Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-01-19
Rees' Memory.

|
ing to the Rees was situated five miles
from our town of Trefayon. And Mr..
Matthew Rees was fine portly man of
some forty or fifty years of age and
bachelor.
The only defect he had-if Farmer
Rees could be said to have defect
was what the neighbors termed the .'loss
of head He was indeed such an alb
sent minded man that he would some
times seriously reflect whether he could
have been present when he came into
the world. Still this absence of mind
rarely interfered with his daily or week
ly duties. He transacted his business
as methodieally as if he had been tAa-
chine wound up; but if anything new
or unforeseen occurred, if he were ex-
pected to remember the date or name, or
to act out of the usual routine, the ma
chine got out of order at once.
He possessed, however, two memories
-one within doors and one without.
These were his housekeeper Mally, and
his carter Jehoram, formerly called Jeho.
But they also failed him in the course of
time.
"Mally you never reminded me !'' was
the Farmers reproof one day when he
had invited friend to dinner and he
was engaged elsewhere
"Deed to goodness, master. I'm for
getting myself" was the answer. "Time
you should be looking for wife, There's
Miss Kezia, Francis Tygwyn's daughter,
now."
"Francis Tygwyn? !? Well. now, let me
think. His daughter? +? forget. Has
he an unmarried daughter, Mally ?"
"Lor, master, you know that he has,
and she is single, they are saying, for,
your sake. Why. you used to make
love to her when you were boy"
did l? | never remember making
love in my life, Mally. 1 shouldn't
know how Did you ever make love ?'
"Oh my deed, master, you are very
funny. I've been courted many time,
but was never of the forward sort, as
Jeho will say for me, if you'll be asking
him. We've been going together long
enough now."
Rees opened his eyes and they were
not destitute Of the sparkle of amuse-
ment. In snita of his ohlvious temper
ament, he took in Joke at the moment,
even if he forgot it the next.
Mally was justified in her assertion
concerning Miss Frances. This lady had
quietly allowed forty-fve years of her
life to slip by without taking to herself
a helpmate, and strange as it may seem,
for the sake of Rees Monorgywyn. When
she was seventeen and he was two and
, twenty, there had passed between them
words that he had forgotten but she had
| stored up in her memory. He had never
even told her that he loved her; but for
all that, Kezia at forty-fve was as sim
cerely attached to Mr.. Rees as she had
. been at seventeen.
o Nothing further was said about Rees
L i
s Mally and Jeho were married. They
a retired to tidy cottage on the Monor.
}, gwyn estate, and the farmer found thai
- while he had two memories out of doors
he had none within. But he and his
! household suffered from the loss.
n "What were you saying to me abou
n somebody's daughter, some young wo
man, Mally?" he inquired, month O
so after that worthy spinster became
matron.
ID 81 was telling you of Francis Tyg
?. wyn's elder daughter, Kezia, master
Of Make you haste, or she'll be too old fo
er anybody"
=. ITO be sure, / remember. Franci
I'd Tygwyn's Kezia. Thank you for re
minding me, Mally. I'll tie knot i
is my handkerchief shan't forget
Is. He went about his business, repeatin
w. "Francis Tygwn's Kezia,' until tn
no no words rang in his head like the thre
bells of Lanfach church.
er The following Saturday he met Tys
Ic- wyn, in the market.
Sc "Ah Jones-Francis, mean,-yo
ev ' were the man | was thinking of. The
er are telling me you've got fine mare
no; young heifer. Pom my soul,
IS can't remember. Which was it? Fral
y. els Tygwyn's Kezia. Name o goodne
all which is it man?''
~ 81 have daughter Kezia, Rees," r
all piled Francis. half amused, half offende
"Daughterl Of course, that's what
RS. meant; and very good daughter, the
ed tell me. "How is she?''
"You had better come and see. 1t
hit years since you've been to Tygwyn. Su
j." pose you ride back with me-
1g- "Surely | was there last week abo
that mare we we're taking of; but dor
up care if do take turn there again"
.a- The two farmers trotted briskly alol
,en the turnpike, and walked their well-f
ike horses quickly up the hill, reaching the