The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-03-16

t9sA AAsA btAu " - ANN " 49,
known him, GrsndGDs psahe, aud nov
did be ever do good thing, or ever IoV'
any body in bis iiieg
Yea, be loved . girl once, ! think | re-
member.
Farmer Keep loved a giri Ohcel re
poAitd Cora, With . bali ooutsmptaou'
aMd wholly skeptieAl curl Of her swecI
red lips.
she's forgotten, she added 10 an under-
tone,to Uncle Charlls and me, for Grand
ma DeAne was slightly deaf.
No, / haven't forgotten, neither, she
said, plseiRg her band on CorA's hair
have held Lucy Reid on my lap too
often, and rocked ber eradle--poor little
molherless thing l--too many times 10
have forgotten.
Cors's look OF Incredibly was giving
way TO one Of curiosity.
Grandma Deane, went you tell Us sll
about IL? Jennie aad | will 81, down on
the stool, and | know by that book in
Uncle Charles eye, he wants 10 bear Il,
too. Come, let the flowers 80, Jennie /;
and my vivacious cousin established her
self At the old ady's feet.
Grandma DeAns slipped the yarn
around her little ilnger, and commenc-
cd.
Let me see-lt cannot be more than
forty-two or three years this Summer
since Justin Keep came up to Farmer
Reid's to let himself out for The harvest
boy during harvesting.
The Reid house stood little this side
OF Stony Creek. There 10 nothing LEFT Of
il now except the chimney, and II looks
out gray aud bold from the grasses all
about il; bat forty years ago Il was .
fine old place, with lilacs in front, and
the hop vines running ell around the
back.
Lucy was hardly three weeks old when
she lost her mother. Her father never
married again, and the child grew up
there in the old home rs fair and sweet
as tho flowers about II. t
She was turning into fifteen when
Justin came that summer. he Waa
shy, strange sort OF lad, and tho neigh
bors said that Farmer Reid would never
get the salt for his porridge out OF that
boy.
He'd been bound out until he was IL
10 some man down in Maine, and be
hadn't a relation In the world he knew
Of, nor decent snit of clothes, when be
came to Farmer Reid's house. Bat for
all that, Justin proved smart, likely
boy, and the farmer, who somehow was
never very betorehanded-I always tho't
his wife's sudden death hurt him--tound
hat Justin was real prize.
AT first be was gloomy and silent, do
ing his work and taking little notice OF
But he couldn't stand It long
before Lucy. ! wouldn't like to have
he heart that that girls smile wouldn't
nave thawed out.
She was Just like bird around the old
place, singing from morn till night, and
ler blue eyes, that were like her mothers
seemed to be sending out one laugh aud
her lips another. never wondered that
ler father dotted on her as he did, aud
of course Justin wasn't long in the house
before she tried to make friends With
him.
Poor fellow it must have seemed
Very strange to him at first, for ! don't
believe anybody had given him kind
word until be came TO live at Meadow
Brook.
But he made ladders for her flower
gines to run on, and got shells for the
oorders, and propped up tho dahlias, and
lid thousand other tbiugs which took
hem out into the garden together after
supper, aud made them the best OF
friends.
Lucy bad playful, chiiiisl, way about
ser, that made her seem much younger
han she really was; then abe was very
small OF her age, 10 that I'll fifteen she
did not seem a bit older than you are.
Cora.
Well, she rode on top Of Juslin's hay
art, aud helped him husk corn In the
barn, and pretty soon the farmer noticed
! change 10 Justin.
lie got him new suit Of clothes, and
Die face lost It's down look, and alter
harvesting Farmer Reid made him an
Iffer To tarry all winter.
SO Justin stayed, taking Lucy'4 advice,
and went to the district school, and,
.hough lie had no education before, he
went ahead Of many an Older scholar that
winter.
So Justin stayed with the farmer four
years then be had good offer some.
where in New York State, and concluded
10 stop for the winter only.
Luey Reid bad grown Into q yoang1
woman By this time, and hspdsomsr
one, children, these dim eyes never look
ID apon. don't know how u happened
for Lacy might have bad heF pick among
he boys for miles around, but somehow
,he took to Justin; aud when he len they
were engaged to be married one year
from that time.
why, Grandma Deans. ron sre not
going 70 stop powl cried Cora Ia alarm
Tor the old lady bad laid down her kAii-
ting.
No, my child, she said, moving ser
,pectacIes aud wiping her eyes but the
rest Il a sad story, and must hurry over