Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-11-03

and agood nlShts rest Will DrlnS II IT
round"
There seemed nothing more to be said,
so he took light and proceeded to make
everything safe for the night, but long
after his good wife was asleep he lay
awake thinking of the pale face his
daughter had lifted for the good night
kiss.
Elizabeth was not likely to get the
strength her mother thought from a
nights rest. Until the first rays of
morning lighted up the east, she lay
thinking of the old days and living them
over again. She could not remember
the time when she and Will had not
seemed to belong to each other.
When they were children he had
drawn her TO and from school on his
sled, saved her the largest half of his
apple or orange, and fought all her bat
ties with vigor worthy of an oldcn
knight. When the years in their fight
made them no longer children, 1t was
always Will who at the close of meeting
or singing school, drew her arm through
his with an air of proprictorship and
started for the Allen farm. After his
mothers death he had not chosen his
associates wisely, but in spite of scorn
and opposition, without DISC
bcdicn &C, she had clung to him and
trusted.
Then came the affair at tho village.
One dark night a party of roughs had
broken into Squire Pcaslcy's barn, tied
together the legs of all his hens, nailed
up Whitcfoot's stall, and then climbing
the roof Of the ell had placed a board
soaked in salt water over the chimney,
The old gentleman, who lived alone, was
obliged to travel on slippery ground
TO the nearest ncighbor for help. The
villagers were justly indignant, and for
furnishing the miscrcants, but no clcw to
them could be found.
Will was away from home that night,
and suspicion rested on him rs one Of the
party until he could bcarit no longer and
decided to 60 away.
1t seemed but ycsterday--thcir parting
in the old trysting place.
Will had slipped the tiny gold band
he wore upon her finger it seemed but
thread of gold now-asking her to
wear it until he came back.
"For," said he, "IIl never come back
till can offer you name and a home.
Somehow the devil has had possession
of me lately, but bad as | am, would
scorn to do what they accurc INC Of
torture a feeble old mau. While you
believe and trust me, there arc plenty
who do not" And with last Good
bye, my Beth" he was gone.
When the first letter came addressed
to Miss Beth Allen, in WIll'sround, boy
ish hand, Mr.. Allen frowncd and his
wife scodcd, but when she was for
stopping the correspondence at once, he
said:
"Thcrc, there, MOTHER let the girl
write to him if she wants to; she won't
do him any harm, and can trust her
for q true Allen not to go far out OF
the way"
So the matter had dropped, and for
five years 'Liztbctl's letters were received
without comment; then they ceased sud-
denly and unexpectedly. For months
Elizabeth watched the mails with anxious
face. Mrs. Allen shook her head with
an 81 told you he didn't amount to any
thing" whe never there was no one but
her husband to hear, and Mr.. Allen wait
cd in silence.
Time does much toward healing such
wounds, and five years had made it
seem more like an unpleasant dream than
a reality, when the news of Wills return
came, awakening memories of other
days.
For once Mr. Allen was wcathcrwisc.
The snow had fallen through the night,
covering the earth rs with mantle, the
fcathcry flakes continued to come laz'ly
down until Just before IL O'Clock, then
there was n rift in the western sky and
when the old yellow sleigh stood at
the door the sun shonc as bright as
ever.
'Bo careful, father, and don't let
Elizabeth get cold waiting for you" "
was Mrs. Aliens parting injunc-
tion rs she came to the door to sec them
off.
There was just wind enough TO lift the
newly fallen snow aud send it in little
whirls to lie sparkling and glistening q
few yards from where it had fallen.
Robin was in excellent spirits, and Mr..
Allen declared as he drew up in front OF
the village pos,otlicc, that the distance
never seemed so short.
"Draw the robe close around you, dar-
ter, and don't get tired waiting. Pvc
got to bargain with Sam Chase about
that stove, but I'll be quick as | can
then we'll drive down to Burnham's and
get the book you mentioned" With this
and an extra pull to Robins blanket, Mr..
Allen was gone.
"Fathcr was right, the old sleigh is
more comfortable than the new one, u
'Lizabcth thought as she nestled down in
one corner, drawing the robe more close
ly to keep out the puifs of wind that
tried to find entrance at all corners.
While tucking the robe between the
cushion and the side of the sleigh, her
fingers touched something smooth like
paper.
zone of fathers old receipts; he's SC
careless" she thought, with fond smile,
as she drew it forth for inspection. Bu,
Il .,nnlnl 10 rh.,,, Ln,. M Ia