The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-09-30
nsN 81 -


tT fe aas egi sga aWhf -
eruy lhus sluaes from he 'tef Of ae
Jana sAy, and The sun ahons doNu viz
se1sWed ftTEQr.
a. b3i q NNss bsfpre barsir gxelalu~
"a Ma. Carts as she opeaed h paEasol
sod ltisursly stepped from lie Heywooa
dty goods STORE ID which she bad, aalf 20
hoGf bcisfo, iskea shelter ifcm the storso
yes, Il = nA'sra, taid Nr BSown, ihe
propfseies haa1igg Aer the bundles the
bad bought IRON him, and bo added /:
You'll bAye bot walk nader this brilln'
bot san. Better run Ia 10 our honse and
siky Ter tea. VOC balm. tetB tho twTns
set Smanesi hlile critters ever Wa.
A,s. Browne getlia' ca aaelY and viii
bc glad u see yoa.
Tbsuks 10 like 70, but ui8sl hurry
bone And can my carrRnls. Besides, ]
wouldnH undertake that long walk
through The piBe woods for anything Ia
tho world. It's gloomy enough In the oay
Time Give ny respects 70 yonT wife tell
Der III drop 10 soou and SEQ her aud tbs
babies. 6ood-day.
GoOd.dAy said Brown, and he tdded,
~ be saw Mrs. Curtis hu.rging down ,he
street, Qaeor eritterl
Yes, BY al Tie inhabitants ofBeywood, /,
Mrs. Curtis was called peculiar. She was
upwards Of fly yesrs,tall aud erect,with
Iron gray hairl ludjy cleegf snd keen,
dark eyca. And decidedly she was per-
son that minded her own business. She
had lived ia neyWood over Ave years, yet
10 81 that tinie not alperson Lad been
able 10 giean any information concerning
har psst life Ail that could be ascertain
cd WAS that size was a widow, childless,
and viii little property, consisting OF a
comfortable cottage surrounded by few
acres OF land, and with few hundred
dollars Ia the Haywood bank.
Meanwhile, MIR. Brown returned TO nis
counter 10 wait on customer, and Mrs.
Curtis pursued her journey homeward
For some distance her road led along the
dusty highway, then she turned into a
little foot path through the daisy dotted
meadow, then across the creek bridge,
until presently she came to the dense pine
woods whose shade was very pleasant TO
her.
When about half way through the
woods ebe came 10 small patch OF late
strawberries. Sho stopped to pick them.
aor brown, bard worAiDg banda we're
nestly iull OF Tho lucious cd oerriee, when
arusting ans tootUtep startled her. She
hastily glanced up. In an instant an iron
like baud was clutching her throat, and
---only iao irighiened wildwood birds
conm tel the rostl
Abopt TWO miles from the village OF
Haywood, and on the bank OF Bfiar
Creek, dwelt Peter Grost, lie was .
Dul5hma8, who, with his family, hsG
lglelg ootpe to America, and in the pre-
vious autumn had bought a few acres Of
land bordering the creek. Here be had
erected small but comfortable house,
aud was, TO oil Appearances, an honest,
hard working man. The only thing that
could be said against him by few grumb-
lers was that he was too close, elinging
tightly to his hard earned pennies, and
ever on the lookout for more. But this
was certainly excusable when it was
known that he bad mortgage on his
farm, which, together with the wants of a
rapidly increasing family, was enough to
make any man greedy of gain.
II was the evening OF The day on which
ous story began. Peter, surrounded by
his vile and children, sat placidly syhok-
Ing bis pipe on the little grass plot in
front Of the house.
The supper had been eaten, he cows
MIXED, tho pigs fed, and tho chickens
housed from the thievish rats, and all the
family young and old, felt entitled to 8
season OF rect. Hans and Fritz were
turning sumerssuts on the soft grass
Gretchen, the fsxen haired lassie, was
feeding the pet robin; Franz, tho ak
months baby, was cuddled up to his
mothers breast, contentedly sm&ckiDg
his lips over bis evening meal.
Sun went down the shadows deopened
The clock in the distant village struck the
hour of eight Peter Groat rose, shook
the ashes from his pipe, and said
Come, kinder, II Is late. The dew Is
falling, and let's TO bed.
Yaterl water suddenly cried Hans and
Fritz, running ~ from the gate, there Is
q man comiog Ia our yard--a strangers
Peter slowly ssuatered down to meet
the newcomer.
Ho was an elderly man, with tanned
aud rugged face, sandy bair sprinkled
with gray, and dark. deep sch eyes, some
whst inflAmed. His cloths were OF good
materisl, although worn and dusty with
travel IA bis hard he carried largo
satcapi
Good evening, he said, courtcousiy.
Fleming 20 you, sir, replied Peter Groat.
I'm peddler, said the man, speaking
in German. | have sold nearly all my
goods, and am on my way back 10 New
York go, lefl by The train and under
took 10 walk to the next station. lost
| my wsy aud find that will bare 10 get
lodgiugs Tor ibe night. Can yau help met
Tae good book coumsnds psto show
hospita8ly, skid Peter. Aod although
we are lot rich, We never yet tnraed
sway tesighlei 'ayeier -, some IN,
asa ay aan shsA eet you something 70