Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-08-09

in You to abuse her SO I'm going to swear
you to treat her well'
"I'll swear" said Timms.
Hold up your right hand, - said Mapes.
simms held up his hand.
q Now repeat after me l. Silas Timms,
solemnly swear that l will never bring to
the knowledge of any human being that
sawed the log whereby Daniel Mapes fell
into the creek and los: a wife and further.
that Will, she c5nscnting, marry Eliza Reed,
and always use her kindly, 50 help me
God"
Timms repeated the oath r,Tjqitm.
Now, get up and 60 home, said Mapes,
80 / don think you'll gct married till your
'ycs get ont OF mourning, and by that time
Il be far enough away. Bu. don't th ink
u lose sight of you, and Il you doa't keep
/ your oath you Il sec me.
Iimms arose from the ground, shook Of
the dust. and walked away, but when be had
secured a safe distance. be >haltcl back, ox-
ultingly:
- Mapcs, she's an angel"
In twenty years Daniel Mapes had learned
many things, and among them this Life is
very much as we make it, n other words,
the world is like mirror, and looks at Us
with the face We present. Il returns seowl
iof scowl and smile fJr smile. lt echoes our
/ s1hs and our laughter To the cold. it is as
/ icy as the northern seas to the loving it Is
as balmy as the isles OF the tropics. lie had
/ learned a still harder lesson. which was 20
! forget the g-Ieis. the s0rrOWs. the sights.
1 tac wrongs and the hates of the past. The
4 effect Of TINS lesson was t. make il appear
/ that the lines. to him, had fallen in pleas.
/ ant places. lis r0tuul form and firm mus
/ Gle bespoke a good digestion, while cheer
I tul c1un,cnance told of mental peace. 1
fair woman named him husha ID ami child
l rcu called him father. \ beautiful home 10
/ the santa Clara Valley was theirs besides
which Mapes had many broad acres Of land
as well as many head of stock ruuuin. near
" wild in the counties of Monterey and san
Luis ObisTo.
Once in each year the cattle that grlzc ou
Caliiornia's 5 thousand hills are gathered In
convenient places. to be claimed and branded
by their owncrs-such assemblages being
called r0aeos. Mape- had been down across
the salinas Plains in attendance upon a
y0as0. and being on bis return. logging
along on his mustang, lie saw, far IN the dis
tancc- but nearing him. an equally lone
traveller. Slowly the dirtauc between them
decreased, and, as they approached, Mapos-
with California prudcnce-sllpped bis reTu.-
yer upon the belt winch sustained IT, rom
bis back to his left side, bringing the ii.t
under the shadow OF his brd.e arm. and
"IyAin easy reach OF his risht hand 4 neas
look assured Mape7 that he lad no occasion
i2I weapons the coming man was oi middle
age, huJ his look was worn, weary. detected
and hopeless-in local phrase. lis manner
was that OF pcTfon VINO has 90 lest Al-
Srlp and those Who have met thar tern
Die misfortune are never highway robbers,
grip being the very quality wanted in
that hazardous pursuit.
The travellers met with long iuluiun-
gaze when from 'heir Ils simultaneously
burst the words. 90 AaIes $3.50 Ilmms
Aitcr moment Of mu'e surprise, NaYci.
spurring hi- mustang. drew nearer Imms.
>1-we meet az last. nave been want
ins % soe you tbs many year.
The movement seemed vmllous o. I.mn-.