Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-12-30

footsteps. winged It's way from the
branches.
This does look like change! muttered
Mr.. David to himself, cycling the weed
grown garden lingeringly. What change
could have fallen on the old busy life that
once kept the place aslir?
Must have moved, he concluded, us he
went down the hill to the road below.
At that moment the village school
broke up. and out burst a cornucopia ol
youngsters, shouIiu% aud flying along
The road.
MY lad. said Mr. David, catching at
one ol the hndmost rs he scudded past,
lean YOU tell me where old Farmer
Nichols has moved to-"
Tne boy eyed the stranger with rustic
shyness, wrisgliug himself from the de-
tanning hand Ii ,0as vexatious To be
stopped in that way.
Guess you haven't been long in these
parts. he said, giving his hat knowing
thrust on one side
NO. not long. Where mas the old man
gomez
TO the berrin ground, reckon" said
( The boy. yiciously, unable TO resist tn"
. Jest. "Od Sexton Simms !. tell You
where" he added, looking back as he
sped after his companions.
Old Sexton Simms had been a village
institution in Dayid's young days. No
change had overtaken him. II seemed. \
/ thin aud wrinkled little man, blOodless rs
a last year mosquito. he pondered the
strangers face with wise and sidcwise
/ glance, as though studying an illcSible
inscription
Shouldn't a knowed ye no more'n the
dead" he cried. when Mr.. David men
/ TONED his name "but did think soon's
ever sol eyes on yc. you must be some
one or nuthcr. The old folks? Oh yes.
the old folks is gone. bo.h on 'em; died
within SIX months of each other. three
years ago come next spring. The old
place has been in limbo ever since"
And the girls?'
Married aud seIiled-leasIwise Jane
and Be,sey. Jane, done first rate She:
SQ. Johuson's vile, up there in the biz
house youdcr. And Bcisey, she always
was a sharp one, | thought, but some
how or another her husband isn't bit
lorchauded'
And Hannah ?" WAS on David's lips,
but an old customer came in and absorbed
F the sections attention.
David concluded to make his way to
81 Johnson's.
/ A. the moment OF coming 10 this con
cusion a few big drops fell ominously
trom q hot aud Numbering sky, but the
/ white house WAS Just in sight, and he
made bee line Tor it. The shower IN
creased to a flood. bat there was no shel.
ter mid way. and he hurried on.
Al the gate OF the mansion stood i gig
from which a stout lady MAS Al that mo
meut descending, obviously tuaking up
her raimenl and preparing to make a run
tor the house, she eyed sharply the
stranger standing there under the dip.
ping umbrella.
Mr.. David held open the gate. Jane y
he said, stepping forward and offering
the shelter OF the umbrella. Ave been
eight years coming, but aave just arrived
in time you see"
LA! :" said the lady, starting back. She
still retained the sharp, incisive voice he
remembered, surviving all these years,
though the former Jane had vanished
utterly. crowded out by a matronly figure
in flowing robes.
She had TO accept the umbrella, and
consequently the escort; but she hestatet
at the doorway, looked down at David''
boots and wiped her own significantly as
she glanced at the blazing Brussels thai
ornamented her parlor.
Mr.. David repeated the process patient
IL and she could net help asking him in
Jane vas pious and patronizins--a we'll
to do woman David had been a trouble
some lad, to be sure but then. one mus
le' some things pass.
l,.n IL. n ~
the squire came ina quiet little man /,
gold spectacles-who said, chceriully
when supper WAS announced,
Come along in. do, Mr.. Dunham
} and take dish OF tea"
The only lault, Jane often declared
that she had to find with johnson, wa
that he casnf particular in choosing hi
company.
"And where's Miss Simmons ?" h'
asked as he slipped his tea.
"Gone over to Dobson's, and sup
| pose GOT caught in the shower"
After supper the two men smoked
. pipe together and talked of crops, TIT
weather, and business in general. JAM
was no TOOL, as she often observed. Sh'
7 gathered that David was part owner in I
{ ship. yard, and had built some tidy cral
himself. Another time she would not b.
so particular about the door mat.
, In the midst of the talk and smoke
Miss Simmons came floating in, in
flutter OF muslin aud ribbons, breathess
bright aud eoquetIish, 81 Just ran owe
between the drops, she said, shaking ou