The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-05-23
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p hee1 Nloifh5 Tor ceftAnly . palmer
more eommonpiaoe liitIe woman eoulc
DOT be found any herc than Drnoy Max
vel, who bad slipped from girlhood iniS
middle age almost before even her enc
4 niles took note Of II.
With rare good sense, sbe bad accepted
abe inevitable, aud had settled down intc
sober browns aud grays, when other wo-
men Of ber age, married aud single, were
gAudy As peacoeks 10 RreeAs aud puppies
declare, said Mrs. Reddilch, peeping
through her parlor blinds one Sunday, a,
was her cnstom when folks were going
; bone from meetn', declare II Drucilda
Maxwell Aiu't really getting old.
80 are we ali, Polly, said Jacob Red.
ditch, gazing out At the frozen tomato
vines.
DfueilcS was s powerful pretty girl
once, but that was a dozen years ago,
when our Nathan first left home. Strange
we've never heard Of him, poor chap
and stranger stiIl, we never knew why
be went. His old fathers ways wasn't
good enough, suppose
Polly dropped the dimity curtain with
last spiteful glance at the dun-colored
figure passing under the scraggy branch
es OF the balm OF Gilesd trees 10 front Of
Squire Colby's red brick house, mean
suspicion, which, like smodering fire
had been eating at her heart day and
night for ten years, iprnging up afresh
al Jacobs thoughtful words.
The Maxwelps were wel-,o-do folks
then, aud the Redditch farm was heavily
encumbered, aud Nathan stood but
poor chance OF gaining favor with re-
puted heiress.
How things fall out.
Jacob Redditch since then had pros
pered wonderfully and, like Midas every
thing be touched seemed to turn to gold,
while the MaxwelIs had gone down bill,
until death and poverty had swept them
all away, except Drucy and her mot her,
who lived In poor but neat cottage on
the outskirts OF The town.
And for all her high notions and aspir.
ations Drucilda Maxwell had been left an
old maid, while the other girls had mar.
ried and raised troops OF rosy children.
1t might be said by the people who loved
justice, that Drucy had thrown away
more chances than ell the others put to.
gether, but that did not lessen the mean
ness OF her position one whit; nor take
away any pang from her as she sat read |
Ing the yellow pages OF old love letters,
and tenderly touching the relics of other
days. To her mother she had said with
light laugh, that her time had not come
and she might yet have chance better
than all, aud this saying had gotten
abroad, and every body scofTed at 1t, aud
talked about Drucy Maxweil's last
chance.
This would have been hard to bear If
Drncy Maxwell had cared for peoples
opinions, but she did not, aud SO her
eventful life went on as II had done for
years, until even she discovered that she
was no longer young.
People will talk, and the next sensation
that set tongues waggiDg In Liscomb was
Drucy Maxwell's sudden fortune.
Years ago there had been wild invest.
ment-a hairbrained scheme of her
fathers, who died believing he had vast
cd his substance and condemne his wife
and children to eternal penury.
The Investment, at the end of years ofI
and waiting, had proved sue
cess, and the two remaining Maxwells
had suddenly grown rlch-richer than
anybody in the town, which fact made
Polly Redditeh grow grayer day by day
This thing had TO be balanced in some
way, and, IS the wheel rattles around,
some 60 up and some go down, and now
poor old Jacob ReddilCh lost his money
"a fast as he made il. His cattle died of !
strange disease and bis big barn burned
iown, and his corn crop was an utter
Rumors Of these misfortunes came TO
Miss Maxwell while busy experimenting {
Affairs at her new bome-sn imposing .
flair for Liscomb - with white stone
acings, and new tangled window shut.
ers inside. Drucy was not without wo.
manly pride, and her gray silk dress
slimmered like water In the sun, and
'usted after her as she walked to the
iedditch home, passing again under
hose balm o'Gilead trees; but qnile
iiiierent woman now. People smiled on
Ter now servilely who last month would
ave passed her with a cold glance and ;
lod.
She had not crossed that ELL for years, =
'ut her pride had melted quite away,
nd her heart aehed for Nathan's old a
aiher and mother.
The old people sat by the hearth, their ?"
remulous fingers grasped ss II there was y
10 more to be done 10 life. q
A hsggArd, brown.hAired man who "a. g
eiween them rose up as the door open.
d. Miss Maxwell drew back, and gave
little startled cry. d
Tie man on whose face the blood had u
ushed msdly for an Instant, turned pale v
gain, and dropped his eyes s
lrs Nathan home again, Miss Maxwell al
aid Polly Reddileh, apoIogetieAliy. III
The world has not used Nathan a. well III
; 4 bAs you no more has time; be looks Of
5 old and troubled ss father, here. 81
NAthan's chin dropped lower on hls 70
reAst, which beaved With agony, and his sr
eryeless hands fell bY his side. &
nrnrv Maruam III n.-.. 1.f...a 4 -