Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-03-09
THE SHADOW OF THE DOOR.
CONTINUED from last week.l
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had occasion to drive to "Spicer's Store," as
1t was termed-the centre of business and
gossip to the whole neighborhood.
No one would have thought from his ap-
paarance and manner that anything unus-
ual had happened, or that be had anything
but the tenor Of his ordinary life before
him. He returned the greetings of the few
persons whom he met, and then went
through the process which had been the un-
falling astouishment of the locke RS on ev-
er since lie first came among them. lie
had few purchases TO make and lie made
them at once and was done with it. Any
one else would have drawn them out into
half days bargaining. What a waste Of
opportunity
In one respect he departed from his usu-
al manner. lie mentioned that he was
preparing to receive his wife's brother
which, as be had never before voluneeed
a statement about his own affairs, made a
marked impression. Not much was said,
indeed simply that Mr.. Elsey was COM
ing with a view to "sette" in the neighbor-
hood; but what he would do when he
learned what had happened, Dempton
could not fOresee.
This was all that was made known OF the
circumstances of Elsey's coming, except
what the neighbors saw with their own
eyes. Dempton drove past one day having
with him slight-bult, delicate looking
man, respectfully attired, whose detected
air was fully accounted for by the dread
ful news he bad so lately heard. Those ca
CT Oniutr pnpYlA
mildly, but Mrs. Dempton's sudden death
had reused them TO a keener interest than
usual in all that pertained to her husbands
affairs. On the day OF her funeral, when
his house was necessarily thrown open,
nj uch spec ulation had been started by the
unfinished condition Of the upper part. 1t
was now concluded across the counter of
Spictr's store that, with the articles he had
lately bought, Dempton would fit up
sleeping place for the stranger" up stairs,
aud, probably, if the latter remained,
would finish of room, for which, it had
been noticed, there WAS abundance of un-
used materials. This conjecture received
confirmation not long anerward, when
sounds of hammering came over TO the
public road, aud the figure Of the two Inen
were seen as If busiy at work. With
which incident the record up 10 this period
in the history ends.
A month more went by. The Spring
opened slowly. There were frequent rains,
and the reads were bad. Dempton had
Leen seen now and then in his wagon with
Elscy, and once they attended the nearest
place Of worship, exchanging a few words
with the reighbors as they went in and
out. I'll ere was nothing in this to excite
comment, as the one was a stranger, and
the other an unsocial man; and they might
both be reasonably credited with a special
reserve, in view Of tho late painful acci-
dent.
But one day Dempton appeared, with
horse and wagon, at the store, unaccom-
panied by Elsey. Less sparing Of his
words than usual, he took occasion 10 say
that his visitor had left. He had wished
10 go up into Virginia, and had started be-
fore daylight the day but one before, so as
TO catch a conveyance on r road at some
distance to the north.
One Dick Pender, who happened to be
preseut, here struck in with
"Why, that was you, then, Squire, COM
in across the creek rother side OF my
house just after sunrise. l was wonderin'
what brought you there 50 carly"
YES" said Dempton, 1--WE started soon
ailer o'clock, the roads were so deep but
l made the distance over to the Corners in
pretty good tine, and came across a man
there who belonged over toward Wilkes
willie, and he was on his way home. He
agreed to carry Mr.. Elsey right on TO
w ilkeSvillc, and as that saved a good deal
in distance, Elsey got in with him, aud 1
turned back. / got TO the creek, as you
say, Mr.. Pender, after sunrise, but 1t was a
good while sfler; and l remember think
ing you had oversight yourself, from the
way in which you shaded your eyes, as If
the light had taken yon 10y surprise"
This VAS not only more than any one had
ever heard Dempton say before, but the
only Instance in which he had been known
10 attempt a pleasantly. laugh went
round at Pender's expense, who, under the
circumstances felt rather fattered by it;
indeed, it figured largely in the accounts
he af(erwatd gave of his share in this his
tory. At the same time, every one noticed
and even with an approach to heartiness
that seemed forced. Elsey was coming
back, he told them, probably 10 remain
but his sisters death had somewhat dis
turbed his plans, and required his presence
at his former home on business. On his
way thither he thought he would take
look at the up-country of Virginia, for
which he had always something of fancy.
Meantime, he (Dempton) meant to finish
the house, for he was confident of Elsey's
return, and wished to have it as comforta-
BILE as possible. He was about to plaster
the rooms up stairs, and came to the store
now ts procure something he wanted for
that purpose.
All this was very naturally said, and ex-
cited only the attention such particulars al
ways gain from such people as he address
ed. No remark was made upon it after he
left, except Of surprise at his looming out
quite sociablo." The incident was told and
retold till interest was exhausted, and ev-
erything connected with Dempton had fall
en- into its Usual train.
One pleasant evening not long amer a
group was collected at the store, on the
outskirts of which a half-dozen negroes
shtfled round ready to put in word or let
out a guflaw as opportunity offered. Some
one happened to mention Demptons name,
when Nep, free negro, who owned a skif
on the river, in which, when tho water was
not too high or too low, he spent good
part of his time, struck in with, 81 'speck
Mas'r DemPton gwine to hsb de frustrat-
est corn in desc parts dis year."
"What do you say that for, Nep?" asked
one of the party.
"Cause he got mighty rich heap of ma
moor. / smelt him toder day. Golly -