Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-12-20
EtLIOWSES

"IIusb. Liz, Don't stir the fire II II last
as long ms she does. Let her rest! :"
Liz left the chimney and crcpt back TO her
place beside the almshouse-k ke,per's wife
The fnint spark of life they lad been watch.
inc since the dun winter mint closed in vns
Hick,riup stil. though the old steeple clock
had inst tolleJ one and the wood ON the
queer black andirons had dropped into en-
bers on the hearth.
ITS slow work" whispered the kecper's
wife "W, MIGHT slim down stairs for "A cup
of something warm while she sleens. and
never be missed :" and the two stole noiseless
Iv from the room The duu crackliup of "A
brand M, il broke and fell on the hearth was
the only snuud left behiud them. but the
eyes The keepers wife had said were sleep
inc slowly uuclosed soft brown ewes and a
fair Young fncc-h how had they ever come in
to such place. slender hand busted itself
trelnbinply nt a ribbon that had escaped the
sl.cuy watchers ,yrs-n ribbon with some
tl,iu1 hanging frnm Il that pl. au,d in tn.
flicker from The hearth and n yoic,. called
softly Phil"
A child Stirred IN ~, sleep. then rose and
came quickly to her ,id,
NV dari;uni Kiss IA. pool pipLt ouca
NOR. II i. tbe last time. and b. quick"
For th,. kitchen door below ,r,akel apain-
the k.,p-r's wife and Liz were coming back.
Good nirLt. my darling. and the trembling
fingers fastened the ribbon round his neck.
..nud remember, be ALWAYS GOOD and brave
for nv .nke and for the dear CLri,t',"
..TI.y'yr neither Of 'cm stirred whisprr.
ed the ieaper's wife. I'VE might have had
another Gun and no one the wiser"
One by enc the dark winter days slipped
nyy,,,. Gr,.s and viol,ts beo,,n to aup.ar
,y,Iy one felt hk4 beginning life over again.
and so did Miss Judith Pophnrst with the
rest. II took Good d,al TO stir Miss Jud;tl,
fo sncb a roint Int when She once did make
mn her mind to ANYTHING sh, was rsndy for
If. and .,he marched with n firm stem to her
bur, an drawer. There w,r, queer things in
thnt burrau il seemed To have the sane
to.t. for ola Yavs AS Miss Indy herself and
out cam A long yellow straw bonnet that
poked n hands icngth over her face. A round
SIX montillo that reached inst TO her waist. a
nqak.l Green uarnsol and "A pnir of black
ioca r,itts 'rLtr. was so;uetLinp else too
that differed MS :he lifted the mantilla. and
Mi Tonbur.t sbpt IN. drawer very ouickly
Vim she saw that That was Toms sword
How nrond She had thounbt All her life was
going TO be with TomEiust the same AS a
Son ~ L,r. lint when at last that endless war
WA, over his colonel sent his sword home to
Mis- po,hurst md that was ou
Miss Judith was "A auick walker and that
v.IIow straw and NAKED norasol flashed
oIonn ,l," siJ.wait H. tl," tnrn Of a kaIsido,
80 I'm the ran ~ Tho .harn knucklas oove
tbs oImsbouso. .ke.ncr's wife n start
.,NI;e. ponbur,t She announced orimlv
81 heard Won had n bov here, "
.,TLs iSnd,s .ake YES. and have had as
vor ,ni.,Lt sa, for some mouths rnst
..Do Won yo,,t linn >" asked Miss Pom
bp,st crispIv with snan of her black ewes
The Eeencr's wife answered with a signifi.
cant littl. cou,h
,,Than ! do said Miss Ponburst st.nnino
IN vii an. loot ~ want somebody ~ taks
cnre of my COW ,nd'-a Glitter from the has.
tiIv.sbut dr,Y'r .lemcd 10 tremble before
Nj Jnditb,s cv.s os sba odded-s,ond 10
love -
The next div was "A busy one with Miss
PonLprst shr ho5 made mn her mind again.
t,Tbat cLild,s GOING M have decent clothes
N His backi Ridicnlons toggerv he's GOT
ON :" And the LoerJs of he attic Aoor
crenked ms with lips drawn yery tight she
marched over th,m TO a trunk that hnd not
brrn onr,,ad since Tom went TO the war.
Her fingers trrmll.d hui what she had TO do
sbe would do nnicklv md almost befor, the
cra,k Ind al, 4 owny She was scented i'm her
rocking chair ooain with one of Toms full.
crown suits in her Ian, and a paper pattern
She Ind used for him twenty wears before in
her bonJ
She shook "A tbreod of BRIGHT golden hair