Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-06-19

and singin' through the house. my ma
chine spins. so it do
What has come to me?r thought Mr..
RainOr. Age must be tempering me. /
feel so light hearted, so well. of lac And
Matte. my precious litle Mlttie-I begin
to think that she will make 4 strong girl
yet. | wonder if there is ANYTHING in Miss
Jennings idea of sun and fragrance, mn
SIC and color aud stirring? Amy Jen-
nings' What a strange woman she i>,-
= child almost, and vet woman quite
She Is surprise 10 me-every day sur
pFise.'
Surprise, Tha, WAS the word which
Amy seemed to have written upon the
whole house. But the greatest surprise of
ali beiell Mrs. Edgeley on her return
home. She came day before she had
! written she would come. for some reason
If her own Perhaps she expected to be
81 -pr'sedi If 50, her expectation Was real
lied.
The cab rolled up to the door a, nine
o'clOck Of a clear. mOOnlit winter night;
and Mrs. Elgeley. satchel and blanket
shaw, exactly as she left, had come back
But al the very door step of the cab she
>tood motiouleSs, rs ii trSnsfxei BY the
shock.
The house was lighted from attic to
basement. The white blinds were drawn.
bat lamp light streamed through them
into the street, and shadows moved across
them in swift chase. Sounds of music.
played by piano. violin and harp. escaped
as distinctly as the light. Mrs. Edgeley
hardly had strength Of mind left to pay
be eabman and ring the door bell. The
door opened in fash. The stern. dis al
Isied waitress admitted her with ayes,
actually with a grin. Girls in light even
ing dresses and white necktied boys were
promenading in the hall. and the parlurs
were filled with the whrl Of the dance.
Mrs. EIgeley. dumb with indign ,tion.
attempted to ascend the stairs, but midway
she was almost upset by two children in Il
high state of excitement coming down
abreast. Who are you?' gasped the
matron. coming to a dead stop.
I'VE are Miss Rainor's orphans" said
they, or said one for both, who were ex-
ac,ly alike in brown stuff gowns and blue
capes.
Miss Rainor's WHAT"
1--WE 90 to the L - school, and Miss
RainUr has no MOI her; so she takes care
of Us. TOR our mother is dead. too. Miss
R4inor makes our frocks for Us. and our
capes; and we have been to hear the mu-
sic, and now We are going home and We
are to have oranges TO lake with Us, aud
plum cake"
Mercy" cried the lady. pushing past
them with hasty steps, hut pau>ing again
On the landing with another dead stop
Not because The rooms on this floor. too.
with the exception Of her own wing
room." were 4 bltz4 Of light and half full
OF guests, but because the dance music
had stopped and some one was singing; y
love song. 4 seren Ade-" one of the oil.
old songs
A mans voice. 1t carried Mrs. EIgelev
back ten yetrs-yes. fifteen years-bsck
10 the gay parsonage. by the stone mill.
where night after night, that summer
agone, some one came cOurting. no one
kceE which, till the one sister was taken
and the other lett. Mr. R,inor was sing
ing. Heaven only knew hoE. out OF that
grave OF fifteen years. he had 20: back
uis voice.
1t is year from the day when Amy
J-nning, went out as governess from her
brothers home. and now she is D .ck, only
for month. for at the end OF that time
she is to be bride, and her room i strewn
With bridal stuffs and the we Hing gown
is this moment being trimmed with. its
pearly border OF lace
" We had hoped to keep you longer"
said the affectionste Dick sand it's too
bad in you to 60 of jus. as you've come
back" said the atfectionate Jack. But
Matilda remarked, how ridiculous il is
for girl like you. Amy, to marry an old
man ike that
He is not an old man. said AMY. in
dignantly, "ani if ne were, III make
him young again. love him so much
love and respect and bless his kind heart
so deeply and 30 much. There is no old
age to a forever kind heart"
- And then that girl. Very much fitted
you are to BE- mother to great big girl
Ike that"
She'll be mother to me-" said Amy.
laughing her mrrriest little laugh. Il
assure YOU Matte is equal TO that"
And to be marrie't 30 soon, too. only
engaged for i month-Mr. Rainor."
Nstildt chinged from the sarcastic TO the
angelic in q trice. for Mr.. Rainor had en-
tered rs she spike" Mr.. R,inor. why
don't you marry mature woman instead
OF this gid,Iy girl, or why do you not al
least wait - Year or TWO before yoa COM
mit the rash ac;2'
- Because" said Mfr. Rainor, not ac-
cepting as hafintge what he knew
Matilda at heart did no, consider as \ Jest
- because Amy, just AS she is his arm
WAS around her, ani with hands clasped
upon his Shoulder she Was looking up Joy
ouslg and lovingly to his face. Amy
satisfies INV mind and my heart; because
she has brought sunlight to my life: be-
cause in my house. and by every one in il, !
she is wanled-wNnted at once"