The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-06-16


idol. | think they would have allowed,
too, that be lad third worshipper in
Aunt Sue. Hc always accompanied us
iu our excursions, aud made the very
prettiest figure conceivable in tue "fore.
ground" for his fathers pictures. At
home, too, on wet day, he would sit or
stand as still as mouse, while he was
being "workcd in" on the canvass. A
lay figure such as painters use costs thirty
pounds, which was beyond Franks slen.
der purse, SO that he bad always to get
sittcr--a post which was no sinecure to
him who filled it, Even Aunt Sue was
pressed into the service occasionally, and
then it was "steady, steady--Don't
blink your eyes so much-The right arm
a little straghter--Bend more to the
right-Throw Il little plcasanter expression
into tho mouth, if yon pleaso-Thank
you"
My brother, the rector, was Il welcome
gnest with his artist son, but he always
avcrrcd that this was on account of his
own venerable appearance. You can't
get lay.fgure. my boy, so you must put
up with a clerical one." They had both
a very pleasant wit though, since Lucy
and | were sometimes unable to "sce the
joke" we were wont to describe it as too
subtle. Our very dullness, however, was
the occasion Of mirth with us; and when
we laughed, that set Baba off, SO that |
don't think there was a merrier party in
North Devon that summer than we four
1t was all the sadder for nc when the
blow suddenly fell upon US, Of which [
alone was conscious, but which threatened
to cloud all this brightness in the shadow
Of death. The dag, as l have said, was
hot and stcamy; but in the evening the
air became delightful, and We all went
down as usual to enjoy it upon the break
water OF the little harbor. Even then
there was not breath of wind, and
though the tide was up, not single one
Of all the fshing.vessels had yet returned.
We saw the struggling feet making their
way home, indeed, but a long distance
of, and they seemed to get no nearer /;
the broad bllo sea was ilecked with their
white sails, as the sky is sometimes dot
ted by lines of wild geese changing to
their homes only in this case thero was
20 noise. The flowing wave sighed faint.
ly as it reached the shore beneath us, like
some exhausted swimmer who gains the
shore with his last gasp. The tiny flag
upon the rooi.top above US could not flap,
but hung heavily upon its staff There
were no other persons about the harbor
but ourselves, but the witchery Of the
scene stilled our talk, and li.tlc Baba S
prattle was the only sound that broke the
silence OF the sea or shore. After while
1t became the child's bedtime, and Lucy
rose TO accompany him TO the inn. As
expressed my intention Of remaining
Frank kindly offered to stay with me
but | knew how great were the attrac.
tious for him Of seeing Baba in his bath
and at his prayers. SO | would not permit
him to do SO. "Clovelly is a very queer
place." said |, land its sailors are very
enterPrisng but don't think that any.
body even in Clovelly-will think Of
running away with your Aunt Sue,
. -AhN- tO hd7 lCIt uiDut.
In that still summer night, with the
quiet stars shining above me, and below
ne-ior the great deep was like a mir
ror-an old woman like myself, you may
say, reader, might have occupied hel
thoughts to better purpose but instead
OF reheciing upon the transformers o
life, and my latter days, confess they
were principally fixed on certain picnic
that was to take place upon the morrow
| had bcspoken some cold meat and pot
ted trout: but | was bent, ifpossible, OIL
securing some fruit, principally on tn,
child's account, and as surprise
We'll, | had settled in my own miut
about the fruit, and also which cushion
Of tho sofa in our little sitting.room would
best suit to prop dear Lucy's back in tn,
somewhat jolting carriage which we haC
engaged for the morrow, and was sowl
toiling up the steps to the inn, when thi
, occurred. Halfway up the steps. tber
is an ancient archway occupied as dwell
ing-house here stopped to gathe
breath for the remainder of the alcen,
, IL was almost dark by this time, an
standing in the arch was quite invisibl
, to my passer-bv who should not absolute
, Is touch me. had scarcely reachc
, this resting place when my ear was struc
, by the faint and suppressed sobs Of
woman, She was evidently in some ROOF
f on the other side Ct the wall against whic
[ leaned and but for it | could hav
q tou chod her with my hand.
n Dead, dead, dead !" she moaneC
"Oh, what shall we do without our brea
. winner p
t ! was about to knock at the cottag
!, door, to see if | could be Of any sort {
,. comfort TO this poor bereavcd creature
Q when heard the step of man comm
|. down the hill, so unsteady that | coul
.. not but conclude that he was in liquo
u Such au occurrence is not an unexample
" oue iu a ishtng village, but have pa
IF ticular horror of a drunken person, an
j stopped at the very door at which | ha
10 been about to knock.
; "ln tears Why, what's the matte
| lass ?" | heard him say.
Matter enough, man." returned ST
r in returned in heart.rending tones. "Ol
1t Polly's dead :" And once more ST
e burst into sobs.
d dead ?" repeated he, in a dull dazc
u way, as though he could not picture
ID himself the dread reality. Don't sa
4 she's dead !"
Hush ! Don't speak SO loud ma
,r Yes, she is dead. and dead of-"Ar
If here She appeared to whisper Somethir
A in his ear
le Great Heaven What was it that Il
ii poor woman had died Of, that those tv
le should be so secret about it? A terrib
ut conviction flashed upon me that the hid
lis GUS disease of which Frank and | hi
to spoken that very morning had actual
a. broken out, in the place of all othe
ly where we had most cause to fear it.