Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-06-11
The Old Love and the New.

- '"N 'ei VI hlBnti aiouR NnlOu Tue run
bling Calthorpe omnibus left the track ol
its rolling wheels.
IL was the afternoon Of Christmas Eve
Uhristmas Eve two years ago, when the ON.
nlbus, which piled daily to and from Gal.
thorpe and Malston railway station, came
rattling along the road to Calthorpe village
with much clatter Of hoofs and gingling oi
harness, il being an idea Of the honest coun.
trymen who drove the half-trained team
that the more noise he made with horse and
harness, the more imposing became the eff
feet Of his approach So the omnibus came
clattering on within mile of Calthorpe
when it pulled up with a suddenness which
almost flung the horses on their launches
while the driver shouted out;
"The gentleman as was for the oak farm
gets out here adding, as good.lookinp
young fellow, with pleasant blue eyes, and
curly chestnut hair descended from the
crazy old conveyance with por,manteau
in his hand. "if ye get over the stle there
end cut across the fields to your left, you're
all right for the farm"
The young man answered By nod, and
the omnibus rolled on, leaving him standing
on the snowy highway, with his luggage al
his feet.
"lie's London bred, spose," the driver
observed in the car Of passenger who shar.
ed the front seat with him, "aud the town
life has made him too conceited to carry
his own box'-the word "box" describing
Will Drayton's leather portmanteau.
But Drayton, untouched BY and uncons.
cious Of the drivers contemptuous whisper
and look back, stood in the open road in
the teeth Of a cutting north wind, waiting
till chance threw some one in his way will.
ing to carry his luggage to bis aunts farm.
house, which he was too proud TO shoulder
and trudge under himself
Presently a lad came along the highway
singing some usty melody as be tramped up
on his way, who was glad enough to break
the thread Of his song, carry Will Dray-
tons chattles, for the sake of the reward
promised at his journeys end.
"The old way is open yet by Mason's field,
and over the stile through the eoppice mead
ows?" Drayton said, as the lad lifted his
portmanteau from the ground
! The boy nodded and walked on 10 silence
through the turnstile, and across the field
path, until his curiosity overcoming his
shyness, hazarded at last:
You've been here before, spose, mister2"
Drayton laughed.
"Yes, I've been here before, no doubt" "
he said, seeing | was born down yonder
at the mill. But when my father died and
the place was sold, | went to Lunnon ways,
to see if / could make my fortune"
The boy looked in swift surprise at the
young man beside him, who, after all, was
only the son Of old Drayton, of the Mill,
who bad died bankrupt, and left his son a
legacy to bis brother, the husband of the
widowed mistress of Oak farm Still, des.
pite the memory of his fathers ruin, the
lads glance went wavering from the glitter
ing watch chain suspended from Drayton s
waistcoat pocket to the gloves upon bis hands
and the fine cloth he wore in his coat the
which this clumsy country lad had never
seen the like on any one, beneath the rank
of the Calthorpe gentry, while he coujectur-
ed inwardly that Drayton must have made
his fortune he went to London to win.
You're come down for the wedding,
maybe?" the lad suggested presently,
when his wonder having had time to cool,
sudden surmise struck him that all Dray-
tons fine dressing could not be for ordin-
AIRY holiday.
"What wedding?" Drayton asked, while
the boy flung back the gate leading into
the yard of the Oak farm, wherein hens
and ducks and cackling geese were straying
freely.
They say Nellie Drayton's going to
marry my lords head keeper" the lad said
impressiveiy, delighted that his gossip had
taken his hearer by surprise.
"Why, Nellie was but mite when |
left here nine years ago." Drayton respond
ed doubtiully.
"She's four years older nor me- the boy
said sturdly, as though those four years
were ten.
That's great age, youngster!" J" Dray-
ton laughed, slipping shilling into the lads $
hand, which inspired him with still strong
er respect for Drayton's riches, and the dim
and distant glories of London, where for
-. Ia Z -. - ALL,
'upes 1r oouIu Uo niauo ~ roau''y'
inen '"ey were AZ 'no i"i,i'-uou'e uooi ;
where 'ne Por''panaeau was uePVs''eu S WIZ ,Ln
d 'nuu' "nion prougn, sr' 'a0e " 'u'
winuo",-a iaSe WIN oonn'e eyes VI olue,
,he snsle oi " me own, anu o,Guu ., o'
l'gul na,r' proiuse uuu so,'' plaMn o' ,'on'
a rosy cneeN anu iTreneau u oi snony "u1t1, W1;
lla' Is po' Ne''' eus yesS,e' ~
'nough', aS 'ne Sil ~''nuiem nel i,oo ,iGu'
Tue winuow' one mas go' Tue gc'uei ha'i'
ana 'he iaugnlng Ups anu eyes oi iong ago.
wnen We went ha,.lng 'oge,ner % ~ 'ne Noous' u.s.
anu "a'i"g A''er s'''A'e'a'A' i" '"'
s'resm'
Mo'her' 'nere souie one a. Tue uooi' ;
ahu l 'nipA ns o"usin "niie' 1ess'e
Dray'on erieu ir''n w'.hin auu pe'ofe
Wiilie hau 'lme 70 push 'ne uoof open LOT
himseii'h IL was nuog vice. ana mrs, pray
ton was welcoming MN psck 10 oaitnorpc,
"only ior Jess l wou'unt nave kuoweo
you WINE you've grown 80 's,i anu org
and so IKE town gentleman, mrs' pray
Ton exc'a'mep' ,oIN'ng PrCuuly Up AZ ner
hepnew' VINO hHu enangeu run s'''i, iaoi
into a 'ali' nne-looking young inan uur'ne
MS nine years OF honaon ne i've go'
ola ana SUM- whhe you We poen away 'a9'
ana the girls nave grown INTO women anu,