Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-12-07


Gle Ben curiousy, "and from what you said
Just now about one passionate man, sup
pose you have determined already tcho To
favor. hope your public spirit will be mp
preciated by Indian Spring al least-if it isn't
10y those two men.
"You lay low and keep dark and you'll
see" returned his companion with hope
frlness of speech which his somewhat anx-
ious cagerncss however did not quite bear
out. But you're not goin' yet, surely"
he added as the master again abstracteclly
consulted his watch. "Its only half past
four. It's true thar nin't any more to tell,
he added simply, 'but had an idea that
you might hev took to this yer little story
of mine more than you pear to be, and
might he askn' questions and kinder be
devlin' me with jokes ez to what | was goin'
to do-and all that. But ppraps it don't
seem so wonderful to you after all Come to
think of it--squarely now" he snid, with a
singular dependency, 'I'm rather sick of it
myself-eh -
'Mv dear old boy" said Ford grasping
both his hands, with swift revusion of
shame at his own utterly selfish abstraction;
IL ain g., ioyed at your good luck. More
than that, / can say honestly, old fellow,
that it couldn't have fallen in more worthy
hands, or to any one whose good fortune
would have pleased me more There And
if I've been slow and stupid in takin' il in,
it is because it's SO wonderful, 80 like fairy
tale of virtue rewarded--as if you We're
kind of male Cinderella, old man ~ He had
no intention of lying-he had no belicf that
he was; he had only forgotten that his pre-
vious impressions and hesitations had arisen
from the very fact that he did doubt the
consistency of the story with his beicf in
4. 4. -.l,.l L..
self now So sincere that the generous reader,
who no doubt is always ready to admit her
perfect equity of his neighbor's good work,
will readily forgive her.
In the plcntitude of this sincerity, Ford
threw himself at full length on one of the
long benches, and with gesture invited
Uncle Ben to make himself equally at his
ease. Come, " he said, with boyish 9aietv,
let : hear your plans, old man. To begin
with. who to share them with you? Of
course there are the old folks at home first
then YOU have brotherS-and perhaps sis
ters?' He stopped and glanced with a smile
at Uncle Ben; the idea of there being a
possible female of his species struck his
fancy.
Uncle Ben. who had hitherto always exer
cised severe restraint-partly from re
spect and partly from caution-over his long
limbs in the schoohonse. here slowly lifted
one leg over another bench, and sat himself
astride of it, leaning forward on his
elbow, his chin resting between his
hands
LAS far as the old folks goes, Mr.. Ford,
I'm kind of an orphan.
"A Kind of orphan = echoed Ford.
Yes" said Uncle Ben, leaning heavily
on his chin, so that the action of his jaws
ierked his head forward as if he were i'm
parting confidential information to the bench
before him Yes, that is, you see, I'm all
right ez far as the old man goes-he'S dead :;
died way back in Mizzouri. But ez to my
mother, it's sorter betwixt and between
kinder unsartain. You see. Mr. Ford, she
went off with a city feler--an entire stran-
ger to me--afore the old man died, and
that's wot broke up my schoolin'. Now
whether she's here, there, or yon, can't be
found out, though Squire Tompkns allowed
and he We're a lawyer-that the
old man could get a divorce if he
wanted, and that you see would
make me a whole orphan, eff ! keered to
prove title, ez the lawyers say. Well--that
sorter lets the old folks out. Then my
brother was onc't drowned in the North
Plat, and | never had any sisters. That
don't leave much family for plannin' about
does it p
NO, - said the master reflectively, gazing
at Uncle Ben, unless you avail yourself of
your advantages now and have one of your
own | suppose now that you are rich,
! you'll marry"
Uncle Ben slightly changed his position
and then with his finger and thumb began to
| apparently feed himself with certain crumbs
IL, Ii
cheon baskets and were still lying on the
bench Intent on his occupation and with
out raising his eyes to the master, he return
ed slowly.
We'll you see, I'm sorter married
already"
| The master sat up quickly.
'What, you married-now?
''Well, perhaps that's question. It's a
good deal like my beein' an orphan-oncer-
tain and onsettled.n He paused to pursue
an evasive crumb to the end of the bench
and having captured it, went on, at was
when | was younger than you be, and She
warn't very old neither. But she knew a
heap more than | did and ez to readin
and writin', she was thar, tell you, every
time. You'd hev admired to see her, Mr.
Ford" As he paused here as if he had ex
hausted the subject the master said inpa
! tiently,
'Well, where is she now -
Uncle Ben shook his head slowly. :"
amt seen her sens | left Mizzouri, goin' on
five years ago.
But why haven't you? What was the
matter - persisted the master.
"Well-you see-I ruined away. Not
she, you know, but II scooted, skedaddle(
out here. -
"But what for ." asked the master, re
garding Uncle Ben with hopeless wonder
something must have happened. What il
it? Was She
''She was good schollard,' said Uncle
Ben gravely, ''she allowed to be sech, 10y
all. She stood about'so high, - he continued
indicating with his hand medium height
war little and dark complected.'
"But ,or must have had some reason fol
leaving u.4.?'
eve sometimes had an idea, - said Uncl
, Ben cautiously, that mebbe runnin ava,
ran in some families. Now, thar war IN,
mother run of with an entire stranger, an'
yer's mo ez run off by myself. And villa
makes it the more one-like is that jest n
dad allus allowed he could get a devorc
| 70 .1t1I srnt nm