Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-10-16
The winter that followed was ex-


soirees, kettle drums and the opera
seemed to engross every hour. Jack
and l seldom had quiet moment to-
gether, yet he seemed to enjoy it all
with his whole heart.
When spring came our last sur
plus dollar had been expended, and
we were solely dependent on Jacks
monthly salary.
The warm weather came on, and
the baby soon fell i'll. I. hoped day
by day that Jack would say some
thing about going back to his faith
er's for the summer, but he did not
even hint at such thing.
The days grew longer and warmer.
The sun shone down with a pitiless
splendor and the paved streets seem
ed like heated brass.
/ Our fashionable friends fiuttered
off like summer swallows, and we
were almost left alone.
"Couldn't you manage to make a
little trip to the seashore, my dear?'
Mrs. Marlborough had suggested,
and Jach had caught at the idea with
eagerness.
eve might, Nell. 1 think we
can. I will try and borrow a few
hundred somewhere.
"Oh, Jack, no, no. l sobbed out
in my remorse and despair. II
won't go to the seashore. You see
how sick baby is. Oh, Jack, ask
your father to let us return home"
"Oh, yon wouldn't be satisfied,
Nell, if we went back. 1t is dread
fully stupid down there these sum-
mer days, with the haymaking and
the reaping, and all that sort of
thing. We should never be able to
endure it now."
l said no more. The long, bright,
burning days worn on, and our bills
ran up higher and higher, the baby's
breath seemed to grow weaker and
weaker, and poor Jack himself be-
gan to look dreadful i'll and worn.
And one afternoon he was sent home
in a carriage, quite unconscious,
stricken down with a sudden fever.
1 put my pride aside then and
wrote letter to Jacks father.
/ "Jack and baby are both ill.," I
said, land we are sick and TIED of
of this life. Pray forgive us and let
us come home"
The very next day the old gentle
man arrived, but the bailiff and Off
GERS of the law were before him.
The rumor that we intended to leave
town had got out, and our creditors
rushed in anxious to secure the lions
share of our effects.
The Brussels carpets, the hand
some furniture, and costly bric-a-crac,
all went, under the hammer at dis
astrously low figure.
"Never mind" said my father-in-
law, not a shadow of reproach on his
kind old face ''let them squabble
over it if they will. We must get our
sick ones home"
So we got Jack into the carriage,
and with his poor hot head upon my
knees, l turned my back upon the
scenes of my short-lived triumph.
''We are going to Cherry Hill, .
said the old gentleman, as in the
dusk of the golden day we drove
through the dewy stiffness of the
mountain ravine.
"The old home has been waiting
for you all these months, / was pret-
ty sure you would want to come
back
| could not utter one word in an
swer. A great full moon was rising
above the mountain peaks as We
reached the house. Not the small
est thing was changed. The great
red roses bloomed on the terrace, the
bees droned in their hives, and the
cattle bells tinkled in the barnyard.
The door stood wide open. We
carried Jack in and laid him down in
the broad breezy room that had been
our bridal chamber.
He opened his eyes and drew q
quivering breath, as the mountain
breeze touched his throbbing head.
"Nell, where ace you?" he said
"Surely this must be home.'
81 am here, Jack" / answered
! through my tears "and this is home
dear old Cherry Hill"
ssThank God !" he said, and fel
back on the pillows and l saw glea
! tears trinkling slowly from beneath
his closed eyelids.
Beyond the open window, in thu
silver glory of the rising moon, thu
old grandfather sat with baby at hi
: feet, half hidden in the cool grass
and even at that late hour the pigeons
futtered around her as of old, ant
she screamed with rapture as sht
clutched at them with her thin littl,
hands.
1 rose softly and fell on my knees
beside Jacks pillow.
e "Oh, jack sobbed, II hav,
! been so wicked. Forgive me, Jack
o forgive me. am SO glad to be a
: home again.
And then and there, clasped to m,
husbands heart, in the safe, swee
l shelter of the home he loved, un
derstood all the past.
: ssYou didn't mean it, jack
whispered, .syou only pretended tt