The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-11-07

ter "Judas I" under her breath, l think
she was a good deal more comfortable
than she would have been if her hostess
had been as cold and stiff as herself.
Drawn right up to the stove, and take
off your things" and the little woman
hustled about, in a whirl of delight.
"Oh, won't James be glad Dear,
dear He ought to be here this min
ute. And to think it's Thanksgiving
Day, and we've got 80 much to be thank
ful for !" And then her thoughts went
back to their unknown friend of the day
before, and, like flash the truth came
to her. "Oh, Jane !" she went on, with
a grasp, "I see now, it was you sent us
the things. Oh, dear how can we ever
thank you2" Then sEe rushed back to
the cranbenies, which showed signs of
stewing over, and, for the first time since
her entrance, Miss Jane had q chance to
put in a word.
She had Just opened her mouth to say
something in explanation of her sudden
appearance, when the door opened, and
in walked Captain Abel.
"Got anything for me to do, Sally ?"
he asked, with a laugh and then the
great-whiskered man stopped short, per-
ceiving the stranger, who sat just in
front of the fire.
Miss Jane had been beauty in her
youth, and even now was not at all ugly.
Her eyes were bright, her teeth were as
white as ever, and her dimples were not
things of the past by any manner of
means. But for d few wrinkles, and
hard look, which vAs the natural result
of her hard life, she would have been
very handsome S9man. She had not
changed SO much 2s had the captain;
but both were recognizable, and each,
after one glance, knew the other. Mrs.
Sarah looked up from her cranberries
eagerly. E..
"Oh, Abel, here's Jane - Jane
Finch I" gr.Ia#r
Captain Abel came forward, and ex-
tended his hand; but it was an awkward
meeting. They had not seen each other
since the breaking off of their engage
ment-over a score OF years beforehand
both of them were uncomfortably, con-
seious of the fact. But Captain Abel
drew chair up to the stove, and tried
to talk as if he had forgotten all about
it; they discussed the weather, the crops,
and everything else they cared nothing
about, until Mrs. Sarah, who was all in
a whirl with the surprise of Miss James
visit, and who could not keep still-try
as she would--broke into the converse
tiou with, - <~i.-zz=5, -s---.s..
"Oh, Abel, do you remember the last
day we saw Jane, dear? What mess I
was in was engaged to Jim. and no.
body knew it; and mother was bound
you and should make match of it. 1
never shall forget the afternoon we de-
cided to tell her all about it. Good
ness, how l cried-on your shoulder,
too, Abe-and how you tried to convince
me that poor ma didn't care much about
you, and had just as lieve I'd take some
body else, if you only explained it to her
properly-and you were right, too!'
And the little woman, quite overcome
by these "reminiscences, opened the
oven-door, and commenced an energetic
basting of the turkey contained therein.
Poor Miss Jane was too much aston
ished by this revelation to be prudent.
"And wasn't you in love with
Sarah ~ she asked, breathlessly, of the
"In love with Sarah !" he repeated.
"Why, I was engaged to you."
"I know It'll" she said. But I
thought you"
"Thought what?" and the captain
drew his chair eagerly toward her.
" Was that the reason you acted so
toward me p
If silence gives consent, Miss Jane
confessed that it was, and he went on:
"Well, now that You know it wasn't
SO, what are You going to do about it"
And Captain Abel hitchedhis chair closer
still.
Miss Jane didn't pretend not to under
stand.
"We're too old!" she murmme1.
But, week after, she was Mrs. Abel
Jones so it is to be supposed that Cap
tain Abel vetoed the motion.
------=-----