Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-11-17
Miss Halidane'S Family.

|
meetin' All sorts and sizes of young
ones, as you say. No resemblance be-
tween them? or to her? No, faint in
natur' there should be-
"But do explain, Mrs. Beebe; this
Mrs. HaIidane is very distinguished
looking woman, and her children are so
-incongruous," I said, pausing for the
right word.
"Well, they BE-" said my landlady,
whose summer boarder'' l had just be-
come, and she smoothed out the strings
of her Sunday bonnet, grasped palm
lear ran, ana settIeu ner pump propor-
tions in her rocker for good long story.
such as only the day of rest could afford
her time to relate.
"To begin, she's Miss Halidane, not
Missis; born Mary Halidane she was,
and the old Square, her father, was con-
id'able of man in these parts; had
money, and built that big house with
colyums that you noticed as we come
home-the one with the big shady yard
and the nice garden.
"Well, it made good deal of talk
that Mary didn't marry. but she never
took notion to-though she had chanc-
es, they say-and she was going on thir-
ty when the Square died of appoplexy,
very sudden Che was high liver), and
she was left all livin' alone.
81 went up the night her pa died
took in few pies for the mourners-
and there she sat by the winder. My
house is left unto me desolate, was what
she said. and it did seem kinder appro-
pirate, for her mother had died young,
and the only brother, Captain Halidane,
was killed in the war and there she sat
in her desolate house, for none of the
relations, had got there then, and old
Jane and Martha, the servant girls were
taking on so t they were neither COM
fort nor company. Others came in, of
course, but | stayed the evening and
talked about her pa, I'd known him old
and young and think it was along of
my being in that night that she took SO
to me afterwards.
at was all talk that she'd 90 to New
York and live with her friends there
and mebbe sell the place. | know hel
friends urged it, for stayed awhile af
ter the funeral to help set the chairs bach
and make things look more natural, ant
heard her uncle talking to her. Say
he, Mary, we can't leave you to such
lonesome life. 'Taint natural at you
age, and as soon as it can be arranged
you must come to US. You have devot
ed yourself to your father for the pas
few years, but when your first grief i
over you will enjoy going into societ
again, and staying here you would gro'
morbid. You mustn't think of it.
.But Miss Halidane she only sale
Wait awhile, uncle, before making an
plans for me- l cannot part with m
home yet, and hope the Lord will fin
me some work to do that may be dor
here Her uncle only bowed at tha
not being used to consulting the Lol
much, as | should judge. But Mi
Halidane was, and l see plainly tn
she was waiting and looking for a lea
ing from Him.
"One by one her relatives went HON
and she came to meetin' O. Sunday, {
alone in her pew, but looking as ca
in her mourning clothes as if the Lo
1ck. was beside her in her fathers pla'
Ease Somehow that verse of Scriptur' col
into my mind-'The solitary hath
ness set in families; : and in meetin' thou
it was, found myself thinking what
""' pity it was Miss Halidane hadn't In;
=, ~ ried and wondering if she ever woul
,ade and that brought to my mind like lig
ming the old story about her cou
is so Jack.
ocK, "Well, don't know but may as W
wa tell you that too, now I'm in for it.
H.. was wonderful handsome young IN
mon Jack Halidane, when he come here
an study law with the Square, and only
little older than Mary. / used to tn
lg to they were like picture in a "Souve
ml'e. 1l of Friendship" had, when see th
- " riding horseback together, so gay ;
:, g., laughing they were, and both so handsc
II and full of life. Folks said they "
1t engaged, but 1 don't know how it v
only know Mary was dreadful unwill
mar to 90 to New York that winter, whe,
h1er. she'd always gone with the greatest
y" light before. But her friends /
- 70 writing of the parties they wanted
,ould for, and her father was SO proud of
lst, | being admired that he insisted
INK should 60.
take "But it was bad thing for J
meas, Halidane, for he was inclined to be
GOOD when he came here from college but
Mary's sake he'd seemed to steady dc
s was He was just at the age when he nee
in good influences, and after she lei
!, Mr. heard some things was sorry to
burn .I4t "a .a aons;dor
etter,
e re- "neh heaio ho" much nc was
Jennie Blake. lipht-headed little %