The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-08-04

out that he intended TO reside NJ
Wheatlands Hall, on the home farm,
thenceforth, and to look personally
after his affairs. But we anticipate.
How Edith got home from the har-
vest field she never afterwards could
tell. All she remembered was that she
had rushed into the house and flung
herself on her knees by the side of the
bed, and had sobbed out wildly, "Oh,
motherl mother dear, the cottage isn't
going to be Sold l have his word
for it,"
1t had been nearly an hour after that
before she could rally her dazed facul-
ties sufficiently to give her mother a
coherent narrative of what had tran
spired. She had scarcely finished when
there was knock at the door, and a
boy from the store-keeper brought sew
eral parcels, containing tea, sugar,
coffee, biscuits, a ham and various other
edibes.
" Master says as how he heard the
missus was i'll" said the boy, and so he
sent these things, reckoning as how
you was too busy to come and order
'em. You can pay for 'em when times
is better, and you can have as much
as you like after this"
If Edith had suspicion that some
| kind intercessor had caused this credit
to be given to her, she had no
proof. She pondered over the prob
lem as she prepared hasty meal for
her mother, and had just cleared
the table when there was a knock at
the door, and on opening it she saw a
high-bred, middle-aged lady, dressed in
! N ,,1o hut otx,1ioh ,rolEincr
who asked, with kind smile and a
voice the very echo of young Mr..
Wheatlands' when in its softer mood,
if Mrs. Miller lived there; and, on be-
ing answered in the affirmative, said .
81 know that she is i'll, and don't see
strangers, but tell her that Judith
Wheatlands is here; we used to know
each other when we were both girls,
more than twenty years ago. How
much, my dear''-this to Edith, who
held the door open for her" you look
like your mother when she was your
age"
Mrs. Miller, at sight of her old friend,
seemed to be almost well again. The
two talked of former and happier times,
when the poor invalid had been the
belle of the village, and then of the
years of separation, and the changes
that had taken place, until the twilight
fell, and Mrs. Wheatlands said she
must 90 or she would be belated
81 had not heard of you for ever so
long, YOU see," she said, 60 and was too
anxious to wait even till tomorrow
We went abroad when Castor was
quite young, that he might be educated
in Germany; and we have been there
ever since. | don't know but that we
should have remained there still if
uncle had not died and CASTOR heard
things about his lawyer here that made
him think we had better return. We
arrived only last night, quite uneX-
pectedly, and my first inquiry was fol
you"
Our story is nearly told. Lawyer
Jupp during the long illness of old
Squire Wheatlands, that lasted fol
years, had usurped the entire manage
ment of the Gresham property and haC
come to regard himself as responsible
to no one. So he had given way to hi:
natural love of greed eXtorting brides
for forbearance from all debtors who
were behind, and mercilessly running
those who could not bride him. Wher
, ! luG Olu squire ulcu uc IcdSOllcu lld
the heir would remain in Europe, an(
so became more cruel and eXacting.
was a rumor of this conduct that hat
brought young Mr.. Wheatlands home
, the way we have seen.
1t was not many months before Edit
, became bride. Young Mr.. Wheat
lands never forgot that look in thu
harvest field; it was case of love a
! first sight; and not with him alone, TO
to Edith he was always her red eros
: knight" Everybody said she made
the most popular mistress that had eve
lived at Wheatlands Hail. The reason
was that she carried with her into he
, new and envied position the SAM
simplicity of character, the same de
votion to others and the same noble
ness which had distinguished her il
t her years of poverty.-Selected.