Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-13
side. Icame to visit him. lad nct


Isabella's just stewing up, and"
Isabella p repeated John Malryatt.
"Shes the old woman in charge--my
sister" explained the ancient warder Of
the castle "Ain't much to look at, but n
proper good cook
But said Mr.. Marryatt, 81 don't
think i care about sleeping in the room
where Uncle Origen died.
The old man stared ut him with dull,
CLASSY eyes.
"Eh ?" said he. "Wby not? You
don't b'lieve in sperritooalism, do you -
"Nonsense ! cried Marryatt.
"Then why amt one room as good as
another ?" asked the old man stolidly
"Nevertheless, ! would prefer to go on
| to the nearest hotel" impatiently uttered
| John.
"Ain't none short G uevcn mile" said
the odd man. "And that's only sum
mcr machine. They don't run it arter
the waterfalls friz up. But there's II
freight train, with passenger caboose
hitched on, that stops at Cutting Corners
at midnight"
"Where is Cutting Corners p
eight miles away"
"And how the dickeus do You suppose
am to get eight miles from here, when
| it is pitch dark already p cried Marryatt
| with not unnatural irritation.
There's Jenkins one-hoea wagon, "
mildly suggested the old man. "Im 60
in to jenkins Directly, arter Il box o.
stove backing, paound o taller dips
and quarter of a paouud o green tea
for Isabella. L can tell Jenkins to come
raound and cart ye to the station, Of ye
don't grudge a crown
"By all means, said Mr.. Marryatt hur-
riedly. "And while you are gone, Isa-
bell, as you call her, can give me some
supper
He sat down in the old low-ceiIed room
where the rag-carpet seemed neither
brighter nor DINNER than it had done
twenty years ago, and warmed his chilled
feet before blaze of swapping logs ;
while old Isabella, who might have APP
peared crcdiIably at any tableau us the
(Which of Endor," crept around an iron
pot which swung from prodigious crane,
and got supper, after = slow and inefli-
cient manner,
"Pretty gny in town this winter ?" said
old Isabella, brandishing her spoon over
him, in the manner of on incubation, as
she watched him cat the rabbit stew. after
it was dished.
81 suppose so.
"Tm a-thinkin' of goin' there myself, !"
said Isabella, mumbling her toothless
Jaws,
"To take situation q asked Marryatt,
inwardly thinking that he could not con
scientiously give hera recommendation as
cook.
"Bless your art, NOT said Isabella,
tsT l-pny- a COO 1o,,toiD tbora min T. ,t
ried and they tell me the gals is all
pickin and choosin' for themselves, now
that leap year has come round. Any
how, I'm tired O. this place and 7 don't
sec why my chance amt rs good rs an
othera."
Mr.. Marryatt stared at her in mute
amazement, while he secretly dcplOred
the sad case of the unsuspeoting sta.clp
tain.
"P'raps you wouldn't mind keepin' Il
heye on the fire." said the Isabella,
"while Jest go over and lool; 70 see if
Simon has locked the hen-housc Simon's
dreadful forgetful."
And she bobbled away.
At the same time there came loud and
emphatic knocking at the outer door, and
q stout country girl, with cheeks of that
:
been vanished. very black eyes. and
coarse black hair, walked in, well wrap
ped up in q red-and- green plaid shawl
damaged helmet.
I've come for Mr.. Marryatt, said She,
without any ceremony of introduction.
"Instinctyely our hero backed against
the wall.
T,NVbot ~ or;,1 l,o
you're Mr.. Morryatt, amt you o. SAID
she.
"Thats my name" retreating still far
ther behind the stiff wooden backed chair.
where Uncle Origen used to sit and smoke
his pipe.
"Well, I'm come for YOU. You amt
deaf, be you? Im-come -for-you -
eyes but-I--"
"Ihere amt no time to lose" bawled
this daughter of eolitudes. Selling him by
the arm. This here's your baggage ~
grasping the valise in the other hand.
This was Leap Year with vengeance,
thought our perspiring hero.
With one desperate struggle he freed
himself
81 won't go p said he. 'Nothing can
compel me to, against my will"
"You won't?" said the checked dam
sci.
"No, 1 won't" said Mr.. John Marry
att.
"Then you will miss the train, as sure
| as serpents y said the red checked dam
sci. "And it won't be no fault of mine.
Father has had the rheumatics, and
promised him 1 would come for YOU"
"Oh, the train-I see, cried Mr.. Mar
ryatt. 81 didn't quite comprehend your
meaning at first. Yes, I'll come imme-
diately."
And the d.cheeked damsel, WHO proved
to be no despicable charioteer, ratified
down the frozen mouutain-road, with
considerable skill and energy, reaching
the solitary station just as the freight
train came in sight around a curve.
So, Mr.. Marryatt arrived in town just
IN time to see the sunrise glow irradiate
the rcd-brick chimney-pots behind the
Delavan House.
"Not married yet" he said to himself :;
but will be as soon as possible, ii she
will have me. I'll run no more such risks
as this !"
That very afternoon he called mt DR.,
Mere's house and proposed to Avice-and
Avice accepted him. Yes, she actually
accepted him
"But did you really say that, asked
Avlce, feeling it her duty to admonish
her swain n little" that-that You didn't
want to be married against your will ?'
'Of course | said it," answered Mar
ryatt, "and ! meant it. / don't intend to
be married against my will intcnd TO
be married with it. And did you really
say you wouldn't marry John Marryutt
for thousand pounds?'
"And | wouldn't !" cried Avice, looking
up with sparkling eyes. Not for twice
that money; but-but just because l love
him -
So they both We're happy, and laughed
Origen's house.
And when Pnnnlnnn PnyEnn nnyt an,r