Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-09-20
THE BURLINGTON, VT.

Il knew it, she answered, with sudden
glad look Coming, father and she sped
away. Poor Delphy
Must add that, half an hour later, when
the Young men were on their way to the for
est, Tiffany was rather glad that they had
left the old inn behind them? and that, as
Delphy ran to and fro, waiting on tired,
hungry travellers all day, she asked herself,
Will they ever come again 2 must ada,
that when our travellers had walked mile,
perhaps, Tiffany slipped the carnelian seal
ring, which he wore, from his hand into his
pocket, thinking Of Delphy's rnringed In
gers. which labor had done its best to IN
shape Can you believe that, young gentle
men?
Philip came home that day, and reported
that fires were raging in the woods to the
north and cast and that, in consequence Of
the long drought, everything was beng
| licked up by the flames. The wind chang
ing that night confirmed the intelligence; the
sky was heavily overcast, and the arr became
an exaspeIatIng burden.
1t was southwest that Mr.. Tiffany and Mr..
Lewis had turned their steps, pelpby re
minded herself, and her thoughts found It
more pleasant to follow them through the
woods than TO penetrate the region OF ire
and smoke. There were neIghbors, 1t was
| true. who. if the fire kept on, might suter
| from its ravages solnewhat-but what, If the
time had come when the heart Of the girl
was to ascend to high place among the
mountains, and was not to be hindered 1t
was certainly by no act Of her own will that
she ascended, and by no action Of her WI,
probably, could she have hindered herself
from ascending.
The wind continuing to blow in the same
direction steadily hour after hour, by noon
next day the neighbors began to assemble at
the tavern, their rallying place in unusual
emergencies and by afternoon it was
! thought advisable to send cut men to asccr-
! tain the advance the fire was making. All
the next dav the sound OF axes might have
been heard in the woods near by, till wide
space had been cleared. This road, it was
| thought. the fire would not easily pass. And,
had not the flames so exalted themselves,
/ the protection would have suthced, but the
air was filed with brands tossed from the
burning and the waving topmost boughs
caught the red tokens, as in the frolic of
madness. till the woodmen leaned on their
axes exhausted and dispairing and some of
them besought the Invisible Powers that the
elements might no longer be permitted to
| battle them.
Little suspicion had he of the fact, bat the
/ inn keepers day come. From lettering about
and directing others in his usual fashion, he
found himself, almost for the first time in
| his life, working with frantic energy. Dur
! in a long life he had proved that 7ery few
things in the way of labor ever paid but
now he be did no; hesitate TO risk life for his
house ard home
Three days Of hard labor, and Of harder
drinking, opened the door to death, and
though he had the satisfaction Of lying down
under what was left Of his own roof, and of
/ breathing his last on bis own bed, still, If the
choice of life or Of property had been offered
him in that exigence, Bishop would have
chosen 10 hear his neighbOrs in the bar-rOom
below discussing his chances.
\ month had scarcely elapsed since the
evening the young timbeF-buyers came 10
the house, when be lay in the wing Of the
tavern, the only portion saved from the fire
and be was dying. 1t was said by true
/ prophets that he would not be able to live
the night through.
Delphy vas with her father, and Phil, his
only son and unquestionablc representative,
and the heart Gf the old man soltencd, look
inc On these two who had borne the burden
OF dreaIy day.
The wind was blowing now from the south
west, AID the air, relieved Of It's sufJcatins
/ load. was sweet and fresh and balmy again.
| The little birds might sing and relieve the
awful stiffness.
| Delphy sat beside her father, unmiudiui
now though many should come and 60.
I Such fare as the transient passenger might
| need was prepared by Martha. Never
again would the car Of the traveller hear the
innkcepor'- loud, proud shout ior Delphy
1 or behold the quick responding vision OF
girl, who seemed more likely to have dropped
| from the skies than to come Up INFO being
( from that house of Bishops.
Yet there did come, as the twilight deep
/ oncd, what proved 70 be an authoritative call
for Dclphy Since sunset traveller had
/ been making his way steadily toward the inn
which he had seen aiar off-lor it was now
as city set upon a bill in the midst Of desc
/ lation-and on bis face had been deepening
an expression Of determination that said
much more than that he was hungry man
/ hasting towards rClreshmcnt and shelter Tor
the night.
! He had not walked on in this steady, RESP
| lutte manner from the moment when he part
/ Cd with Lewis be had sometimes fingered &;
sometimes be had looked back but, from the
instant when lie began to understand that
the fire had extended towards Stag-head lun,
he knew that be was on the right path that
wisdom was directing his steps-he would
| have a welcome, and he would deserve It /;
and-he would be glad to see its signs
While she sat by that bedside watching
the stupor which she supposed was sleep,
and thinking painful thoughts which would
have fearful witness only in solitude, Del
ply heard the voice Of Tiffany below. asking
for the innkeeper.
Sac could not he mistakcn-all tie doors
stood opcn-the house was perfectly still
at the sound, she stood up, and the old man
opened his eyes. The boys are back he
said with a smile they may as well make
their bargain. Then, as if in some sort Of
answer to these whispered words, light steps
were heard upon the stairs, and Tiffany stood
in the doorway Of the inn.
For Gods sake what docs this mean :
said be.
I've saved the old oak for you, Tilr said
the innkeoper, and be Lad not spoken many
words before all day. You ought to have
been here to fight the fire you said you
would Ike to see one in the woods.
I've seen enough said the young man.
I've been creeping along between two fires
these three days, Just TO get back to you
DELPHI, do you hear? Supper for tie
young gentleman
Stay where You are, said Tiffany
don't want supper. 1 came back to sec you
all together. and % tell you something. Do
any Of You know me? Don't you, Phil?
Didn't ylg guess after was gone? Delphy,
didn't you?'
'Oh, Bob . exclaimed Delphy, and it was
as il drowning person should cease to cling
to bis spar, and trust himself, in the utter
most extremity, to the great deep itself. All
that was in her voice.
Bob Nakeman-let Inc look at You -
give me little light, said the old innkeep-
er, slowly, and he opened his eyes wide, but
the dimness which mortal will cannot con-
troll bad fallen on them. He groped for
Bob's hands he could think and speak yet,
but the sight which his eyes desired they
would never again see.
i knew you'd come back always ex-
pected you-I wanted you, he said. You
come Just in time. IIark | hear the stage
horn. Yes, sir, tb- IS something for You to
look after, Bob, right here. Bless yon
kepta looking
lit is what | came back for, Captain,
was the low-voiced answer. That was the |
last sound that fell upon Bishops ears. Be-
tween the living and the dead the young |
man stood, making death less terrible, and |
filing life with heavens own peace.
You may see the Bishops Oak still -four
ishing on its corner, in green old age, but
no sign remains on the face of the earth of
the old inn. There are two, however, who
never can forget-a dark day
and bitter parting beneath that tree when
the boy went out into the world to seek bis
and the girl stayed home to drudge;
and the transcendent hour, when man and
xrop,op efopdinr within ito shadows looked !