The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-09-18

old lady: sis that child crazy? Come,
Peter, let's sec what she means"
And the two good people followed
Jane to the damp spot where Tom, sud
denly smitten with aguc, lay delirious,
half in and half out of his leafy hut.
lie could say nothing, and Jane, mind.
full of the warning he had given her over
and over again, would tell nothing OF
the poorhouse, and only said they chad
no parents" and that Sshc was his
"wife."
"Wherevcr they come from we must
take 'em home tonight" said Mrs,
Morton. "Poor babies You carry the
boy, Peter; I'll fetch the little gal"
Jane looked up thankfully into the
old lady's face, and said: "Wait, please,
till | get the child"
The child7" cried Mrs. Morton.
Gland sakcs!"
Then Jane dived into the hut and
brought forth her doll, with its scorched
features and yellow robe; at sight OF
which the old lady laughed so heartily
that she had much ado to get into the
gig again.
The children were comfortably housed
that day, and the whole truth was
coaxed from them at last, but no one
had the heart to return them to the poor
house. Jane staid with Mrs. Morton to
be brought up as "help,' and Tom was
apprenticed to a carpenter. The limo.
cent little family was broken up; and
"the child" carefully treasured in James
trunk-for soon she had a trunk of her
own and clothes to fill twas only a
memento Of the past.
4
SO the years glidcd on. Jane grew a
tall, slim girl; Tom big brown young
man. There was no sign of being "town
poor about either of them. They were
wholesome, well-fed, bright young PEG.
pie as you would wish to see But one
Saturday afternoon Jane, washing the
dishes beside the kitchen window, look
ing up saw Tom gazing at her, and
blushed rosy red which certainly was
odd in wife Of so many years standing.
"Come to ask you to walk a little, if
you will, " said Tom.
Jane promised to come as soon as 'the
chores" were done and this important
act being duly accomplished, put on her
round hat and clean white apron,
joined Tom, and the two, saying very
little, sauntered down into the woods
and along the wagon path to the edge of
the little brook that with all the changes
that had come to them sobbed and CUR
glcd just as it did long ago.
Remember this place."
eyes. said Jane shyly.
"And how, when we were town poor
we ran away and thought we were mar
ried, and had our house and farm, Jane?"
yes" More shyly than before.
''It's long while ago." said Tom.
"But this place doesn't alter much !;
seems just the same. You haven't al
tered, either, Jane. You were very,
very sweet, then"
No answer.
"Jane, said Tom, "I'm going to have
another little house, some bigger than
that we built thcn--not much and a
little garden where our beans will grow
Will you run away with me again, Jane,
and call me husband for good? I'll try
to make YOU more comfortable than did
then, my dear
There was hand laid softly on the
young girls shoulder, and Tom looked
down into the blushing face. Suddenly
the tender eyes were lifted and their
lips met,
Land sakes2" exclaimed good Mrs.
Morton, wiping her eyes as she kissed
the girl, who had become as daughter
to her old age. Land sakes. Going
to be a real man and wife after all. -
James ". HutcheS0n.