The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-05-18

Prue, and she mends them before
Bridget scolds 'em, just as if they'd
be her very own"
"a fine stepmother she'd be
making" observed John. "They do
be saying in the village that it's
her cap she is setting for the parson."
"That's just the way of the gossipsl
If a man takes to a woman it's always
she that is asserting of her cap for him.
The parson ought to ask 'em to pick
out a wife for Linn and suit their
selves"
"And then there's others who says it's
her money!" persisted John, who, like
a fair historian, was bound to state
both sides "an' that he come here
a-purpose to marry her"
"a gr, at deal they knows about it,
cried Jane. 81 heered him tell her,
with my own blessed ears, that when
he vas called to this ere parish he
never dreamed that she lived here.
They must hev knowed each other, you
see, when they was young, afore Miss
Prue came into her g~reat-uncle's prop
erty, and came to live at The Elms; for
| hear 'em talking now and again of
folks that don't belong hereabouts.
And she says, 'Do you remember the
day we went hither and the day we
went yon?' And he says, L remem-
Der, l remember and looks away from
her face. l thinks, myself, he must
have been an old beau of hers. l sees
'em together a heap, you know, bring
ing in the tea things, and the lamps
and pottering round"
cat the keyhole," laughed John.
"Anl I've never found 'em love
making onct, though | steps quiet-like
John, as you know, and it isn't like
opening a door to push the portiert
aside"
1t was toward night, n sum.
mer day, that Miss Prue, looking ou'
on the lawn, where the shadows of the
leaves were dancing, saw Mr.. Miller
no unusual sight-coming toward her
door. He had been out of town {
whole week on business; Bridget hat
COnfided to Jane that he had "gon,
away suddin', after a telegraph in
yaller wrapper come tor him." but HI
had been at home several days without
darkening, or, to express her feeling
better, Illuminating Miss Prue's door
Naturally, she wondered what his er
rand hal been; if he had had a call tt
leave the parish; and at that thought
her heart stood still.
"You have been away" she said
after the first greeting.
Eyes. l hope you did not suffer
from an invasion of young Miller
during my absence"
"'We met, but we missed you,''
she admitted. 81 hope your vacation
was a rest and recreation to you"
"My journey was not a pleasure
trip, Prue," he said. MY wife dieC
suddenly at the asylum on the 9Th O.
the month"
"Your wife" gasped Miss Prue
"Your wife-died-on the 9Th of tn,
month l though Austin Mr.
Miller--I thought she had been deaI
years and years |"
81 thought you knew" he returned
II supposed everybody had heard Of
it: it was too sad a story to rehears.
often or needlessly. 1t was in all tn
dailies at the time. You must hav'
been abroad then. Amy was in he
cradle when Lefty left me-elopet
with her music teacher. Two year
ago she went to the asylum-mad a
Hamlet. Prue, Prue," he cried, cd
you think 1 have hidden anything
from you? Is not the loss of tifteel
years of happiness enough? Shall he
ghost divide us still?'
"And / have been loving anothe
woman's husband all this time" sh
said, moving away from him. Heavel
only knows how far her Puritan con
science would have carried her, bu
just then Jane burst in the room
crying:
Its little Tom Miller-the peacocl
fell into the river, and Tom jumpe
in to save him-and the birds safe
but Tom-the cramp took him-John'
brought him up the bank
And then Jane tainted away. l
was hours before consciousness II
turned to Master Tom, and weeks be
fore the roof of The Elms could b
exchanged for that of the parsonage
owing to a fever which succeeded. Nj
Miller and Miss Prue passed many
watchful night at his bedside. an
many a day of sickening dread; but i
was a year and better before Mis-
Hildreth could forgive herself fo
having loved another woman's hu'
band and before a wedding which ha
been belated fifteen years took plac
at The Elms.-The Continent.
No Place Like Home.