The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-02-15


Five years have come and gone. 1t
is summer now and everything is fresh
and green. The birds sing merrily in
the old elm by the small brown farm
house, from the open windows of which
comes the busy hum of voices, mingled
with laughter and now and then song.
The family are preparing for visitor,
who is to come on the morrow-even
Joey himself, who has been gone three
years. Aunt Alice is busy in the pantry
making pies, snowy bread and golden
cake, for she expects hungry boy.
Ellen-now tall, slight girl of seven
teen-stands by the open window, clip
ping off the dried leaves from her
heliotrope and humming a new air.
Still singing she leaves the window and
begins to dust and arrange the furni-
ture to its best advantage, then opens
the door just as loaded wagon stops
in front of the house. A boy jumps
down, runs up the walk and hands her
letter for mother. Imagine their
surprise on opening the letter to find a
check for 500, with note running
thus:
Will Widow Reed please accent this piano
| for her daughter Ellen, and let her begin
lessons at once, and oblige
AN OLD FRIEND.
With EXPLANATIONS of delight they
fastened to inquire of the boy, " Who
sent it?" Where he got it," etc.
But to their questions he gave no sat
isfactory answer, Notwithstanding there
was roguish twinkle in his dark eyes
as he unloaded and helped Harold to
set it up in the little parlor.
I" l would like to try it," said Ellen
and soon the room was filled witt
melody. Rose, minus her hat ant
breathless almost, appeared in thu
doorway, dropping her basket of flow
ers and looking from one to another
in childish wonder. Then, clappine
her hands in glee, she bounded in
shouting: " Hurrah! o goody! goody =
Hush! Rose" exclaimed Aun
Alice, as Farmer Jones, hearing thu
music, "stopped in minute to Sc
what's going on" he said, for of lat
he had been a frequent visitor. An
Ellen, with flushed cheeks and beam
ing eyes, showed him her present an
the letter, and gave him a song. II
seemed pleased, and remarked, as h
rose to go:
"Guess | will bring Martha over t
: see it, eh?"
, "Oh," said Rose, after Mr.. Jone
, had left, I" | am so glad, Ellen; and oh
: he sent it, Ellen, he is so good"
=" He! Who?" asked they both i
chorus.
, "Why, Farmer Jones of course,
answered Rose, with a toss of he
yellow curls, 'cause l met him as
, was coming home, and he asked me
l had seen Ellen's piano"
5 And from that the secret came out
t 1t was happy group that welcome
8 Joey home the next morning. Eve
= Aunt Alice could find time to spend a
4 hour in the garden listening as b
' praised the neat white fence whic
n Harold was just finishing, admiring ht
a flowers, the new bird-house, the row {
nice young trees in front, and the
r Ellen and Rose took him over the far
8 and down to the river, and back in tin
for dinner. Then the new piano WI
: admired and music followed, until latt
:. the table was spread for tea under I'll
It shade of the great elm in the var
And Rose fastened away, returniI
: SOON lolloWeu ny raTIner JONES III
IL wife, who greeted Joey heartily ar
| joined them at the tea-table-a brigh
g happy party.
g And so it's all paid, my boy" sa
t. Farmer Jones, as after tea was ov
1t Joey handed him roll of bills. Wi
:, and have kept track of you, and ha'
t. seen how from cutting wood you we
% to teaching school, and finally into tn
>, store, working and studying all yo
odd time, till now the last cent is pa
g and the farm free. And now, my DO