The Portland daily press., 1889-08-22
THURSDAY MORNING. AUG. ss.
GOING TO SHREWSBURY,
BY SARA oRNE JEwETT,
lAtlarlic Monthly.1

almost off her unsteady old feet and we
moved on. AT my first glance saw only
perturbed old countrywoman, laden with
large basket and heavy bundle tied M in
an old-fashioned bundle-handkerchief then
l discovered that she was a friend of mine,
Mrs. Feet, who lived on small farm, sever.
al miles from the village She used to be re-
nowned for good butter and fresh eggs and
the earliest cowslip greens; in fact. she al
ways made the most of her farms slender
resources; but it was some time since / had
seen her drive by from market in her ancient
thorough-braced wagon.
The brakeman followed her into the car
also carrying a number of packages. /
leaned forward and asked Mrs. Peet to sit
by me; twas great pleasure to see her
again. The brakeman seemed relieved, and
smiled as he tried to put part of his burden
into the rack overhead; but even the flow
cred carpet-bag was much too large. and he
explained that he would take care of every
thing at the end Of the car. Mrs. Peet was
not largeherself, but with the big basket, and
the bundle-handkerchief, aud some posses.
sions of my own we had very little spare
room.
$50 this ERE islwhat you call ridin' in
the cars! Well, 1 do declearv said my
friend, as soon as she recovered herself
little. She looked pale and as If she had
been in tears, but there was the familiar
CLEAN of humor in her tired old eyes.
''Wbere in the world are you going, Mrs.
Peet?" asked.
Cant be you amt hears about me, dear %
said she. "Well, the worlds bigger than /
used to think t was. I've broke up-'t was
the only thing to do and I'm a-movin to
"To Shrewsbury? Have you sold the
farm ?" 1 exclaimed, with sorrow and sur
prise. Mrs. Peet was too old and too
characteristic to be suddenly transplanted
from her native soil.
"'T want mine, the place want" Her
pleasant face hardened slightly. HE was
coaxed an oyer-persuaded into signiD' off
before he was taken away. Is'iah, son of
his sister that marred old Josh Peet, came
how he'd do for him like an own son, an we
owed him little somethin'. I'd paid off
syerythin' but that, an was fool enough to
leave 1t till the last, on account O. ls'iah's
bein' relation and not needin' his pay much
as some others did. It's hurt me to have the
place fall into other hands. Some wanted
me to go right to law; but 'twouldn't be no
use. Is'iah's smarter'n | be about them
matters. You see he's got my name Onthe
paper, too; he said twas somethin' bout
bein' responsible for the taxes. We was
scsnt O. money. an l was wore out with
watchin' an bein' broke O. my rest. After
my tryin' hard for risin' forty-fve year to
provide for bein' past work, here l be, dear,
here be! used to drive. things smart, you
TO put about everythin' that we had safe in
the bank into that spool factory that comes
to nothin'. Butt tell We could ha' kept
myself longs lived, II could ha' held the
place. I'd parted with most o. the wood
land, if Is'iah's coveted it; he was welcome
to that 'cept what might keep me in oven
wood. I've always desired to travel an see
somethin' o. the world, but I've got the
chance now when don't value 1t no great"
Shrewsbury is a busy, pleasant place"
TO say eg OF pass M ths Sag1
of Isaiah Peet, who had always looked like a
fox and behaved like one.
"sSrewsbury's ben. held up consid' able
for me to smile at" said the poor old SOUL
s'but tell We, dear, it's hard to go an live
forty-two miles from where you've always
had your home and friends. 1t may divert
me- but il won't be home. You might as well
set out one O. my old apple-trees on. the
beach, soft could see the waves come In -
there wouldn't be no please to it,
"Where are you going to live In Shrews-
bury?" i asked presently.
81 don't expect to stop long, dear creatur'.
I'm most seventy-six year DID," and Mr..
Pest turned to look at me with pathetic
81 said right out to Is'iah, before a roomful
o. the neighbor, that / expected 1t of him to
git me home an bury me when my time come
and do it respectable; but wanted to arm
my livin', IL twas so could, till then. He'd
made sly talk, you see, about my electin' to
leave the farm and go long o. some O. my
own folks; but"-and she whispered this
carefully-''he didn't give me no. chance to
stay there without hurtin' my pride and de-
folks, but all must have suspected. A good
sight on ems had money Of Is'iah, though,
and they don't like to do nothln' but take his
part an be pretty soft spoken, fear it'll git
bygones, and not think of it no more;" but
saw the great tears roll slowly down her
cheeks. and she pulled her bonnet forward
impatiently and looked the other way.
There looks to be plenty o good farmin'
land in this part O. the country" she said,
minute later "Where be we nowP See
them handsome farm buildin's; he must be
well-off man." But 1 had to tell my COM
panion that we were still within the borders
of the old town where we had both been
like girl. "Pm expectin' Shrewsbury to
pop up any minute. I'm feared to be carried
tight by. / want never aboard of the cars
before, but I've so often thought about Fem
! don't know but it seems natural. Amt It
lcSb llk6 Hylu tuEUuku buO dl Can
catch holt to see nothin'. Landl and here's
my old cat goin' too, and never mistrustin'.
l amt told you that I'd fetched her,"
us she in that basket" / inquired with
interest.
have her put out O. the misery O. changin',
an spoke to one o. the Barnes boys, an he
promised me all fair; but he want there In
season, an kind O. made excuse to myself
to fetch her along She's an old creatur'.
ffvns ongT NAL In IN
some way or'nother; there's probably mice
where we're goin' an she's proper mouser
that can about keep herself If there's any
sort o. chance. Twill be somethin' O. home
both on us goin' to miss our old haunts. I'd
love to know what kind o. mousin' there's
goin' to be for mel"
"You mustn't worry" answered, with
all the bravery and assurance that could
muster. "Your niece will be thankful to
have you with her. Is she one of Mrs.
Winn's daughters?
"Oh, no, they amt able; it's sister Way
lands darter Isabella, that married the over
seer of the greet carriage-shop. amt seen
her since just after she was married; but
turned to her first because knew she was
best able to have me, and then can see just
how the other girls is situated and make me
some kind of plot. l wrote to Isabella,
though she is ambitious, and said twas so
I'd got to ask to come an make her visit,
an she wrote back she would be glad to have
me; but she didn't write right off, and her
letter wab scented up dreadful strong with
some sort O. essence, and l don't feel heart
ened about no great of a welcome. But
there, I've got eyes, an can see how Ills
when / git where It's. Sister WINS girls
amt married, an they've always boarded.
an worked ID the shop on trimmin's. Isa-
bella's we'll off; she had some means from
her fathers sister. thought 1t all over by
night an day, an recalled that our folks
kept Sister Wayland's folks all one winter
when he'd failed up and got into trouble;
Pm reckonin' on sendin' over tonight an,
gittin' the Winn girls to come an see me an
advise. Perhaps some on 'em may know OF
somebody thatll take me for what help
can give about the house, or some clever
folks that have been lookin' for smart cat.
anyways; no, don't know as could let her
go to strangers.
"There was two or three o. the folks round
home that acted real warm-hearted towards
me. an urged me to come an winter with
'em" continued the exile; san this mornin'
wished I'd agreed to. t was so hard to
break away. But now it's done ] feel
more'n n ever it's best. couldn't bear to
1--we right in sight O. the old place, and come
spring should MT prove of anything Is'iah
undertakes to do with the land. Oh, dear
sakesI now 1t comes hard with me not to
nave mad no child'n. When l was young an
workin' hard and into everything, / felt
KIND OF free an superior to them that was SO
blessed; an their houses cluttered up from
mornin' till night, but l tell We 1t G )mes
home to me now. I'd be most willini In
own to even Is'iah, means he Is. hut taIl