Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-05-05
LITTLE RUNEE.

was cutting wood in the backyard one
November day, when, as l. stopped mo-
ment to relieve my arms from the unusual
strain upon them, became aware of a lady
coming up the path from the woods. She
was very near me before | saw her. A
glance had told me she was not one of the
villagers. The soft warm colored shawl
she wore was wrapped round her more
gracefully than any one could have worn
it in our village. The intangible something
that accompanies the lady, revealed her as
such to me---and she was the first lady |
had ever seen.
"I believe have lost my way" she said,
"will you tell me where Deacon Thax-
tons is p
/ looked in her face as she spoke, to
see eyes and mouth as sweet as her voice
Her accent was courteous, but reserved. |
dropped my ak, feeling all at once very
sensible that my rough green jacket and
battered cap were not at all becoming to me-
eff you will come into the road here, l
can show you the way better" l said, wish
ing that my college learning had polished
my address as much as it had disciplined
my mind.
She followed me down the path, saying as
she went:
81 am an entire stranger here; / am
staying at Mr.. Thaxton's and | wandered
off, and got lost in the woods. At one time
| thought | had the prospect of a night
there. Everything is very strange here.
She spoke with an apparent freedom diff
ferent from the usual address of New Eng
land women. / wondered at it; her fea-
lures were entirely American but her COM
plexion had that peculiar dark pallidity
that seems the effect of some southern
cline.
If everything is strange" | ventured to
say, "you will find New England winter
forbidding. Shall you dare it?"
"Yes but am afraid of it."
Though slm talked, she possessed the
power that made me feel at as great dis
tance as though she had not spoken word.
pointed out the way, told her of the corners
that lay in the two miles between our house
and Deacon Thaxton's. Then as she walked
on, / allowed myself to watch her for a
moment
In that elegant form with its sweeping
drapery, its graceful poise of head, recog-
nized the woman of whom | had so often
dreamed, but in my seclusion / had never
before seen. / went back to wood-cutting
with the memory of that face and voice
diffusing glow over my thoughts that was
as strange as it was enchanting.
l do not know why did not mention the
lady at the supper-table that night, but |
did not. After supper Jane Dunlap, a
maiden of fifty, came in with her knitting
There had yet been time, since she
had reached mature years, that she did moi
know the full particulars of the minutest
event that transpired. l waited patiently
Very soon I was rewarded.
"Have you seen that new girl over tc
Deacon Thaxton'sT she asked of my
mother.
My mother looked up interested. "Why
no. Who is sheY
"You remember the deacon's wife had
brother, who has been merchant in Cal
cutta these years and years. Two year
ago he buried his wife there; and now h,
has come on home with his only child. Sht
has come out to stay awhile with her aunt
She was born in India, and though she il
very polite and behaved, you'd see il
minute that she doesn't appear just lik
people here.
Miss Dunlap paused. ! fully agreed
with herl sentence. / wanted my mothe
: to ask Questions for / was not going to lool
up from my book or become interest
at all.
Let me see" said my mother, hav
) forgotten what Deacon Thaxtons wife
name was. She was handsome in her dag