Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-09-11
The Miller's Daughter.

cigar, was about as near a realiza-
tion of his ideas of Utopia as he was
ever likely to be. With plenty of
money, unlimited time, and feeling
of unbounded satisfaction with his
present position, Dick Wareham was
happy. The half-gentlemanly, half
vagabond life which he had led all
summer suited him eXacted. His
quarters at the inn in the village
over the hill were comfortable; his
portfolio was full of sketches; the
trout had risen accommodatingly to
his rod; but, more than all, thous-
and times better than all, he had
found in this unfrequented, delight
fully-1ural region, what he honestly
believed to be the sweetest, prettiest,
and most modest girl to be found in
any country under the sun.
Whether or not he was in love with
her was a matter which he had not
in his own mind fully decided.
When he first saw Dolly Morse, he
was startled at her prettiness, but
nothing more. 1t was not until he
had made several trips to Morse's
mill, for sketching purposes, that
Dolly's bright eyes began to haunt
his dreams, and not until after that
did he discover that, 90 which way
he would, all roads eventually led,
by some mysterious means, past the
mill-pond and the water-wheel. If
he fished, the mill was sure to be in
his way if he sketched, what object
more picturesque than the old build
ing itself, with it's great wheel, and
its adjacent dam, over which the
water fell in wide, thin sheet of
silver? Sometimes he spoke with
Dolly, sometimes she was invisible ;
and after time he began himself to
suspect that upon his seeing her de-
pended whether the day had seemed
bright to him, or profitless and dull.
And so stranger, knowing these
things, would have been at no loss
to guess the subject of Dick Ware
hams thoughts as he lay upon his
back with his cigar, that lazy sum-
mer morning. But, whatever his
meditations were, he was not long
permitted to enjoy them.
"Ah, there you are !" exclaimed a
rough, nasal voice near him. "I've
been lookin' for yer"
Wareham raised himself on one ell
bow, turned so as to face the speak
sr He HsaHg fE oFs lSTRGE9Ta Gs Tsaas ana s
garding him with look of satisfac-
ton. The newcomer was unshaven
and clad in ragged shirt and trous-
ers. His bare toes protruded from
his boots, his head, with its dusty
shock of hair, was surmounted by a
brimless straw hat, and his lounging
attitude, his grimy face, and his gen.
eral appearance of shiftlessness ad-
vertised him as belonging to that
sect of philosophers commonly known
as sstramps. Wareham had fire.
quently met him. Sometimes in the
tavern bar-room in the village, some
times stumbling upon him, fishing in
the brooks, sometimes finding him
asleep in the shade. He had spoken
with him but little, but had set him
down in his own mind as one of those
ne'er-do-wells, common to every
community.
GIVE been lookin' for yer" re-
peated the man.
$50 you said BEFORE" replied
Wareham, lazily blowing a wreath OF
smoke into the air. "Well?"
ssThe folks over to the tavern sent
me to hunt for yer. / told them
thought ye was down this way, neal
the old mill. Ginerally be, aim
ye?
''What do they want of me at th'
tavern?" asked Dick, shortly.
"Wall, yer boss is In trouble
Got thlowed in her stall, an brok'
her leg"
Wareham jumped to his feet in
stantly.
ssWhatp' he exclaimed. HBess
my poor Bess? How could it hav
happened?'
"Dunno. Guess they'll hev t.
shoot her. They're only waitin' TO
ye ter come ter gin the order
''Poor, poor Bess - repeated Die
leaping over the fence and tossin'
the man a coin. "I'm much oblige,
to you, my man, for your trouble
Come with me. You may be of ser
vice."
"Wall, you go right on, an T.
follow. I've got the rheumatic i
my leg, and hev to walk slow.
Wareham started off at bris
, pace, and the other followed, limp
ing slowly. No sooner had Die
disappeared over the hill, however
than the mans manner changed il
stantly. His painful lameness dis
appeared, a sudden energy took pos
3 session of his limbs, and, turnin
quickly about, he walked briskly
the opposite direction; not towar
the village, but directly towar
Morse's mill.
+ Morse's mill stood in a hollo
among the hills, where the higl
road, taking a sharp curve to til
: east, passed directly across the dan
! L