St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-05-27


speed make good speed, little mare -
touched her flanks lightly with my
whip she tossed her pretty head, flung
off the white foam that had gathered
on her bride, and sprang forward with
added life and spirit.
'Lassie, dear Lassie bonnie Lassie !
see the tall chimneys are in sight we
are getting near him now, I.assie we
shall save him yet
know not what wild words uttered
in my mad excitement hitherto | had
managed to keep the curb upon my
terror and my pain ; but now, as the
goal of my desires was nearly reached,
| could have tossed my arms aloft |
could have shrieked out to the night !;
/ could have been guilty of any mad
thing.
At the entrance to the town | drew
rein, and Lassie and tried to look as
quiet and respectable as we could. AS
we passed through the narrow streets,
where men stood about in little groups,
the women with starved looking chill
dren clinging to their petticOats stared
at me and my painting steed. The
great gates that led to the mill-yard
were closed.
How strange n contrast to when they
stood widely opened, and swarm of
men, like bees out of hive, came
pouring through them, while the great
bell, that meant ''work is over" changed
out its welcome message
A man looked through a grating,
and not without some curt expression
of amaze.
elias the master gone ~ l asked in
a voice that did not sound like mine.
''Noa, my Teddy" he answered i'll the
north country tongue.
Once inside the yard | stepped from
my saddle, and left Lassic standing
there painting and foam -heckcd. Gather
ing my habit in my hand | went up the
steps into the cold whitewashcd pas
sages, and so on to Il room | knew well
Johns room.
He was writing at table, and the
fiaring gas above his head showed me
his face grave and anxious, change to
a look of uttermOst surprise as he saw
his wife standing in the doorway.
Perhaps the moment of relief is more
trying than the suffering we have wa
ded through to reach it-I cannot tell
but | know that as ! met my husbands
eyes-as | saw John there before me
as | realized the mighty truth that h,
was saved, | gave great cry, and fel
down without sense or life at his feet.
These things happened Il long time
ago. People have almost forgotten th'
year of the great strikes ; | have not
Baby is young giant now, hea'
taller than his mother and owns ;
sister whose inches reach well-nigh t.
his stalwart shoulder. John still
smokes about the lawn of summer
evening, while sit by but | tell hin
he is growing fat and lazy. Atwhich h
laughs and says he shall soon turn OF
, way Mills over to his son altogether.
Our mother rests now from all earth
ly sorrow, and her memory is like
beautiful presence among us.
On the table in my own sitting-roon
is little hoof shod i'll a silver shoe
The relic is kept under glass shade
and | always dust it with my owl
hands. | am sure you will know with
out my telling you that it is held dea
for the sake of Lassie, the little mare
You will divine that it is one of thos
; willing feet that carried me to DIVA
Mills through the dusk of memorabl
day to save life dearer than my OWL
That dear life cost another, for poo
Lizzie left her baby motherless, and
,, had to fulfill my promise. Weakcnc
: with fever, and her recent trial, tn
; strain of that errand of love that sh
set out upon to warn me of her hus
: bands plot against mine, proved to
! much for her feeble frame.
! | kept my oath sacredly, and no on'
u save John and |, ever knew that Jim
, wife, with noble disloyalty, "spoke IL
! ! agen her mon."- All the Year Roun'