The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-06-11

some way she found herself rising to
her teet to greet a gentleman who was
tsking off his hat to her and bowlng
with grace which even Grandfather
Brantome would have approved.
"Miss Brantome, I believe"
She acquiesced in silence.
81 am gathering materials for an
historical work, and was directed to
you for information concerning the
antiquities of this region. And l
might as well say now that have ref
erences and all that sort of thing"
"Then you are not" She stopped;
he smiled.
mo, l am not exactly bug man,
as these little fello ws have called me,
although l must plead guilty to a
slight leaning in that direction. Yet
just now l would joyfully part with
the biggest bugs of my collection if in
exchange l might examine your grand
fathers papers"
He was so gracefully genial that one
could no more be absurdly dignified
with him than with the golden robin
singing on the Indian cross.
"Will you walk inp"
Il will sit out here instead if you
will permit me to do So"
So Popsey and Wopsey dragged a
chair and then stood motionless and
wonder-eyed listening to the talk of
discovery and adventure. They did
not understand it very well until the
conversation turned to Indian lore.
Indians and bears they could compre-
hend. Then the mother, attracted by
a strange voice, drew near the door in
her melancholy, wasering way. ri
"The postmaster's wife thought that
La Sale was an Indian chief" Char.
lotte was saying, "and she had heard
of Father Marquette, but supposed
him the priest down at La Paz."
II met a woman the other day who
thought herbarium was bug" re-
marked Mr.. Duncan. Then they laugh
ed.
But everything comes to an end.
The boys began dumb show behind
the strangers back to indicate to their
sister that they were perishing of hun
ger; SO she let the conversation lag in
order to end the call.
"Come tomorrow and see the papers
if you like" she said. ut will be Sat
urday, and Ishall be at home to answer
questions"
He thanked her and withdrew,
jumping over the rail fence which
skirted he field of rye, in order to get
nearer view Of the cross, on which
not one, but dozen, golden robins
were holding vesper conclave. And
the tea-kettle was soon singing in the
Brantome kitchen song as gay as
| that of the robins, and Charlotte was
not her careful self as she picked the
Strawberries for tea.
"Half of 'em green" said the dis.
gusted Wopsey. aspect she's think
ing of the bug man."
\ x x X
1t certainly was astonishing how
much consultation the Brantome man.
uscripts needed. And. too Mr.. Dun
can required 80 much assistance. 1t
was Miss Brantome, will you kindly
read this list while l copy ita" or.
miss Charlotte, really l can't make
out whether this is an or an l." all
the while. Grandfather Franteme
would have begun to inquire as to
marriage settlements and Scotch pedi-
grees had he been alive to see those
chestnut locks. innocent of bangs. and
that dark mustache in such dangerous
proximity. 1t was the old story-two
| young heads bending over the same
page. No word of love had passed.
All was on strictly business basis
the history of the missions of the
Northwest the objective aim.
But at last there was no excuse fol
lingering any louger. The hills across
the prairie were red and gold, the rob
ins had fled, and the grain around the
little burying- ground had been cut ant
slowed away.
Charlotte was walking home as uslt
al. Far away in the road two moving
dots appeared. which developed into
the twins as they came nearer. Tear'
were cutting briny furrows down theil
not very clean cheeks. Hysterical sob'
alone came from their mouths as they
tried to speak, but finally the sisterly
intuition eliminated these words from
the chaos:
"Mother has runned awayl She said
she would if we didn't stop pounding
and we didn't. and she has runned"
| That poor motherl She had mad,
the same threat hundred times be
fore, but had been pacified.
L
| (Which way?. Tell me quickly
thinking of the river, so tireless and s,
cruel.