Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-12-07
Gretty's Trust.


hills at the present moment rosy-pink
with the SUMS parting rays. But up
from the green valleys gray blue
shadows were creeping and driving
the pink away.
Far beneath him were hills and
valleys, village and lake, and a
streamlet meandering through dark
pine wood. Very beautiful, all of it.
but its beauty was entirely lost on
Won Hausen, as he sat there on his
stone thinking aloud, after the man.
ner of solitary men who are well up
in years. He cared no more for the
scenery than did any of those bats
that, like birds of evil omen, went
sweeping past him and past him,
and round and round his head. g
"Virtue always triumphant y he
was saying. 'sPah mere sentiment,
mere moonshine."
The fact is, Won Hansen had been
to the play IN the village down yon-
der only the evening before. He had
spent no less sum than twenty bat
zen on those strolling actors. Not
for any pleasure it would give him,
had he gone, but Gretty, the prettiest
girl in all the village, had asked him
to take her. She could not go alone,
she SAID, and Rudolf would hardly
return from chamols- hunting for
days to come.
"Virtue always triumphant Yes,
that is what she said. Pah money
is. Ha! ha! And [ have that. O,
my worthy, but poverty-struck friend
Rudolf, you may return when you
please; Gretty will marry Won Hau-
sen. Old? Eh? Who calls me old 2"
He took snuff as he spoke from an
old horn, sending the powder home
with his finger-point, and it must be
confessed he looked anything but
handsome as he did so, for he wrin-
kled his brows and twinkled his eyes,
and leered like an aged baboon.
'Old? Let me see seventy last
birthday. Merely in my prime. Ten
years more, and I'll be only eighty
twenty, and I'll be but ninety; then
l may grow old. Eagles renew THEN
ages Why shouldn't-aha !" he
screamed, ''yonder is an eagle" !"
He started up as he spoke, and.
with eyes turned skywards and fin
ger pointing up, began tottering for
ward step by step towards-destruc-
tion-a precipice fully five hundred
feet deep lay at his feet; he was or
the brink of 1.-THE next step would
have been his last.
But rough hand seized him by
the coat collar, pulling it up till his
head sank within, like monks in
his cowl, but dragging the old maj
back at the same time.
"Tired of your sinful life, ole
bird?" said the newcomer, rougl
good-natured chamois hunter, will
gun in hand, and bag On back, nor
sci of feather stuck jauntily in hi
hat just to show the village maidens,
he used to say, that Bernezell was still
q bachelor.
''Old bird !" cried Won Hansen, re
seating himself on his stone. "Wht
are you calling an old bird! Your
as bad as any one else. Humph y
"Well, | say" said Bernezell
s'this is gratitude ! What are you 60
ing to give me for saving your neck
eh?'
ssNeck? What? O, yes, to be sure
Well 60 down to the village, and II
pay for a pot of lager
ga pot of lagerp' cried the other
laughing. ''Is that all the value yo
put upon your-ha! ha ha!''
"Value I put upon my ha-ha-ha
What dye mean? You're uncommon
ly like a fool p
"Well well, perhaps / am; but
say, friend, you're in a fine tempe
tonight. Any one been vexing you?
The old man grew all smiles an
leers in a moment. His face lighte,
up like a withered lemon with the af
ternoon sun on it.
"No!' he chuckled, taking anoth
er pinch, and digging his friend i
the ribs. 'On-the-contrary. Wa
at the play last night with Gretty
Ha! ha! Ho! no ho! She doesn
mourn long for her hunter. An
look here; she's going to marry me.
"Marry you"
SAY, she promised-that is, sh
will promise when [ ask her. Br
now come along down and have th
lager. Keep your hands TO yourself
Do you think / want your assistanc
to get upp'
ST beg a thousand pardons, old
i mean you merry young grouse
S you Here, ] say, hold on; don
:. leave me behind. Why, you g
e bounding along like young stag
u ssYoung on the legs, eh p
81 should think you are
k They were seated very shortly
: the village tavern. They hadn't tai
en- long to go down hill.
"And now," said Won Hausel
. "I'm going to unfold my plans. B'
\ here, let us have another pint"
r ssWhat can the old heron mean,
muttered Bernezell to himself, ST
t. such reckless liberality. Somethir
D in the wind, ! know. The gray haN