Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-09-08

- ~AS ~ Soi = eHOs sooid" 6no0 Dt-
came of her. Why should she care
so much to spare Widow Warner a
blow? If Fred knew what was pass
ing in her mind, he would doubtless
call her ameddlesome old piece"
and say he could take care of him
self. And SO, no doubt, he could,
but then, if he failed to do it this one
particular time; if he should not
come home on that Sunday train; if
he did go to New York with that
reckless looking young chap; if his
mother had the party and her boy
never came to it at all; surely that
would be too much to expect the
widows heart to bear. In some way
she must spare her if she could. At
first she thought she would go
ssfaight to the mother and tell her all
she had heard, but that would not
spare her the pain and would not
save the boy. And save him she
must, OF, at least, she must try. She
had gone no father than this in her
meditations, when touch on her
shoulder, and "Ticket, if you
please !' aroused her.
81 had no ticket. I had no time
to buy it,
'tWhere to, ma'am?'
"To Fitchburg-no, wait min
ute; l haven't made up my mind"
"Fare, one-forty, ten cents addi-
tional if bought on the train" sug-
gested the conductor, kindly, evi-
IDENTIFY thinking she had come to the
end of her money or her wits.
'What time do We reach Con-
cord?"
''In twenty minutes"
''Very well, give me a ticket for
Concord"
AT Concord she inquired what time
the next train went to Boston. and
quietly sat down in the station to
wait. She no longer hurried or blus-
tered. She had made up her mind.
She could even feel mildly impressed
by the fact that she was so near the
home of Emerson and Hawthorne and
Thoreau. She had been brought up
to ''admire" them alI-and after a
fashion she did; and part of the be-
Inefficient mission of these great souls
was to rest this little old soul, intent
on its own mission of good. When
the train for Boston arrived and she
was whirled back into the city in the
twilight, she was even able to get
40 winks on the train, so quiet and
settled in purpose Lad she become.
She took street car straight to the
clearinghouse in Hancock street.
where she always stayed when her
business kept her over night; but,
before she entered, she went to a
drug store and looked in the directo-
ry for importing house where Fred |
Warner was employed. She knew
the place of business would be clos
ed, but she noted the residence of |
two members of the firm. Having
engaged her room and left her par
GELS and told the landlady she was
going to look for friend and might
not return till morning. she sailed
forth again. 1t was now dark, but
Samantha armed with her umbrella,
had no fears. She knew the CITY
after 20 years of coming and gong,
and her head was clear enough ex-
cept when, as at the depot, it shared
the fiutter of her heart. She had no
trouble in finding Fred's employers
house, but in answer to the note sent
up, asking Fred's address, he sent
her that of clerk who had all such
TENS in his charge.
''Nothing daunted she tried again,
and this time with success-No. 14S
D." street was only five minutes
n the street car from the house of
her informant. And now began the
hardest part of her task, but even for
his she had courage. 1t took more
han she thought it would though to
ace the hard-natured boarding house
Keeper, who was summoned, in an
'wer to statement to a servant,
hat she desired to wait till Mr.. War
Ter should come in.
"Of course you can wait, if you
wish it, but no one knows when
'oung men will come in. Mr.. War
Ter and his roommate are often out
cry late. Indeed, no one remains
p for them as they have their own
.eys.
But Samantha was not to be driv-
n away by any suspicious glances or
consent.
81 am an old friend of his mother
nd my errand is very important" ,
he said, ssand [ must see him if /
'ait all night; / will just sit here,
am, and Mr.. Warner will take me !,
my lodging whe;, he comes in.'
And there she sat, her spectacles
n her forehead and her mouth puck 5
red up like a bag with the string /.
rawn tight, doing little, reading I
little in her pocket testament, but :,
'oking as determined as the granite ),
+ her native hills. And there the :
lndlady left her, after telling a I
servant not to retire until :
ne woman was gone. And there a !,
onng man found her, who jumped ),
'om cab that ratified up to to the )
oor about midnight, and entered