Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-01-10
A thousand thanks" said Miss Os.

: borne. ''''' vs.
: g Nine hundred and nine,v nine IN,
many" actually smiling ut her. Good
day" And when he Z renpnearod in M ,b,
study he had II daisy in his 6uttonhole.
Mike came out of the dining-room
whore he had been soothing the canar,
with crisp lettuce leaf. "Wel, Sur?'
" Hang the birds cage where the cat
cant reach it. lock up the chops after his
and drown thirteen of the Kittens olie,.
ly said Mr.. Guernsey.
Mad, it eP" Mike soliIoquizcd. "IIe'.
madder nor fifty hatters.'
" Good heavens! what man in his sober
senses" Miles Guernsey asked himself
would hurt IL frozen cared cap"
Summer passed away, Carrying with
her the 1agrant roses and thousands Of
Olher beautiful flowers; autumn. in richly
United, luStling GA ments, gathered the
g"ld and brown and crimson leaves to her
BOSOM, and bade the earth farewell: win
ter came, and flung downy snow flakes
upon and hung glitterng icicles from the
roofs OF the cottages and the naked
! branches OF the trees-and the neighbors
had only met dozen times. But in that
dozen times Miles Guernsey had managed
to learn, principally from The old lady, a
delicate, sweet-iaced woman, from whom
tae lauguter had inherited her pleasant
eyes, tIllt the picture OF the handsome
young man in the parlor WAS the por-
TRAIT ot Rosa's lover, who had died fifteen
years before in foreign land, whe q he
had gone for his health. Rosa was we'll
nigh brokcn-hearIed ut first" said the old
lady; "hut TINE has sofIened her grief,
and now she can speak of him as calmly
as she can of the darling little sister who
died when she was Il child" From the
same source he learned that Rosas father
had been spe ulator, unlucky in all his
Sprcuatl0ns, and ihat when, his last great
disappointment breaking his heart he de-
parted this life, there WAS very little lrlt
lor his widow and children. Robert, my
only son, said the old lady. "heps us ail
he can but lately he has married II sweet
girl, who has patiently waited for him for
live long years, and now Rosa and | will
have to live more economically than ever,
If that he possible. But, dear me, how
d0 run on, and how Rosa would Scold me
ii she knew it! But you are 50 kind and
sympathetic, Mr.. Guernsey. that, short as
our acquaintance has been. almost reoar,
you us one of the family Rosa, my dear,
| should like Mr.. Guernsey to hear that
new song your brother sent YOU last
week
i" And would Mr.. Guernsey like to hear
it? Rosa asks.
" How can you ask me?" says the old
bachelor. II am always pleased to hear
you sing" BY which remark You will
perceive that he had become entirely rec
onciled to the guitar.
1t was the evening of Christmas dav.
Miles Guernsey sat alone in his parlor,
tlought On his brow and Il pipo in hs
mouth, when Mike entered with Il dainty.
rose-l crtumrd, lhree.cornrred note.
=" From the ovid maid, Sur" said he.
Mis-, Osbornc.you mean," said his mas
ter sternly. Don't call her an old maid
again
Would Mr.. Guernsey $50 the note
rn-" give Mrs. and Miss O,born ethn
pleasure Of his company this Christmas
evening? Brother Robert and his wife
have come down from the city, and there
would De II little music, a little supper and
whist.
"Wait, and III write nm answer" said
MIR. Guernsey And while Mike waited,
lie began 10 talk again. "Shure, We heard
Tive news, Sur? The village is full NV it.
lIey say she oughth'ta u done it that it's
lhcouragln' wichedhess an'---
"a Who the dickens are you talking
abonI?' asked his master, turning impa-
tlenlly aroun I, pen in hand.
The owld-l mean Miss Osborne, Sur"
answered Mike.
And pray what shouldn't she have
d neo"
Taken Bessie West, baby, Sur"
60 Taken Bessie Vests blby?' Go on. |
this moml mt, Mike, or I'll brain you with
the poker"
Well, you see, Sur Mike thus ad-
monshed, went on glbly enough, I've
know thar unfortunate story about Bessie
West, the purity SEWN gurrl?n
GrS, yes Heaven knows | do. Not n |
woman's Tongue within ten miles, except
one, but has wagged about it,"
We'll, Sur, last night she died and she
Sint for the 0wld-I ma Miss Osborne. |
For she was frightened NV the o her wo-
men, they'd been SO had to her-bad 'cess |
10 'em-an' half NV 'em wild chlder NV
their own, an not knowin' what THEY'RE
comm TO; an the owld-I name Miss o.
borne wint-"
"Of course She did," interrupted his
master. "Go on"
An she prayed wild the poor hing, an
closed her eyes; an whin she came away
she fetched the young wun wid her, an
they dU say she's a-goin' to 'dopt ii, an
they'll niver shpake to her agin."
. Which would be Il very great PITY"
said the old bachelor with emphasis, and
rather dabolical grin.
Yis, sur An now suppose wei be
afther movn', shure, for it only naded the
baby to make it complate; owld-I name
Miss Osborne, cats, dogs an babies"
Get me my great coat" was the only
reply he received. "IlI answer the note
And the great coat on, away
started Miles Guernsey for Rose Cottage
once more.
Bedad,' said Mike, with I'm intoxicat-
ed wink; It's mesif knew he wouldn't
shtand The baby
Miss Osborne's parlor was that NIGHT, if
possible, brighter and cheerier than il
was on the summer day The old bachelor
first entered it. Instead of roses, Christ
mas green's Gottcd with brilliant red Der.
ries looped back the curtains. enwreuthed
the pictures, amI dropped from vases and
shells, and right over the tall wax candle
burning on the center table hung bunch
of mislleLoe, (sent With kindly greetings
and Il real English plum-pudding from
some kinsfolk across the sea J its waxen
b2rris cleaning like clonded pearls
among its S ender g cen leaves. Miss Os
borne had evidently not exp cted her guest
so soon. for she sat before the glowing
CRATE fire with Bessie Vests baby on her
knees, its small pink toes held toward the
welcome warmth, and itself cooinr and
after the fashion peculiar to ex
treme youth.
How lovely she looked, with spray of
holly in her hair, II tender light in her
Eyes, and the loose sleeves of her dark
silk dress falling back from her shapeIv
white arms, rs she held the child with
grace, and softlv sang dreamy
nursery rhymel Miles Guernsey thoupht
If - beautiful Madonna he had seen in ,
Rome MS he looked earnestly at her, IA mo.
nent, before she became aware of his
presence. Crhe black-eyed maid servant
going out in II hurry us he reached the !
lnnr hp head ant. rnI ,,Dbn,rl A. i.