Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-12-14
Death or Marriage.

Ing the hour OF nine. 1t was no smart
toy, no trife of bronze or alabaster, but
a tall, square, solid relic Of the last Gen.
tury, looking not unlike coffin case set
on end, in the corner-a clock that had
lasted through four generations, and
Judging from appearances was quite like
ly to last through several more. Deacon
Shermer cherished the old heirloom with
a sort of pride which he himself would
scarcely have confessed to-
There was a great ruddy fire of chest
nut logs in the red brick paved fire
place, and the candles in the highly pol
ished brass sticks were wlnking merrily
from the high wooden mantle, where
they shared the post of honor with a Gu
rious sea she'll and couple of vases, each
containing fresh Usage orange, from
/ the hedge that skirted the clover field
behind the barn. At the window, cur
tain of gaudy chintz shut out the tens
! of thousands of stars that were shining
brightly on that frosty autumnal night,
and on the cosy rug of the parti- -colored
rags fat tortoise she'll cat purred away
the slowly lapsing minutes. But the tor
toise shell cat was not the only inhabi-
tant of the snug farmhouse kitchen.
Timothy" said Mary Shermer. de-
cidedly, ''if you don't behave yourself,
| I'll"
What she would do. Mary did not
say the sentence was terminated by a
laugh that set the dimples round her
mouth in motion, just as beam of June
sunshine plays across cluster of red
ripe cherries.
Mary Shermer was just seventeen, a
plump, rosy girl, with jet hair brushed
back from low forehead, and perfectly
arched eyebrows, that gave bewitching
expression of surprise to pair of melt
ing hazel eyes. She was rather dark,
but the severe critic would not have
found fault with the peach-like bloom
upon her cheeks and the dewy red of her
full, daintily-curved lips. Evidently
Mr. Timothy Marshall was quite salts
fed with Mary's style of beauty.
.Come Mary" said Tim. moving his
chair where he could best watch the
flush of the freight upon her face, anc
picking up the thread of the conversa
tion where he had dropped it when i
became necessary for Mary to bid hin
behave himself '-.'you might promise
; It's nine o'clock, and your father viii
soon be home"
What, Tim % said Mary demurely
fitting square of red in her patchwork
and intently observing the fact.
l Nonsense, Mary You know wha
very we'll. Promise to marry me befor
Christmas ! l tell you what, Mary,
is all very well for you to keep putin
it off, but can't stand it. What wit
e your fathers forbidding me in the hous
and that romantic Tom Stanley's CON
a ing here every Sunday night"
:, Mary gave her pretty head tos
) Gas if Mr.. Stanley's coming here mad
any difference in mey feelings, Tim y
:. ''No; but Mary it isn't pleasant, yo
d know. I'm as good man as Tom Stal
y ley, if | don't own railroad shares an
keep an account at the Hamiltonvil
y bank and | love you, Mary, from ii
- bottom of my heart Now this matt
70 lies between you and me only; no 9th
person in the world has right to inte
I, fere between us. Come-promise me
h He held both her hands in his and loo
as as ed earnestly into the liquid hazel eyes
"a - ''Do you love me, Mary y
"You know l love you, Tim"
h. Then we may just as well-Husl
:" what's that p
90 There was portentous sound of dra
l ing bolts and rattling latches in t
" porch room beyond-a scraping of hea
od boots along the floor. Mary rose to b
It. feet with sudden scarlet suffusing h
N. cheek.
ed 'Oh, Tim, it is father y
" :" Suppose it is y
'.But he mustn't find you here, Til
{" Hide yourself somewhere, do !''
he "What nonsense, Mary r' said t
ay young man resolutely standing
ne ground. 81 haven't cone to steal
w. 70 spoons. Why should l creep away Ii
ou a detected burglar? %
'For my sake, Tim. Oh, Tim, if y
me ever loved me, do as | say Not in tt
at closet, it is close to his bedroom
Is, l through that window, it's nailed do
COS COS tight; he's coming Here Tim, quick
N In the drawing of a breath, she
i pushed Timothy Marshall into the SOU
pendulum case of the square old eli
IVY and turned the key on him. 1t was
lns pleasant place of refuge, insomuch
II" his shoulders were squeezed on cit
i'm side, and his head fattened agai
one springs and wheels above, and the
;, was unpleasant and close; but Tim M
the best of matters, and shook with S
pressed laughter in his solitary pri
80. cell.
and well! joffy scrape to be