St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-02-28


not unbearable. But Uncle 'Liphalet
couldn't talk; ; so he picked his way
down the icy steps, groped his way
home through the snow-storm and rat
tied the back door as signal to Aunt
Dolly to let him in.
care You frozen, Liphalet ?" asked
Aunt Dolly in terror as the candle-hght
struck the white face
Uncle 'Liphalet staggered in, and
sinking on the lounge covered his face
with his wrinkled hands.
80, Dolly
'.You needn't tell me, 'Liphalet,
know what It's. I've felt twas coming
But o, 'Liphalet, we've helped each
other through hard times these fifty
years and we've got each other, yet"
Uncle 'Liph only groaned.
Maybe the farm'll last lis through :;
we're Almost worn ont. and it won't be
long that we'll be waiting. With the
farm and each other"
80. Dolly. Dolly. YOU don't know the
worst, and can't tell YOU Inever can
tell YOU, Dolly, never Uncle 'Liph
staggered part way across the room.
then turned suddenly.
"IhcN re going to take il all. Dolly,
everything. strip us clean. clean as
We were when we began fifty wear ago.
house and farm and COWS. everything.
There's been great carelcSSneSS us well
as great wrong: wrong and careless
ness and wrong from the very begin
ming. and now they're coming. The
lawl let 'em, and its got to go.-the
back pa>tur. and the wood lot. and the.
Young orchard. and rverythng.-e
Ruhes grave. Dolly. o God haven't
| served Thee these fifty years why
>houldSt Thou cast me off now ?"
The gray. scraggy face with the gray.
StragglN hair around it, WAS turned to-
ward the ceiling. Aunt Dolly went out
into the night.
1t waS stormy. and cold. and bitter
The >lect cut against her cheek. the
wind raVed i'll her hair and the snow
drlttcd at her feet. but Aunt Dolly
didn't mind il. She only wanted air
and Ia think. She leaned up against
the weathcr-hrowned rlapboards. Was
it really going. going. going. all going
She couldn't think. one word alone
whiStlcd over and over in her BRAIN
going. going. She looked Oft through
the storm To the dimly- outlined maple
hcneath which lay Ruhc'S grave. That
too. was going.
Heart and brain together grew numb:
muscles. inv0luntaIily acting. carried
Aunt Dolly into the house. The voice
"t an alItnmaton said:
Its time we had plaNrrs. father"
The hands of Il second autOnaton
opened the old book. \ strained voice
began =
The Lord il my shepherd | shall
not"
The TWO automatoms fell on then
knees. with tears. broken sohs. and
half authorizations. and were nutorlatons
no longer.
Uncle 'Liphalrt went To no more
meetings.
III fix the back door, Dolly. hut l
don't know anything whose hand1l |
swing it. said he
.AS for the Native Village manuf:lc- .
turing company. ii was Il boat loaded !
with stone I" the waters edge. Puor. .
deceived and di>heartcncd though they /
were. never did men strain muscle /.
harder than those who sought to light |
en- her: hut over the side the water
came i'll. and she went down.
Then up from the east and th" west
and the north and the south. came cred /
it"rs. seeking their just dues. none
douhrcd. but seeming ottcntinrc> to the
gnarlrd and hard-w"lking debtors like
the fat Kline come up a.lcW to dcvOur |
the lean. Aunt Dolly and Uncle Ii /
phalct waited patiently for the one to
whom the, WcIr appurtinncd. He WAS .
not greedy he allowed his prey to lie
tattcuimg until the leaf buds >wcllcd on
the lilac. McanW lille. What arouics