St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-04-04


| am" was the reply. Il have not
left the city-not one though | was
fIint with heat and hunger"
somehow | could not feel afraid of
this man, now | had him under my
wing. us it were. His voice was singu-
lally clear and pleasant. added out
of my store Il cup of cold coffee. He
seemed quite strengthened and re-
frc>hcd.
II shall find my way to Farmer Dal-
bN's without further difficulty now" he
remarked, as he handed back cup and
plate.
But YOU will find them all in bed.
Country folk don't often sit up long
after c;lndlc-light. They will think
queer of your coming this time of might,
added. in Il friendly way.
''Oh, they know me !' was the reply.
| ftncicd there was touch of bitter
ness III the tone. And for that matter.
can sleep i'll an outhouse till morn
ing"
And 50 my strange visitor departed.
Il do say - cried my neighhor. Mrs.
Medium. the next morning, stepping in
bright and early while | was getting
breakfast. "WlIy, here YOU are. chip
per as ever. did worlit myself all to
pieces about you last night. | SAYS to
Mchctable, says | Pears to me that gal
nd he afraIcd to stay stark alone i'll
that bald old house. I'm IL good mind
t" run over with my knittin' and sit
with her Il bit But then looked out
over the meadow and see your light
hunim' 81 >puuky. and thought I'd
keep in ont q the dew, and let Jcm run
over when he'd looked after the critters.
But. la, Jcm whi>tlcd of down To the
village fore ever | knowed it. and
Il WAS not afraid, said |. You
must never feel anxious about me. Mrs.
Medium"
My ncighhor glanced at me shrewdly
with Il SideWi>c glance.
'Noi Well. some folks are the ven
turc>omc>t And Jcm SAYS he thought
like enough you had company last
night. ,ccim' Il light bulnin' quite late
as he come along home
Probably blushcd. remembering the
company did have.
The old woman smiled atlahly.
"Gt cuulSc We all know where Mr.
Lowell likes to spend his evenings /; and
| SAYS t" Mchctahcl -"
Not wishing to hear what further she
said To Mchctahlc. | ha>tcncd to otfer
her Il hot cup of coffee. 1t WAS not the
first time had heard this gossip, which
limited that Mr.. Lowell'S kindness to
me meant more than friendship. MI
| ILL .,,l ii, l.,i,..I
he wa> rich. and his wife had been dead
many Years.
Mrs. Medium slipped her coffee ap-
pr"vingly. ''Delightful - said she
".\h. dear man, how he must feel til,
need of home comforts at his time {
life Money can't buy every thing
after all. as | says to Mehct .blc: there,
no use blowing Your Goals when Noul
kettles a-lcaking. He's got Il big hous,
and Il highfcather huu>ekecpcr but
laws, what slop> that woman doe,
make tol him. with all hcl high wages =
Then my ueighhor took up her sun
bonnet and walked down i" the garden
gate The sun >hnne On her p"rtlS
figure. the hull y-hnckS nodded. and the
weeds humhlN brushed hcl motlcrll
>kiIt>-a big. good heated. busy soul
who kept her hands full with her neigh
hor>' affairs. and left her spare an,
conscientious daughter to do the work
of two. At the gate she turned an,
nodded back to me as | stood i'll til,
doorway.
"uh. he You going over to the quiltin
at Farmer Darhy's next Monday week
/ hey re dreadful busy there now.
hear. on account of John DarhN's g"in
oil to he married. Got Il new hire,
man. hear.
Did lnu even attend an old-ta>hiouc,
country quilting party, . modern an,
enlightened reader! 1t 50. hope yol
cherish the memory of it as | do;
bright relic of times that are paS>in!
away. y pretty scene. with the eldcrl,
LADIES' in their best caps and >pectacleS
ranged i'll high authority about til,
glittcring spread the cherry checked
laughing girls; tine clattcr Of scissors
the threading of needles, the chatter
the busy fingers; the slight foimalit
"iviI q place To social and friendly GOSSIP
;l> evening draws on, and the cliuk u
the best china iS heard i'll the grc;t
kitchen hcyond. and the odorS "f flc>I
biscuit and fragrant tea a>Sail the senses
1t seems almost Il pity all this Shoul'
he numbered among the things thu,
were. However. there was Mrs. Darh
that evening, bustling about i'll her hes
black silk. undisturbed by amy prcmoui
tiomS of the march of progress AM
there were the lads and lasses from til
country round, unversed i'll the gentil
itN OF the nineteenth century, VIII
thought the best IF it was when tn
quilt WAS rolled away, and the grc;l
kitchen WAS cleared fora game of romp,
hidc-and-sceB ar hunt the slipper no
being considered beneath their dignity
and the old raftcrs ringing with til
trolic.
Then some of the boys had discoverc
that the new hired man could play tn
fiddle. and presently, in the midst of
gay group, | saw, or rather | felt. tha
my tail tramp" was making one of til
party. He certainly played well, and
fingered near with other giIlS, fascinate
by the music, though | did not spea
to him, merely nodding Il recognitio
as | passed up stairs for my hnnne
He looked hale and neat his face Wa
already losing that woltish thinneSs an
sharpness. 1t might not please him t
be reminded of his late beggary.
"A handsome fellow :" said Kat
Newton. archly eyeing him as she tie
her hat strings. "Where did they pic
him up p
After this heard deal of the ne,
farm hand. He sprang into sudde
popularity. There never was Il work,
like Denis Owen, people said, and th
young folks declared his violin actual
spoke. and admitted him into the
good fellowship solely on its recon
mendatiOn.