Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-07-30
BY Mrs. 2. L.
CHAPTER I

80, Mrs. Matthews! l have come in to
tell you that Brother Tom came home last
night, and he says your brother is coming on
the morning train tomorrow; and Tom
thought your brother had not written you
anything about 1t, for he said it was not worth
while to write, but l thought you must want
to know it quick-I should"
Edith, now stopping 10 take n little breath,
exclaimed
"Why, Mrs. Matthews, you are sick this
morning! | did not notice it before; and,
come to think, | hardly stopped to be polite,
anyway, | was in such haste"
Never mind, DEAR" replied Mrs. Mat
thews; II am not very well-think l must
take some little pills How is your mother,
Edith"
"She seems better This morning. Tom
says she will get well now he has come
home. If that isn't the last bell ringingl
said Edith, rs she caught up her hat from
the carpet, where she had tossed il when
coming in, to cool her flushed cheeks and
chary dimples, while telling her story. "Your
children have gone. 1 ~suppose?" Wish l
could stop and do something for you"
Thank you, dear, for calling" said Mrs.
Matthews but Edith was already out of the
door and away down the walk. She bowed
back her reply and was out of sight.
Mrs. Matthews closed the door and sat
down. Had she left the door open, perhaps
the soft breezes of that beautiful morning
would have brought back the rose tints to
her cheek, and quieted the uneven beating
of her heart.
Little pills! it will require something
more than those triiles to cure me this time,
/ fear,' she said, half aloud. A long time
she sat communing with herself, and not in
the most gentle amer, if we were to judge
from the hot flashes fitting across her face,
and the sparkles emitting from her eyes, re-
minding one of a smouldering brand, when
it is turned, faces you with ten thousand fiery
sparks, and you draw back with fear.
The clock on the mantel licked steadily
on, unagitated and unalarmed. But Mrs.
Matthews took no note of it until the servant
entered to make some inquiry about the
preparation of dinner. She looked up ut the
unwavering old timepiece, and, drawing the
contrast between that and her own unsteady
thoughts, said,-
II must initiate that faithful, steady going
on, right on 1 will meet this, and net fal.
ter" Her eyes assumed n n.ore gentle ex.
preston, her mouth almost u smile, though
of unmistakable frmness, and she wen
about the duties of the day.
About the same time the following day
found Mrs. Matthews in the same place, sit,
ting in the deep bay window, surrounded and
almost hidden by vines and flowers, though
q little more dressed, perhaps. The nice
flowing wrapper was of softer material, hel
hair and morning cap arranged a little more
fastidiously, and slippers the daintiest tina
could be found sitting within sight of the
gate and gravel walk, about half an houl
after the whistle of the engine, as thougl
waiting and watching, seeming rather rest
less, yet by the slow lifting of her eyelids ant
slow rocking TO and fro, we might think WI
had misjudged.
30, can it be?n No, 1t shall not be! TIL,
door bell rang, and when the servant cam,
to answer it, Mrs. Matthews said,
II will go to the door,"
She rose slowly, opened the door, and 10,
the way for the stranger into the parlor
offered him a seat, and resumed her own a
though waiting for the errand, but il
no haste (; giving not aver a careless
glance towards the shabbily dressed strang
or, whose garments were not only
very coarse but soiled and ~slovenly
He carried a small satchel which he forgoI
TO leave in the hall, but took it right alonI
with him his hat too he forgot to remov
until he reached the parlor.
Silence prevailed a while, it seemed a
age to the stranger, At last he broke it b
saying,-"Sister, l see you do not know mt
and / do not wonder, we have been separate
so long"
Mrs. Matthews rose before him a tall beat
tiful woman, and looking him now full in III
face, (but like u pear robbed of her whelp
as he afterward thought) said,-
'Sisterr Brother, indeedl how long sine
you concluded to take that name upon you
accused lips3 You who nave trampled unde
foot a sisters love, a mothers prayers and
fathers name ;-yes, you who went out int
the world with two fortunes, (and L migt
multiply these) a property and your father
name. Brother, forsoothl L know not |
what name to call you not blythe dear nam
our mother called you as she stroked thos
sunny curls,now looking away in the distanc
as over a weary plain Of years, trying
trace some object most out OF sight, not
the name she called you, as she raised h
eyes to the well developed youthful beaut