The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-10-30

and the mist rolled slowly up the sides
OF the mountains, the stage, numbering
along the muddy street, and in it two
travellers of an unwontcd type. The
loaiers smoking on the veranda of the
hotel held their breaths with amaze.
ment as they saw stately old gentleman
descend and hand out, with ell the unc-
tuous grace of the old school, lady so
beautiful so pensive and young, that
she seemed like one of the pale flowers
pushing its head up through the snow in
the barren woods. But the rabid in
quirics as to the identity left the natives
no wiser, and they were obliged to sleep
on the mystery. The next morning,
however, the keeper of the hotel came
on the vcranda with piece of gossip.
The old gentleman had sent for him and
made special inquiries after one George
Payson, who had died in February.
No one knew of such man, and this
information, or rather lack of it, was
conveyed to the old stranger, who gave
his name as Henry Scranton. lie seemed
greatly astonished and disappointed. and
later in the day hired a team of noun
tain ponies and the only wagon there
the mining camps. On the way he re-
ncwed his inquiries without success. At
last, however, he happened to mention
that Payson came from Boston.
'Thar's chap at Stevens mill they
call Boston," said the man he ad-
dressed. 81 reckon he'll know about
the man you're after
The wagon was driven to Stevens
stamp-mill, and just as the old gentle
man was assisting the young lady to
alight his eye caught sight of a
familiar figure directing some workmen
hundred feet away. He started a
little, took a long look at the man who
had attracted his attention, and then
turned to the young lady with an as
sumed expression of nonchalancc.
"My dear" he said, I'm afraid we
haven't been rightly Informed about this
man"
"Why2" she asked, dejectedly. "What
makes you think sol'
"Wcll, the fact is" he replied sit
has just occurred to me that there might
be some mistake about those kilograms
we received last WINTER
"Do you mean about the date9" she
asked, cor the place."
The old man was trembling and he
moved so that his tai form shielded hel
from the group of Norkingmen.
"Not the date nor the place" he re
turned, laying one hand impressivcly on
her shoulder "but the man
She let her check fall on the hand
upon her shoulder with the quiet patience
of dumb animal.
I'm sorry, father, if you have had all
this trip for nothing but as for the rest
don't know that it matters much. We
might as we'll 90 back to the hotel.
"Wcll, no." said the old gentleman,
81 don't think that would be the best
thing TO do" lie drew her mantle
about he and held it closed in caress-
ing manner. Now, if you will Just try
to remember. Eunice, how everything
works together for good, and how apt
sorrow is to turn into joy She
burst the mantle apart and laid her hands
upon his arms
Father" she cried "what joy could
come to me noWI'
He stepped aside and pointed to the
central figure of the group Of men.
Whatever the emotion she experienced,
it swept over her like flood and carried
away on its tide the detection and the
misery that had made her face remark
able. She made no sound, but stood
ike one entranced, while her mind and
her heart adjusted themselves to fresh
circumstances. Then she walked quietly
up t. the group of men and laid her
hand against the arm of the tall fair one
who was directing the others.
"You see, I've found yoa, George"
she said, softly.
Then, as he turned toward her and
showed his recognition in a quick flash
of joyous incredibly, the cry that could
be restrained no longer broke from her
lips, and throwing herself upoa n heap
of dried branches on the ground, size
sobbcd as if she had found her lile's
sorrow instead of Its joy Cnicago