- sticking his
do9-on'd hayonct right through it, that
night at LunIy'> Lane; but my mess
m;ttc Killed him though, which is Il sat
isiaction t. think ON And | didn't like
your father. cause he WAS a Briii>hcr.
Bat ,t he'd 4 died right here in this free
country, ''hout nobody !" I'VE him IL
drink OF water, blamed Il | wouldn't a
been ashamed 10 set ON tie pl.ttnrm at
"a Fourth OF July barbecue, and Ia Ia id
up my wooden lee for 1" make the boys
cheer, That was the >,Iii,ny~t ,i,itg |
"srr. don Were alls>rlti-r nh"rlrn' 10
my tell"
You wasn't selfish when You took me
that night, you know" and Shocky's
face heamed with gratitude
"lc<, war too, you little sass-box.
What did take you fer! Hey? Be
ha-c didn't like Pete Jones nor Eli
Jones They're thie,c-, do. on'em -
Ralph shivcreI little. The horse
With the white lolc-fpot and White nose
@alloped before his eyes again.
"Ihry'rc Il set of Thieves That.
" hat they air
PLEASE, Mr. Pearson, be careful.
lou'il get into trouble, you know, by
talking that way" said Mss Hawkins.
~ cure .iu-t like Il man that knew at
the East"
'Why, do sou think an old soldier.
like M, hohbling on Il wooden leg, i,
afraid OF them thieves Didn't | face
the i;rill>hers Didn't | come home
la'c last Wednesday night rather
=uess | must 4 took u little too much at
We!cis grocery, and laid down in the
middle OF the street TO rc-t. The boys
thought twas funny 10 crate me. woke
up kind cold, bout one in the mornin'.
Bout two O'Clock | come up Means :
hill, and didn't see Pete Jones, and
them others what robbed the Dutchman,
and somebody, dunno who, Il croS>in'
the bluc- grass pastor toic,ud Jones's
Halph shiveredJ "Don't shake your
finger at me, old woman. Tongue is all
Eve got to fight with now; but Eli fight
them thieves till the sea goes dry, will.
Shocky, give me spiint"
"But you wasn't selfish when J on tuck
me" SEocky stuck to hls point most
positively.
Yes, was, you little tow headed
fool, | didn't take you kase was
good, not Il bit OF it. hated Bill Jones
what keeps the poorhouse, and know
ed him and Pete would get you bound
10 some Of their click, and | didn't want
no more thieves raised 80 when your
mother hobbled, with you leadin' her,
poor blind thing. all the way over here
on that winter night, and said, Mr.
Pearson, you're all the friend Eve got,
and | want you TO save my boy why,
you see was selfish as ever could be
in takin' Of you. IoIr mothers cryin'
sot me cryin' too. We're all selfish in
everything, akordln' TO my ;eil. Blam-
ed et we ha'n't, Miss Hawkins, only
sometimes Id think you WAS real benev'-
lent cf | didn't know we war all selfish"