The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-12-12

SHo Chine lntO Ine ktcnen, got some
milk from the cupboard and warmed it
in cup on the stove, saying never
word and after little, Nicodemus
brought the cup back from the room,
empty. l... 5.-- cd. ..tr-. j
When Miss Grey was called 10 break.
fast, she came ont looking as serene as
could be. She left Nicodemus in the
room with the baby during her absence.
2 During the morning Joanna contrived
an errand into the sitting room, and
found her mistress -busily working-pn a
small garment of delicate texture, while
the infant lay soundly sleeping in it's
strange cradle-the basket.
Joanna" said Miss Grey, 81 have
named this child Emily Grey, after my
mother"
"It's a girl, then" said Joanna.
Certainly. Did you suppose /
wanted to raise up a boy to break my
heart in my old age?"
"No, ma'am." --.-.--,
Bring me Bible, and pen and
ink" E-
Joanna lifted the heavy, richly-bound
volume from its cushion on the table,
and carried it to her, then brought pen
and ink from small writing-desk by
the window. Miss Grey turned to the
Family Record, and under the head of
Births, wrote on the clean page in
fair, clerkly hand ..
Emily Grey, December Doth, 18-."
All thst morning, while the bells
called the people to worship in the little
white church under the hill, and the
choir sang the Christmas anthems, Miss
Theodore sat and wrought patiently on
asip for little Emily. Peter Brook came
over to eat his Christmas dinner as usual
the only Christmas hospitality she
ever dispensed-and received orders to
bring up neat crib from the village.
$50 she's going to keep the little
one" observed he to Joanna. "Curious
creatures these women are.
h Its a blessed mercy there are women
in the world" retorted Joanna. al dare
say you'd have sent it to the poor-house
or the 'sylum."
"That's the place for 'em, " returned
Peter:
"Get out, you hard-hearted brute.
It's my opinion that baby came straight
from heaven. can't believe any human
being brought it here, and me never to
know it,"
Pshaw that shows how much you
know"
In naming the child, Miss Theodore
totally ignored the fact that certain
articles of it's wardrobe-which was of
the finest material-were marked with
2 the letters "L. W." What these letters
signifed was no concern Of hers, appar-
emily. .-r-~- ..t-e ..
The little white-draped crib stood al
ways in Miss Grey's room, close by her
own bed. There little Emily lived,
watched and tended by love that never
grew weary. .a. a.s
And how the little one grewl 1t
seemed but a very little while ere the
old house, SO grim and austere in its
sbrmer state, grew musical with laugh
ter and patter Of little feet, and sunny
with winsome presence of white robes
and golden 'curls and rosy cheeks. OF
Christmas was kept as Emily's birth
day, On the first of these anniversaries,
Peter Brook brought up from the village
pretty little baby carriage. He and
Joanna, at daggers' points usually, had
united their funds and bought the thing
at an auction. Nicodemus was harnessed
in, and Miss Emily-the weather being
mild--took that day her first airing in it,
making the tour of the grounds around
the house, with Miss Theodore, Joanna
and Peter following in procession be-
hind. Afterward Nicodemus and the
c0rriage with its pretty occupant, often
accompanied Joanna on her marketing
expeditions to the village, where every
one soon knew "the little Grey" 1t
was when returning from one OF these
expeditions, in the dusk of an autumn
evening, when little Emily was nearly
two years old, that they encountered a
stranger just outside the village-a sun
burned, wayworn woman, dressed in
faded black, and on foot. She was hur-
ryng by, as if wishing to escape obser-
walton, when glance at the occupant of
the little carriage seemed to root her to
the spot. ~, .v-s --rs
"Good evening, ma'am, said Joanna,
civilly, seeing her stop, and supposing
that she might wish to inquire for some
shelter for the night.
Her salutation was returned ia q
slightly broken accent, but the stranger
making no further speech, Joanna hur-
ried on with her charge, leaving ber
standing on the road. They reached
home, where Miss Grey, giving Joanna
reprimand for keeping Emily out SO
late, took the child, gave her her supper
OF bread and milk in her own room, and
put her to bed. a
It was now quite dark; but Nicode-
mus came into the Kitchen saying,
Oars oman at dc gate"
Joanna went to see. The full moon
had just risen over the tall eastward
hills, and by its light she saw, standing
by the gate, the same strange-looking
woman whom she had met near the vii
lago. M
"What do you wanta" she asked
sharply.
nI want TO akay in house all night. I"