St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-05-22


being cleared that very next winter
He was already indebted to him, how
ever, and it would be very different
thing if he were the debtor of the eager
heirs.
So with all this in his mind he ques-
toned Mrs. Peak anxiously, and they
concluded that Mr. JOhnson's end was
not far distant.
"Of course he made great effort to
! get to the table on account of its being
Thanksgiving" said Asa, sorrowfully,
''but I'm afraid he'll give right up now.
I'd ride right over to see him to-mor-
row, bat can't get away. 'Tis right
in my busy time; I'm buying up a
great deal of wood this fall, and some
of 'em are bringing it in now on wheels
instead of waiting for snow
"The snow does keep off late this
year" said Mrs. Peak. Here it's the
first o. December, and there's only been
one furry that was hardly more than
a hoar-frOst.n .....
They had reached the little gray
house behind the lilac bushes, where
Mrs. Peak lived alone, aud as she I'M
locked its sidedoor and went in, it
seemed strangely cold and lonely.
81 must look about for lively kit
ten," she said to herself; ''they're
sight of company, and what trouble it
gave would he no harm. ! declare it
makes me feel lonesome all the folks
have always been used to knowing
seem to he dying off. | always set a
good deal by Daniel Johnson"
Two neighbors looked up the road
little later than this through their
| kitchen windows, and seeing IA light in
Mrs. Peaks kitchen also, said to them
selves that she might he lonely that
evening without anybody to speak to,
and they would step over and hear the
news. They met at the door, each
with II shawl over her head and her
knitting-wO in her hands, s,-and were
welcomed most heartily.
Mrs. West, who was very fond OF
talking, began at once to describe her
experiences Thanksgiving morning,
when she found that the eats had
stolen into the pantry during the night,
and mangled the turkey so that it was
| only fit to be thrown away. 1t was
too late to get another, except a rack
of bones fit only for II lantern, that had
| been left at Fale's store.
81 didn't know what in the world
| would do. There was all the folks
coming; his sister and all the child'n,
and my brother and his wife, and we
| three at home are middlin' hearty
but there: we made ont with the
| chicken-pie and Il siare rib put right
in. 1t so happened | had one that was
| thawed An | took those cats and
sonsed 'em well in tub o. water. after
I'd give 'em as good II beating as
knew how. And after while they
stole in half froze, and set by the stove
meek as Moses with their paws tucked
underneath 'em, and when I'd look at
'em they'd NEW at me both together
'thout making sound. For all was
so worked up, had to laugh"
They all laughed again at the cats,
while Mrs. Peak acknowledged that
she had just been thinking of getting
kitten, but such accounts as this
were discouraging, Mrs. West
promptly offered her own virtuOus pus-
sizes, which amused the little company
very much.
"You haven't told lis yet whether
you heard anything over at Peters
ham," said Mrs. Rogers, the other
guest, at which Mrs Peaks face grew
long.
81 had Il beautiful visit with MARTHA"
she answered, but I've been feeling
anxious to hear again from old Mr..
Daniel Johnson. Jesse's wife came in
and said he seemed very feeble. He
didn't make no effort to get ont to
meetin' Thanksgivin' Day, and Martha
said she'd noticed he looked pale and
kind o wizcned up two or three weeks
ago"
81 suppose the cold weather pinched
him up.n suggested Mrs. West. ''Well,
he'll be Il great loss"
81 heard from him direct this morn
ing" continued Mrs. Peak, mournfully.
81 called to Jesse's oldest boy as he
went by, and he said his grand'ther
wasn't any better. | asked if he was
a-bed, and he said, mo- He's got
sight o resolution | shouldn't wonder
| if he didn't take his bed ut all"
81 don't see how they'll pay their
minister the salary they give him now,
when they lose Mr.. Johnson" said
Mrs. Rogers. ''He's always ready to
| give, and he does what he can for his
folks. | shouldn't wonder if he hadn't
| but IL little property left, after all he's
had to do, and being out O business
| for some years now"
"He's kept his money a-movin'," OBJ
served Mrs. West. "There aint no
such businessman about here, but
there's been plenty o. hands reached
out to take what they could get. Well.
tits all over now he won't last great
while if he's as feeble as you say. His
father went just the same way only
kept the house week, and his bed the
last day"
~ should have gone right over to
see him myself yesterday" said the
hostess, "but it kept raining steady all
day, same's it did here, | suppose"
"They'll be likely to have his funeral
from the meeting house, w0n'J they ?"
asked Mrs. Rogers, solemnly; but no
body could answer her question.
Next day being Sunday, and most of
the congregation coming from the scat
tered farms, there was the usual ex-
change of greetings and inquiries for
news. And in this way the sad story
of Mr.. Johnsou's last illness was spread
far and wide before night. And in
passing from one to another, the re-
port became every hour more serious.
At last some one ventured to say, that
iudging from what she had Just heard
the poor man could not now be living.
And the listener felt justified in an
nOuncing that Mrs. Smith thought there
was no doubt that he was dead.
! Late on Sunday night Mrs West
I brought the news to Mrs. Peak.
"He heard it from some one who
stopped at Asa Fales's, but there wern't
no particulars :" and Mrs. Peak said
one had no idea Mr.. johnson would 90
so soon. 1t was great shock to her.
us much as if she had not known of his
illness.
death is always sudden at the last, y
said Mrs. West, 'iI snDpose vou will