The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-25

When little Phlllis came to school, and
Jim and l ran races to ask to see her
home or to fetch her to singing school or
Sunday night meeting, then, stranger, we
knowed the first trouble of our lives.
Somehow we grew cold like, and before
that year was ended we did not speak.
One night Jim and l met at her house.
was seventeen then, and Jim was over
eighteen and as big as man. He had a
beard, almost, and he was as handsome
as picture. lie didn't know that was
there, or don't think he'd called. /
had been there about an hour, and just
before the knockcr sounded Phillis had
told me the old story we all of US love to
hear so well, and felt as happy and
light hearted as a lark. When Jim came
N and saw us sitting in the little old par
lor he seemed to know just what had
happened like flash. For moment |
thought he'd do something he'd regret
sometime. His face got so black and
sulcn and his eyes got ugly. Phillis saw
it, too, soon as did.
"Jim, said she, her voice trembling
Just little. Jim, l want you and Bob
to shake hands and be friends
"Thcn got up and held out my hand !;
though, to tell the truth, l felt sort of
nervous
4" Jim,' she went on, her voice get
ting stronger and her face getting sweet
or and sweeter. 4 want you to love Bob
again just as you used to, becsuse-be-
cause-I love him so much. Won't you,
Jim2 for-my sake
II wish you could have seen jim just
then, stranger. never saw the good in
man fight so hard with the bad and
come out ahead in all my life before or
since and never expect to again. He
stood there by the open window just as
if he'd been carved out of stone. l didn't
know whether he'd heard what she said
or not, he was so still. Then just as l
was about to take back my hand jim
took it in both of his so hard / almost
dropped. Then he threw his arms
around my neck, kissed me on my lips,
Topped down on chair, stranger, and
cried like baby. Phillis, the little
woman, cried too and there We all were
with our arms around each other crying
like women and not any of us knowing
what we was crying about.
"That settled things with us. After
that we was brothers just like we used to
be. Well, it's long story, and guess
you won't care to hear it all. So I'll cut
it short. When was twenty one was
married. Jim was our best man, and my
oldest boy is named james Churchill
Brown. About year or so later jim
married. She was cripple and sup
ported her mother doing sewing. But
if she had been q royal princess jim
couldn't have treated her any better
After he got on the road he built her 9
little house near us and there they lived
and there these little tots came into til,
world. About a year ago Il little boy
came to their cottage, but he only stayed
a day or so, and when he went back tt
where he came from he took the littl,
mother back too, and these little ones
were left behind. jim never lost hear
though, but the blow nearly killed him
lie stood up under it as brave as lion
and you'd never have known from hi
face, except that he didn't smile the way
he used to, that he knew what sorrow
was. One evening last wcek--it was al
off-day with Jim--hc and Phillis was ou
walking by the creek that runs through
my meadow by the red barn. 1t wa
just dusk and my little boy was running
on ahead playing in the snow when the
, came to the railroad crossing. Just a
they got there Jim heard whistle. !
wasn't time for the regular train, so h
wasn't watching for danger. 1t was
special and it was coming round tn
curve like lightning. My little jim wa
, playing on the cuvcrt. Phillis heard tn
whistle, she saw the boy on the track
| and heard the rattle of the engine just q
q if it was dream Then she gave littl
scream and fell down on the road in
faint
.'East Creek" called out the conduct
or, as the train stopped again in tn
storm.
ooh! Uncle Bob!" cried the littl
6 maiden by my side. 'Look out tf
= window There's Aunt Phillis and cou
in Jim and there's grandpa and grandn
: and what a funny long black wagon tn,
: is! Look! Look" she continued as Il
farmer gathered together his charges an
started for the door. ''They are putin
a black box in the wagon, and AuI
j, Phillis is crying awful hard"
eyes" replied the farmer as he brusl
ed away tear from his eyes. "Yc
= that's Jim Churchill, stranger, in th
? box. ."--Benjamin Mortlrop an Graph