, 1883-06-02

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the sandy Street, and Octavia was
gOne-really gomez
Cyrus went back to his forge slows
ly but that day he did not sing.
Letters from Octavia We're neither
long nor frequent but she wrote
sometimes. She told Cyrus about
her "Adht Bucks silver glass bell
knob and the 'parl6r carpet and
sometimes she said she wished he
wOuld set up in Lewiston; she
would like to live.there.
After all she did better than Cy-
rus. Composition was hard work for
him. He said apen was too small to
git a good holt On = and he told d
confident In the village store that h8
had iruther shoe ten yoke o. oxen
than write one letter.
II was hong fall and a long win
ter to poor Cyrus. He was glad Oc-
tavia was so happy. He was glad
the mills were so gay, and that she
no longer found everything the
same. For himself, he would have
found the days well-nigh unbearable
except that he had planned II great
surprise for OTTAWA, and WIS very
busy in preparing IT. In the fall,
even earlier than he had hoped, he
had bought the coveted piece OF land
beside the forge, and had his cellar
dug and the house well along before
winter. 1t was a small house, but
every part was arranged with hum:
bic, loving thought for the woman
who was to be its mistress.
Il want everything ez handy's a
thin can be made he said to Silas
Chapman, the carpenter. Il want
everything done to save steps an
make things easy. Woman's work
is hard enough, make the best Of 1t
We WILL
He even sent to Portland for a
door bell with silvery knob, such
as Octavin had written about. PeO-
pie in China Valley did not have
door bells, and there was much talk
about what Octavia's pride would
bring her lover to, for nobody laid
the ad1r bell to CytAs.
So he worked through the short,
dull days Of winter, through stormy
March and windy April. Spring
comes with such chill reluctance 10
these northern New England towns
that even on May day bns still -es~
snow-drlfts lying along In the shadow
Of stone walls and In the heak
meadow hOllOws. Only the nev nj
shoots Of the naples and the greea
and brown catkins on the alder und
witch-hazels give hop - risslt
gracious season.
One afternoon in carly May, Cyrus
was sitting in the village store with
II number Of the choice spirits who
freqnented the place. Tie had ust
come from his new house, now al
most finished. He had the key on
his foretlnger, and swung II to and
fro as he sat on on nail keg by the
stove.
What ye ben movin' into yer new
house, Cy " asked Silas Chapman.
Not much,' answered Cyrus Il
thought nights wal move my own
things over from Deac6n Dunlap's.
Gdhg as l got my own house, no use
in payin' board to the deacOn's as
know on
THE plaster amt rally dry, though
said Silas. 'Ye want Ito keep the
windens open an give the wind a
chance to draw through, Takes plas-
ter consld'able Of time to dry in the
spring, We know
Yes agreed Cyrus, absently. He
was rather interested in a game Of
fox and geese which Nathan Pettin-
gil and Ben Thayer were playing on
a starch box cover, with beatis and
corn for the fox and geese. Present
ly there was a rumble without, the
snap Of a whip, and . loud whoa =
The store keeper %ho was also the
postmaster, went to the open door
and caught the mail bag as the dri;
yer tossed it to him. Hain't seen
nothing o them suit fish, 'spose p
he asked.
Wal, no. returned the driver.
They wasn't to the Falls. asst for
'em. But them dried apples
ye sent Jabez willliins tole me to
tell ye@ The cldnisy stage horses
started with an ungainly jerk. See
ye-when comeback along he
finished spasmodically.
The store keeper came schufling
back in his red-leather slippers trod-
den down at the heels He threw
the mail bag down on the counter
and began to hunt for the key in his
pocket. we don't seem u take no
great ihtruss in yer glh; Cy,' he
called out, presently.
what do ye mean p dsked Cyrus,
flushing suddenly.
She was on the stage tonight, !
said the stoHe keeper.
'Octavy Freeman was |? asked Cy-
rus, starting to his feet, quite regard
less Of the winks, grins aud nudges
Of his friends why couldn't you
"a spoke on 1t sooner, Job, while you
was about itT
Job Perkins was a pOnderous man,
slow Of speech and comprehension.
'Ef I'd "a ben exTlectin' Of her. he
said heavily, like as not sh'd ID
kdowed who twas. But, beln' as
she wasn't in my mind, an ! not en-;
PectiP to see her, why, II wasn't
borne in upon me who 1t was TIL
'Lias had whipped mp. She's soft o
changed, too, Octavy has I'd know
as twas much wonder l didn't know
her either, jest at first. She booked
why, she lodlSed like a suInnser
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