Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-07-20

comes over a man when no has been grinding
away in great city for good many years,
aud comes back to the old places and secs
them so fresh aud green and quiet, and he
can't get over t. IL will -clipg to anything
that belongs to old times ! was strongly in
huencod to write to Lucy but finally l did
not | determined to work and get all could
for two or three years. and then would come
here and face things. would get something
comfortable, and would have place / could
call my own in Chicago Thtn, when had
it fixed, would come and sec Uncle Jason
and Lucy, aud stand the racket. OF course
it was nonsense to feel so shy, but IT seemed
to me that could not say a word until had
something to brag of. They knew, in gem
eral kind Of way, that was in Chicago, deal
ing in pork, or doing auotioneering or some
thing, and that was as much humiliation as l
could endure To be sure, it was nothing to
be ashamed Of, for | had been an honest,
faithful man but to come back to my friends
empty handed, without money or fame, and
gray headed at tnat, was more than l could
stand. II had hdd anything or 6eeH any
thing, Just to take the edge of, could have
managed it. As it was, l looked ahead and
worked. II any man in Chicago has worked
aud toiled and planned during the last three
years, am that man. There has been pic
ture before my mind of a pleasant home
there"
"And have you calculated to marry Lucy
Gary 2" inquired Mrs. Pember, IN an eager
voice.
perhaps It was not just in that way
thought of it," replied the narrator, very Sc
riously. you know told you that the land
lord said she preferred a single life
Timothy Tompkins," exclaimed the old
lady apprehensiyely, don't deny it,-dont!
Think how dreadfully you will feel If you
know you have told lie :"
TT is nothing to be ashamed of, Timothy"
said MIR. Pember in kind and sympathetic
voice.
"If you put it in that way" answered my
old cassmate in strangely mourntul tones,
''all can say is, there was never anything
between us,-nothng at all"
And did you come here this time to see
herr inquired Mrs Pember, almost starting
from her seat, and with the thrill of a sudden
guess in her voice.
81 suppose it was as much that as any
thing" replied Tompkns doggedly, looking
down, and poking with a short stick in the
ground at his feet.
And that is what has made you act SO
queer mused Mrs. Pember. Have you
seen her ?"
"Let him tell the story, Caroline" urged
the old gentleman peevishly.
Tompkins looked gloomily out upon the
lake and the broad landscape for few mo-
ments; and then, resuming his narrative,
said
LAS was saying, have worked hard and
have got nice little pile. l am worth thirty
five thousand dollars. When l made up my
mind to come East this summer, the money
to pay uncle Jason for what he had done was
all ready. It made me choke to think how
long had let il run. l figured it up as near
as l could, the two hundred that came to me
in college, and the two hundred after that;
and put it in the simple interest at seven
per cent, according to the York State law,
which brought the sum total up to nearly
nine hundred and to fix it all right l made
it an even thousand dollars Then l bought
a new buckskn bag, and went to a bank in
Chicago and got the money all in gold.
knew that would please uncle Jason. He
once talked of going to California to dig.
suppose he had never seen pile of the real
| yellow coin in his life l wrote to him that
l was to be in Burlington, and that 1 would
| be so glad il he would come over and see me.
| | met him yesterday afternoon, as he got oil
| the boat down at the steamboat landing. He
knew me, and l knew him, although we were
both changed a good deal. After we had
talked little, and got used to each other, l
took him up to my room in the hotel. was
| in hurry to get at the business part of my
|
it would be better TO let him see, to begin
with, that l was not exactly poor, nor such
an ungrateful cub as may be he had thought
l was. 1t was my resolve that before we
talked of anything else 1 would get that mon
| ey off my conscience. l knew that then
could hold up my head, and discuss our neigh
Dor and old times and it would be plain sail
ing for me. l had pictured to my mind a
! dozen times how uncle Jason would look with
| hot, b,,oHolyS, bset with
| gold on his knee, steadying it with his hand
and talking to me. So when l got him up to
my room, and seated him in a chair, l began
the performance. got red in the face, and
fiourished round with the bag aud the gold
and to tell the truth l fully expected to make
the old mans hair rise right up. But it did
not work He got shaky and trembled, and
somehow did not seem to want the money at
all, and finally owned how it was. He said
that he had never given me q cent; it was all
Lucy Cary's doing. And she had made him
promise, on his everlasting Bible oath, as he
called it, that he would not tell. She had put
him up to the whole thing; even that first
two dollar bill had come from her wages"
My old classmate ceased speaking He
was becoming flushed and excited. He ga2ed
abstractly at the broad, blue mirror of old
Champlain, upon which he and had looked
together so often in the days of our youth.
Mr.. PemUer sat silently. Mrs. Pember
was whimpering behind her handkerchief.
Iventured the inquiry, "Have you seen
Lucy yet
Tompkins' face quivered he was silent.
Mrs. Pember's interest in the question re-
stored her "Tell us, have you seen her -
she asked.
81 heard of it yesterday" Tompkins repli-
cd huskily, with an effort.
"Why, Timothy, what is the matter i''cried
Mrs. PembeT, rising from her seat and com
ing to him, as he bent his head and buried
his face in his hands. The motherly woman
took off his soft hat, and stroking his hair
said, "You had better tell; it will do you
good" And then she put on his hat again,
aud stood wiping her eyes in sympathy, while
he struggled with himself.
The storm of feeling passed away, and
Tompkins, having gained control of his emo
tions, slowly lifted his face from his hands,
and sat peeTing out under his hat hrim, look
ing apparently at boat upon the lake. At
last he said in calm voice, "She is dead.
1t was very still after this announcement
The softest breath of June scarcely whispered
in tho pines overhead, and the vast landscape
below seemed strangely at rest in the feryid
brightness of the summer noon.
My old classmate was the first to break the
silence,
''Wen" said he wearily, "it must be about
time for dinner let us go to the hotel"
We took the little brown road, and walked
down a long, shaded quiet street. Memories
of college days and romantic summer nights,
with music and starlight, and the long, long
thoughts of youth came back to me, as look
ed at the houses and gardens familiar in col
lege days, and chatted about them with Mrs
Pember.
"Timothy always means well, said she to
me conddentially, reverting to the subject oi
which we were all thinking "but it was very
wrong for him to neglect that poor factory
, girl; don't you think soI"-1ttGRtfo K0HuLy
A Los Angeles rsucher has raised q pump
kin so large that his two children use hal
each for a cradle. This may seem very won
derful in the rural districts, but in this city
three or four policemen have been founC
asleep on a single beat. San Francisco Post
, A vigant sentinel is posted at the door o
picture gallery with strict orders of tn,
customary character. A sightseer happen
= along and is promptly halted Here, sir
you must leave your cane at the door. "But