The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-11-16

'Well, sir, / am informed that your
horses arc for sale. | suppose this is the
span. l am wanting TO buy, and as | was
passing near here this morning | took the
liberty of calling, although knew it was
Thanksgiving day. to see if we could
agree on terms. What is the price you
have set on your spanW
Mr.. Norris drew his hand across his
brow.
81 cannot remember" he said,
"though Janet and were talking it
over this very morning. But everything
slips from my mind so since my fall.
Janet will know; you just step inside the
barn, sir, and you'll find her. IIo, Janet
here's a customer for the horses" lie
I led the horses on toward the watering
trough, and the stranger stepped inside
the barn, and at the same time spoke the
name he had heard Mr.. Norris speak, but
in different tone: ",Janet!"
1t was a voice that brought Janet from
the hay-loft with wide glad eyes and
crimson cheeks and a palpitating heart.
And no sooner did she catch sight of the
stranger than she flew to him crying:
"Oh, my love, my lovcw and flung her
self upon his bosom in passion Of tears.
But five minutes later when Mr.. Norris
returned, leading the horses to their stalls,
he found the two in quiet conversation in
a distant part of the stable. A little
later he went into the house and left them
still talking, so confident that it would
all DC managed right if he left it to Janet
And it tired him 50 to think.
After time Janet came to the house.
She went to the kitchen, where she found
Mrs. Norris. who looked up at her with
an expression of surprise in her brooding
eyes.
"Why, what has happened to you,
Janet, that your checks are all aglow
Haveyou sold the team for a fortunef"
cay" laughed Janet, and then draw
ing nearer. she said: Mrs. Norris, a
man has come to buy the team and pay
the mortgage on the farm, and, on, Mrs.
Norris, forgive me for deceiving you all
these years. but | ain married woman,
and this man WHO has come is my hus-
band, and he has money to pay up all the
debts and make us all home while we
shall live. Did not tell y on that some
thing might happen"
But Mrs Norris drew back. the dark
cloud upon her face growing darker.
" So" she said, slowly, = this
accounts for your seeming kind
ness, Janet Dyer You have been
scheming al these years to get the
house and farm in your own hands,
to be mistress here, and now it's done,
and you pretend you want us to remain
-paupers-charity objects under your
roof. Never; Janet Dyer. my husband
and | will starve in the street first. You
would soon tire Of us, you and your hus-
band, whoever he may be. We will go
at once and leave you in fall possession
of your home. All, the world is all alike,
seliish-sctish to the core. knew some
selfish purpose lurkcd under all your
seeming kindness. | knew it because
you were human. No, no. we'll not
tax your hospitality longer Janet Dyer"
But just then the door opened and
Jancts husband entered, and sprang
past her, and took the aged woman in
his arms saying very gently us he claspcd
her to his breast:
but, s,pposing Janct's husband was
your lost boy, Ansley, mother, who had
just come lack to make your old age
blest, would you not dwell under his
roof!' But lie spoke to scnsclcss ears,
for Mr.. Norris, with one Glad cry of
"Ansley, my boy, my boy" had swooned
away to Inconsistencies.
After she recovered there Was n glad
day Of Thanksgiving at Norris house.
| And there was long story 10 tell how it
ali happened.
Anslcy had been SHOT in Il gaming
room, and had been taken 10 Il hospital
for treatment.
Janet was one OF the nurses there, and
, they had loved each Other AT sight.
AS soon as Ausley was cDnvalcSccnt he
had told her his story, had asked her to
marry him, and, as soon a. the ceremony
was performed he had started for the
mines OF Colorado. But, first, he had
made Jane. promise that she would go
/ into the neignOorhood where his parents
resided, and remain somewhere in their
vicinity until his return.
Il want you to be near them to keep
guard over their old are, - he said, land,
beside, | do not want to leave you in the
city / shall feel far safer concerning
them and YOU both, and l shall not come
back till / can bring money to pay up all
past foiiies, and make home for you
and them, Janet
Janet had gone as he directed, and the
very day of her arrival in the neighbor-
hood had learned of the mislortunes
which had belallcn the Norris family.
I With fear and trembling. she had pre-
sentcd herself at the door, with what re-
suit we know.
Years seemed TO fall from Mrs. Norris
face during the Thanksgiving Day, which
restored her lost faith in God and man,
even as it restored the long-lost son.
And something of the lost spirit and
vigor seemed to return to Mr.. Morris, for
a time at least, and Janet was radiant,
and she set about preparing a feast lit for
kings For Ansley Norris had come
home with pockets full Of gold and silver
from the mines of Colorado. And so,
after all, there was glad and happy
Thanksgiving Day a, Norris farm, and
no one sent up n more earnest cry of
gratitude and praise than the softencd
heart of Mrs. Norris, us she chung to
Janet and whispered;
II l. nnvar wise tO lose faith in God