News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-02-19

'Oh, they are beautiful - assente
Isabel, reused to enthusiasm at last.
"And I don't mind saying, Isabel
they shall all be yours, one of thes
days, if-mercy upon us-what's tn
matter with the child ?''
For Isabel had sprung from her sea
like frightened hare from its form.
'A face, grandmother-a pale, rigi
face, looking in at the window throug
the darkness without"
"Oh, pshawT" cried Mrs. Kesley
''there amt a soul lives within tw,
miles of us. Who on earth should b,
Iookin' in at my winder? ?'
'I don't know" persisted Isabel
''but did see face"
Mrs. Kesley opened the door ant
looked up and down.
CT told you so p she nodded triumph.
antly, closing and boiling the door.
''Not creetur to be seen, not so much
as q stray dog. It's your fancy,
Isabel %
And not all her granddaughter's pro-
testations could convince the ancient
dame to the contrary.
But about half an hour afterward, just
as Mrs. Kesley was spreading the round
cherry table with cloth of home-spun
damask, two-tined forks and plates OF
some foreign ware, curiously decorated
with unlikenesses of birds, bees and in
sects, knock came to the door. and
Isabel started again, almost as nervous
ly as before.
1t was beginning to snow softly, as
Mrs. KesIey opened the door, and the
crooked little figure that stood there was
powdered over with the white drift-ai
old woman wearing a crumpled black
bonnet, and an ancient brown cloak with
double cape descending below her
elbows.
"Who be you?" curtly questioned
Grandmother Kesley, ''and what do you
want disturbing honest folks at this
time O. night2"
'1'm LOUSY Ann Paddock" was the
humble and conciliating reply, "and I
started to walk from Hollyford to stay
a spell with Mrs. Squire johnson below
here-she and my mother was first
cousins, you know and somehow I've
got belated, so calculated you'd keep
keep me all night, on pinch p
"Humph !" grunted Grandmother
Kesley, 81 amt acquainted with Mrs.
Johnson, but I've heard she was
dreadful likely woman Well, walk in,
Mrs. Paddock-it's an ugly night to be
out alone in, and although we amt no
great hands for company, guess you
can put up with our ways Won't you
lay off your things ?''
"Ihankee r said the new conner, in a
regular New England twang. "TII
AXE off my cloak, but If it's all the same
o you, I'll rather set with my hood on
: 7~I-a dreadful SlbieaL4o neurology n
lie face p
And all they could see of Louisa Ann
2addock's face was the startling brigh
yes that were yelled beneath the screen
# pair of spectacles.
''She's queer-lookin' old creetur,
int she ?" said Mrs. Kesley, in whis-
yer, as Isabel helped her ladle up
lishful of delicious, limpid ''apple
auce" from a stone jar of the same,
hat always stood on the second pantry
ihelf. Bu Isa ,el did not answer-she
vas watchi g tn, envious crouching fig
ire through he half-open door.
81 suppose I am fanciful," thought
least gran lmother always says
80; but do IL nix the face is Just the
same that was fl tte led against the win
low when she was showing me the box
Of old-fashioned jewelry. 1 wish we
hadn't let her in. I wish there was a
man about the house. 1 wish"
Dear heart alive, Isabel, what on
"a th be you doin' ?" scoIded Grand
mother Kesley-"h "holdin' the dish SO
hat all the sirup's runnin' out?
And Isabel, with blush and start,
vas forced to own her absent-minded-
les5
Their own utter helplessness, their
OWN isolation and distance from aid
the rich old jewels in the wooden casket,
and the pallid face at the window, van
sizing almost instantly as it app cared
hese, combined with one or two dis
repancies in the conduct and appear
snce of their nninv;ted guest, filled
Isabel DarHn g's.heart with vague alarm.
People had been ruthlessly murdered III
their beds before now, for treasures less
than these, and, had an oppor-
unity presented itself she would fain
have taken council with her grand
mother upon the subject. But even as
she pondered, the newcomer rose to get
a drink of water from the stone, pitcher
on the table. One or two long, Wig
orous strides, and then catching a
glimpse of Isabel's startled face, the
sOid-iSant Louisa Ann subsided once
more into the halting limp of old age
But that one instance of forgetfulness-
had been quite sufficient to confirm the
young girls already aroused suspicious.
81 was right" thought Isabel, her
heart beating wildly. 81 was right
She is 10 woman, but man in disguise.
And Grandmother Kesley never sus--
poets Oh, what, what shall L do?"
At that moment Mrs. Kesley rose,
and. taking the shining brass candle
stick, began slowly to climb the steep
stairway that led to the attic of the one
story dwelling.
"For 1 s'pose," she thought, "the
poor, tired creetur II be glad to get to
bed; and L may as well see if the little
cot in the north chamber is all right,
with blankets enough to keep off ones
death of cold"
Isabel had risen instantly to follow
her, when, with one forward stride,
''Louisa Ann Paddock" closed the door
at the foot of the stairs and drew the
bolt.
"Stay where you are p uttered low
voice in Enthusiastically masculine &C.
cents.
Isabel uttered wild scream.
"Help!' she shrieked, involuntarily
the watchword, although she
knew no human ear was nigh to respond.
Help For heavens sake do not
murder us, two helpless lonely women p'
''IsabeI -
In an instant the brown cloak and
hood lay in lump on the floor, and she