The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-01-19

for fear of waking the old lady, who |
was a very light sleeper. A stone had
been thrown at the window. With |
noiseless hand she let white note,
taken from about her neck, down into |
the garden beneath.
"What are you up for, 'Gatha," said |
her grandmother suddenly, sitting up
in bed. 'Gatha stared.
go, nothing" she said, pouring out |
a glass of water, and, after drinking
it, going back to bed.
Dick, below in the garden, caught
the note, opened it and read
DARLING DICK
"Grandma has made me sleep with
her. Our plan, of course, falls through,
but l have thought of another. To
morrow morning, ut six o'clock, Mr..
Tidle is coming for the large bag of
sewed rags Grannic has made for rag
carpet. Betsy will substitute me for
the rolls of rags, and l can be carried
out into the wagon, placed on my
back and driven to town, and Grannie
be none the wiser, for | am ~ to spend
all morning until noon shocking corn
in the barn. The only thing for you
to do is to let Mr.. Tide into the Sc
cret and get his assistance. Don't fail,
or my heart will break.
"Y ours in haste,
"GATHA."
Dick pasted down to Mr.. Tides
weaving shop, reused the old gentle
man, and unfolded his plans.
Rather pesky business Dick, rather
pesky; and the old lady's powerful sharp
but I'll do my best for you lad he
said, when Dick concluded. And so
they arranged for the next morning!
Dick was to be at the turnstile with
a fast team, and 'Gatha was to be I'M
bagged and given into his care at that
point.
= X X X X
Six o'clock came. 'Gatha had been
up for two hours, and had breakfasted,
and betaSen herself presumablo to the
barn, but was in reality in the upper
hall, attired in neat, gray travelling
Dress with most bewitching bonnet,
on the side of which dropped two
dainty pink roses.
There comes Mr.. Tidle Betsy" said
tho old lady, from the kitchen window.
Y on go to let him in, and be sure he
takes the right weight of them ba S,
and don't break the balustrade bring
ing the bag down. I'll stand at the
window and see it safe in the wagon.
There's no telling where these men
folk will bring up too"
"All right 'um," said Betsy" heI
heart in her mouth, for fear the old lady
would take it into her head to come W
stairs. Coming down, not an hour ago
she had pounded and felt every ball il
the bag, and 'Gatha thanked fortune
she was not in it.
Betsy went up stairs, and let Mr.
Tidle in. The bag was quickly emptied
The balls were thrown helter-skeltel
into Betsy's room, and 'Gatha, smil
ing, trembling and blushing, was sen
swiftly and deity in to take their place
gray dress, pink roses, and all"
LA sakes." exclaimed Betsy, ssh
don't no way fill the thing up. HOLD
the top, Mr.. Tidle, while I get bal
or two to give it lumpy look
Three or four balls were placed abou
'Gatha.
That's enuf," said Betsy, the bun
net'll look like another" and sool
, 'Gatha, shaking with suppressed laugh
ter, was Torn down stairs by the faith
fvl etsy and Mr.. Tidle. On the wa
out to the wagon, Grandma's voic
from She raised kitchen window calle
out
"Mr. Tidlew
"Well, ma'm?"
, "Wat a moment. I want to tel
you about the weaving"
GAN right, 'um, "soon's I get thi
pesky bag inter the Vaughn"
q 'Gatha's heart beat again, as she fel
3 herself lifted from Mr.. Tides shou
der and laid safely on her back in tn
r bottom of the wagon. Mr.. Tldl
o took his penknife and cut a sma
G breathing place and then hurrie
back, His conversation lasted tie
. minutes, and then he was off at
steady trot down the road, his pr,
j, cious burden safe.
"Betsy," said old Mrs. Forsythe, IT
= turning to the kitchen, "sure's you liv
l heard rats jumping about overhea