Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-03-26
An Unexpected Meeting.

1t was small, one-story frame struc-
ture, presenting some of the character
istics of cabin and cottage, built only
little way in from the road, and ap-
preached from it by narrow wooden
bridge, under which meandered, in
temperate seasons, a gentle stream, but
which, in the fervid vigor of the sum-
mer and the rignr of the winter. was
dry and silent.
Away down in a meadow behind this
little sentry-box was large farmhouse,
with a colony of smaller buildings
springing up about it, and back of those
was wood, rising precipitouslyl to the
brow of protecting hill.
IN summertime this homestead of
Farmer Gilman was a smiling, shady
place to look upon, as was, indeed, all
the country in which nestled the ham,
let of Fairbank, distant a couple of
miles away; BUT now that the iron fet-
ters of winter were on everything, it
looked cold, cheerless and uninviting.
1t had been showing all day-snow
was everywhere. 1t was on the rich
pasture lands, on the closely-shaven
meadows, on last years tillage; it
crowned fences, and maintained a pre-
carious existence on the roofs of houses
it rendered sightless gaps in broken
roads, and lent treacherous expansion
to highways; it, in short, blotted % u
the ordin ary landmarks, and was on
great, white, staring eyesore on the face
of the landscape.
Night had come on. and with it in
creased activity on the part of the storm.
1t was bitterly cold, too, and there was
an edge on the air like knife.
1t was night to enjoy grateful
meal and comfortable fireside, and
this was what May Seton was prepar-
ing for her fathers return in the little
cottage by the roadside.
The ample stove was aglow with the
cracking wood-fire; the bright lamp
light illumined the neat, decorous little
kitchen; the old easy-chair wore look
of expectation as it stood by the table
that awaited the burden of the substal..
tial supper, and the blue-eyed rose-b
herself was blithely singing snatches Of
a ditty, as if in defiance of the gioom
and storm without.
For dozen years and upward May
Seton had occupied this same abode
with her father, and had been his sole
| CUH1 pdulOu dIu 1UuSChccpCIs
About that time George Seton haC
made his first appearance in FAN bank
bringing with him little else than fair
sweet child of four or five years old
and carrying about him an air of sup
pressed suffering that silenced in
quiries, albeit that il somewhat excited
curiosity. But this curiosit" was sat
isfied and turned to sympathy when i
was learned that the stranger had re
Gently buried his partner, ano that th
golden-haired child he so tenderly cher
/ ished was motherless.
George Seton had not furnished Fair
bank with this information in so man
words. From the day of his arriva
to the itilne whereof we write, he ha
never opened has lips on the subject {
his antecedents.
J Abraham Gilman, or old Al @, as i
was more universally called, tt distir
guish him from a younger = be, ha
once asked George, when they wei
working in the fields together, if he W,
, not widower like himself, where;
0 Abe's new employee had bent his hea'
: and then maintained a silence so impre
] sive that the fact was taken for grantee
and never after discussed.
AS for May, if questioned on the su
ject, she could only tell of big tow
: and large house, and fine lady tn
used sometimes to kiss her, and wh
: ono night. she was told by her fatht
+ had died and was buried away for eve
# moer.
n "Six O'clock" cries May, stoppi
d her warbling to laugh up in the face
h the old clock that chimed the hot
No "Six o'clock, she. laughs, as she tur
e. the fragrant rashers in the oven, a
- casts searching glance at the table
n. see that it contains all her own hon
!, made dainties. Father will be h,
v. presently. / wonder if Abe will
= Hush, you naughty thing" she ad
I'd under her breath. and pressing
no. hands to her rosy mouth, as she heal
Is. crunching sound drawing nigh.