Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-05-01

him and his BRIDE" and she plunged int
a description which left Mrs. Lenuox a,
much excited as her friend
Il must sec her." she cried. Wei
drive over in day or two"
| Weather was unpropitious. however
and the day or two proved nearly fort
night. Mrs. LennoX had double errand
being provided with baskeiful of Zonal,
geraniums to be exchanged for cutting.
| from old Sally's famous chrysanthemums
but when, after knocking long time a
The seldom used front door of the farm
house, they made their way round to the
kitchen, and from thence to the family
sitting room, no one was visible, and the
tireless hearth and neatly piled books and
papers On the table made it evident thai
the apartment had not been used of late
While they fingered and wondered, 3
creaking step came down the stairs, and
old Sally, with 4 tea cup in her hand, en-.
tered the room. She saluted the ladie:
grimly.
Thank ye, Miss Lennox. I'd like the
geraniums well enough if I'd time to tew
round with EN-, but jest now my hands is
full. without taking care of plants, anus
ing Miss Dalrymple."
MIR. Dalrymple's wife? Is she ill?"
Yes. she is. and she amt. 'Tain't nc
pertikilar kind of sickness as l can see
but she's weak as water, and looks bad. |
give her pennyroyal when she fust come,
thinkin' it might be she'd ketehed an in.
side cold on the journey; but it didn't do
no good, and she KEEP on not estin' nothin
and gettin more and more peakin, till
finally she took to her bed, and to-day MIR.
David's gone over for the doctor. He set
up with her last night. She didn't want
him TO, but he said he shouldn't sleep
anyhow, and he'd ruther. 1t don t seem
as if it need to take up any time a-waitn'
on her. for she don't ask for anything from
days end 10 days end but sickness takes
steps any way you fix il, and haint done
much except 60 up stairs and down agin
these four days"
" Dear me-" began Mrs. Lennox. But
Felicia, moved by some impulse, broke in !.
" l think l must have come on the same
train with Mrs. Dalrymple. l wonder il
| might 60 up and see her?'
Rather to her surprise, Sally made no
objection.
"She hain't said she wouldn't see no.
body, and mebbe it'll rouse her up bit,"
was her ultimatum, and Miss Mallows ran
lightly up. A door steod half open; she
tapped, and in answer TO y faint Come
in" entered the bedroom, where, covered
with resplendent star patterned patch
work quilt, lay her late fellow traveller.
The pale cheeks, from which much of
the childish rourdness had wasted, flushed
at sight of her.
81 hope you will forgive me for coming
up so unceremoniously," began Felicia,
speaking rapidly to hide her own nervous
ness. Your old housekeeper gave me
leave, and-well, l felt so sorry for you,
sick and alone in a strange place, that |
wanted to come. iii tires you, you must
send me away"
The girl looked at her q moment in ST.
lence. Then she said, Wont you sit
down. There's chair"
Miss Mallows sat down. She was a
pleasant object to look at in her olive
greens and pheasant browns, with cheeks
and eyes frightened by the frosty air, and
the invalid felt it.
d" lou was in the car the day came,
wasn't you?" she said | recoilect vonr
hat. I've been sick most ever since. 1t
seems long time
The first few weeks in a new place are
apt to seem long" replied Felicia, kindly
and l dare say you miss your home.n
Z" | haven't any home TO miss sadly.
"Indeed,"
NO, don't remember my folks at
all, or scarcely. Ny father he died when
l was born, and mother when wasn't but
two. hadn't anybody else, so they sent
me to the orphan asylum, and l lived there
fifteen years"
Poor child. Did you? And what then ?'
Then | was took by Mr.. Parker over
to Cheshire. was their help. but they
was very good to me. and it was most OF
home I'd ever had. Miss Parker she
liked 10 have ME call her ma. and did. "
And then you married Mr.. Dalrym-
ple."
Yes The blue eyes clouded over,
and the lips closed tightly over the one
word.
And now l hope you'll have a real
home of your own at last. What pleas
ant old place this is! Even at this season
one can see that. And my friends tell ME
that Mr.. Dalrymple is so kind and good
and clever, and so much respected in the
neighborhood. am sure you cannot fail
to be happy with him, though at first the
farm may seem little lonely and strange
The reply to these well meant remarks
was unexpected, for the bride burst into a
violent fit of crying, which no soothing on
the part of her dismayed guest availed tc
check
I'm tell you about it," she sobbed at
last, quieting little, and won to confidence
AS it were, by the tears in Felicia's own
eyes. Il haven had any one to tell be-
fore. and I'm so unhappy. didn't Il ink
| should feel so when got married. They
all said should be a fool if | didn't take
Mr.. Dalrymple, because he was so well
off, and be wanted me so much; Even Miss
Parker said she couldn't countenance no
such thing as my sayin' no, and Id never
have such another chance the longest day
lived. Then I'd never hal no one to dc
for me before, and he gave me such lot
of things. and | did so like to look nice
and pretty like ladies do, and SOL did
And then, somehow, when it was all over,
and had to 60 of with him. it come tc
me all of a sudden what I'd done. and how
my whole life was a-going to be just the
same thing always, and he was always
a-going TO be there, and know the girl:
lan ghed at US behind our backs, and Lou.
isa Brooks called him Spindle-toes,' and
yet I'd got to stay by him and never &C
any where else, or be anything else. AND
it all come over me and it was awful.
hadn't ever realized it before" And she
looked with piteous eyes into Miss Nal
lows's face, WHO stroked her hand gently
but wisely made no answer yet.
Il spose folks do call this a pleasant
place" she went on. after little pause
- but it don't look pleasant to me. aim
used 10 country, or to being alone all day
There were two hundred Of US at the asy
| lum, and at Miss Parker's we were clos
to The town, and could see folks a-passine
and hear wagons. Its so still here car
hear myself think almost, and the winC
makes noises in the chimney, and | liz
awake at night and listen. It's like q
voice, and it says, Alone! alone! alone !!
and groans, and frightens me awfully."
II don't think it says that" exclaimed
Miss Malows. with sudden inspiration
Z" 1t saws, A home. hone. home
That's what wind always seems to me tC
,ay in homely old chimneys like these