Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-05-31

" Breakfast is ready, Marion, Margarcts
pleasant voice would call from the foot Of the
stairs, aud Marion's drowsy yawn would be
heard from above in reply. She is such
sleepy child in the morning" Margaret would
apologelically remark TO Joe, as she set the
potatoes and chicken in the oven TO keep warm |
against Marons advent Aud Joe, as fondly .
indulgent toward his younger sister as he had
been thirty years ago, would make answer,
while he diligently mopped up his rough face /
with the crash towel, ,---" On well, | remem.
Der how sleepy | used to be when | was
young, and how hard it was TO get up in the .
morning"
Marion would soon appear among them AZ
fresh and breezy as though sleep and drowsi' .
ness had never been thought Of, aud it was
very evident that the sparkle Of her black .
eyes was more than the morning sunlight to
her fond sister and brother After breakfast .
she assisted Margaret 10 the household duties .
as q child might have done, and was as docile .
and obedicnt to follow her directions To her /
fell all the light and pleasant tasks, 10 her /
older sister the heavy and responsible but
Margaret would have it so. Everything in /
the old farmhouse was spotlessly neat for old /
maids, il not outrageous slatterns are pain I
fully nice aud particular; plenty oyerhowcd /
their cellars and pantries, and the trio Of
grown up children made quiet, happy family,
living the life each day brought to them with
no wild mourning over the past or anxious
care for the future
Are there slen, unseen influences which
90 out from us and lead those toward whom
We are coming TO think Of US, even when they
are wholly unaware of our proximity The
gate-latch at the foot Of the long yard clicked
sharply, but Margaret did not look up, being
just then occupied in q careful examination
Of her work TO sec whether she narrowed the
last time around or not, and her eyes were
by no means as seryiceable as they had once
been. She supposed it was Marion who had
been down in the orchard overseeing the boy
who was gathering the sweet apples, and her
thoughts diverted into that channel Margaret
fell to ponderng whether she had better make
the apples from the old crooked tree into
cider apple-sauce or pickle them.
How much one may think in a few mo-
ments Since the click Of the gate-latch,
Margaret still intenty examining her work
had mentally gone over the argument of cider
apple-sauce versus pickles, and had decided
in favor Of the latter. But neither the scar
let geranium flaming on the steps at her right
hand, nor the fuscha swaying its white and
purple blossoms at her left whispered to her
that it was not Marion coming so leisurely
up the grassy path
Margie 60
Twenty-Five years had passed since she had
been called that name and no one had ever
called her so but Robert May She might
scarce have recognized him otherwise, { ..e
had so changed the lover of her youth but
at that word she rose and stood before
him. The knitting fell from her trembling
hands and was instantly rounced upon by the
watchful pussy, who must have looked upon
this arrival a. special windfall in her ia
vor
How many times in the first years of his
absence and silence had Margaret imagined
their future meeting, and the dignfed reserve
with which she would receive him. lie should
never dream Of the struggle her womanly
heart endured before she gave him up OF
late years she had not thought so much about
it time had softened the grief, healed the old
heart sore, and now when the long deferred
= meeting had actually come, the true woman
asserted itself through all her surprise, and
putting out both her hands she said under
her breath, Robert May 20
What a light shone in those dimmed blue
eyes what lost roses of youth crept up into
the thin cheeks Margaret Allen was fifty
but her heart only fifteen.
= hardly knew how you would receive
me- he said when the first greetings wert
over, and he was comfortably seated in tn,
d other chintz cushioned rocker, -" but | fell
c as if | must come and see the friend of my
l youth. | was sure, unless you had greatly
e changed, you would not hate me- at least
and though it was not ordained that W,
b should walk through life together as we one,
t hoped, we might still be friends"
f Oh yes, certainly, let us be friends,
. said Margaret, and that seemed to settle tn,
, matter finally. Then they sat and busly
G chatted Of the past, and asked the Thousand
>. and one questions which must come up
|, such times, The kitten retained the knitting
e work, all unrebuked, converting it into
h glorious tangle, while they talked. Mar
/, garet felt, in spite Of her renunciation of thi
d man in the past a sort Of pride in the though
- that this noble heart had once been at be
v disposal. Had she witully cast it aside, wha
|, remorse might she not now feel, seeing hin
!, in his rpened manhood bearing so upmstaka
a bly, the evidence that he had fulfilled the fai
e, promise Of his youth ? But she had not don
J, tperyorsely, and the sacrifice had been near
3. as great as she had ever imagined it. VIII
% that meets an old friend, after years Of al
ie sence, does not intuitively see in the frs
it hours OF meeting whether those years hay
li been rightly improved or not2 Robert Ma
- bore well the test.
'r "Why, Margaret what possesses you
ID let Tab snarl your work so ? land Mario
b. stood suddenly among them. Her cheel
IN were flushed to deeper hue than the brigl
< pink calico of her dress, aud her coquetti,
N little black silk apron was gathered up
so her hands half filed with mellow apples, whiC
lc she nearly dropped in surprise at sight Of II
s- stranger.
d. Introduction followed, for Robert Ma
ce would have never recognized the little in
We Of twenty-five years ago in the blooming lad
Sc before him, and Margaret introduced h
u with as evident pride as any mother mig
nd show in handsome daughter. She was o
nd and wrinkled herself, but Marion was fit
h. present to any gentleman in all the land.
ie said plainly the fond pride Of the older sistc
Marion famed her flushed cheeks with h
I broad-brimmed hat, and entered readily in
o. conversation, whileMargaret went for the iru
its dish in which to put her apples.
en- -" The old identical fruit dish - cried Il
rs delighted guest, as be recognized the gai
he painted pictures on the four curved sides
NJ purple grapes, golden peaches, crimson apple
ra and bright, green peas :" | used to think
It's fruit ever tasted so good as when it can
1t. from that dish, and he partook Of the a
ce pies as though his boysh predictions hi
no not entirely lorsaken him. Margaret SO,
n. excused herself to see to the supper viii
n. Marion entertained her guest. 1t had alwa
u. been the way in this household the old
,st sister was the Martha; the younger, if n
ut SO meek as Mary of old, like her, left her 81
d ter to serve alone, because it was Margaret
at choice to do the work while Marion ente
an taned the company.
sc How polished he is from his years