Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-02-18
The Capture of Silas Green.


of a large, old-fashioned country
house, il was cheerful and cosy. In
the great fireplace a bright wood fire
is burning, the blaze brilliantly re-
flected by the large brass andirons
and fender. The room was furnish
ed;with old-fashioned but handsome
furniture, and the stately old lady,
who sat in a large rocking-chair at
one side of the fire knitting, was just
in kesping. with the room and its fur
nishipg. BY the window sat two
youre girls, utilizing the last rays of
the fast-disappearing daylight, in
knitting fleecy, white wool into pref
ty toques. They were granddaugh-
tiers to Mrs. ROLAND, the old lady
that sat by the fire, and had come
from the city to spend the holidays
with their grandparents, and also see
for the first time toboggan chute.
There said Mabel, the youngest
of the girls, 81 can not see to knit
another stitch" and putting her
work on the table drew low chair
to her grandmother's side, and
said coaxingly, CHOW, grandma
dear, it is just the time for story
about old times"
'sWell, Mabel, was just thinking
it was about this time of the year
and showing as it does this afternoon,
when your grandfather was driving
with sheriff to Jefferson, to try to
oyertake the man who had broken
into the store, land who, they thought,
was on the way down through the
White Mountain Notch to Portland"
so grandma, do tell me all about
it. Come, Annie
Eyes, indeed, I'll come; a few
more stitches will finish the row;
there, am all attention now," and
Annie drew an easy chair to the fire
and sat down, saying ''make it as
thrilling as you can, grandma we
need something exciting this stormy
afternoon"
was only nineteen, began Mrs.
ROLAND, when / was married, and as
| have often told you, was quite too
young,a and went to live in small
village in New Hampshire, only about
twenty miles from the White Noun
tains. That was the place where
your grandfather commenced business
with few West India goods, as gro
ceries were then called, a small stock
of liquors,-it was customary for all
merchants to keep liquors for sale at
that time, and there were no laws to
prevent or regulate the sale of it,
some dry goods, and a variety OF
small articles such as were kept in a
country store then. We boarded
with Mrs. Wilson,a widow, who lived
in one of the best houses in the vii
lage, all alone, with the exception of
an old maid by the name OF Peggy,
who was housekeeper, maidservant
and manservant.
Mrs. Wilson was an invalld,and
had given up all care of the house
keeping to Peggy. l know when we
oh boarded
Mrs. Wilson said it was just as Peg
gy said and as Peggy was willing,
we gladly took possession of two
pleasant chambers the large, square
front room with the fireplace made
us nice sitting-room.
Peggy kept everything about the
sitting-room in perfect order, and she
was on excellent cook, but | soon dis
covered that she was not always IN
the best of humor, and found it was
better to keep out OF her kitchen,
when, as she expressed it, 'she felt
cross enough to bite a board-nail in
two But usually she was very kind
to me and would bring me such nice
lunches of crisp cookies and election
cake.
Mrs. Wilson accounted to me for
Peggy's sad temper, by telling me
.she had met with a disappointment
in love that had soured her DISPOSE
ton / had not been there long be-
fore / discovered that she had hard
ened her heart against all mankind.
They were all desperate deceavin'
creatures, in her estimation, but when
/ heard how 'Silas Green, that was
Peggy's recreant lover, had beguiled
her into letting him have two hun
dred dollars of her small earnings, land
then absconded into Canada, did
not so much wonder at her opinion
of 'men-folks.
Peggy was not good-looking. She
had a tall, angular figure, long
nose, large mouth and pointed chin,
but if she was not handsome, she had
a good voice, and could sing songs
very well. / used to go down to her
nice, clean kitchen, on the days when
she was in good humor, and get her
to sing. Her reply to my request for
a song would always be- can't sing,
I'm as hoarse as a crow" But when
| would say,'O Peggy, just try''Lord
Lowell"
sob, Annie, that is the song l
sang at the old folks concert. l have
forgotten how it begins, but isn't
this it, grandma!
go where youEgoing, Lord Lowell" she said,
so where are you going?" said she.
al am going, my dear Lady Nancy Bell,
Strange countries for TO see, see, see,
Strange countries for TO sees