The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1891-07-16

Ireached the house. warm and tired
With bat and dinner pail dangling 90 ny
/ arm. 1 entered The house With my usua
careless sir. and bad ins, opened my
mouth for IN exc.snlation oi wesriness'
when suddenly. 40 very suddenly that
slmcss los, my sell possession. fonaa
myself lace 10 lace With the handsome
! stranger
4 There be sat. 10 the ''parlor corner
Of our one room, 10 our best chair. seem
| insly taking an immense amount OF com
! fort
May said my mother; this is Mr. Ma,
sou, . civil engineer. who has some work
10 do In the country. and Who wishes
board Tor fsw days nv daughter
sir,
Mr.. Mason bowel courteously, smiled,
too, aud revealed q row OF beautiful white
teeth beneath Amustsche. black. heavy
aud with an exquisite drcop ss the ends.
fell ID love right thea and there ~ preci
pitstely Is poor Slim bad done.
Pardon me. said Mr.. Mason. but can
this be the young lady saw this morn.
ing =
Trying to steal your handkerohieff !
interrupted, l fear | must plead guilty
Mother looked surprised, and Mr.. Mason
and myself joined 10 explaining the inci'
dent OF the morning.
Johnny looked the stranger over upon
being introduced and grinned his admirs'
,ion aud approval. Later we oil sat down
to tea. Mr.. Mason vas most intelligent
and agreeable. and ah. what heavenly
change for girl who had not seen good
looking young man for monthsl Aud what
q trea, bis refined and cultured manner
and Language TO mother and myself. after
so many weeks OF Sims doleiul dialect.
The days jast few by, and We were oil
sorry when his work was done, and he
had no further excuse for staying. How
ever, he was stationed at the village, ard
it " ss an easy matter for him TO drive out
and see us, which be did once or twice
week. During Mr.. Mason stay Slim had
called but once or twice. He was not fav
orably impressed with our visitor for
some reason, and during his visits, he sat
with such look OF Injured innocence up
ON his bilious countenance that 1t was
relief when he took his departure.
One blessed day. when Mr.. Mason had
called at my sehoolhouse Just before clos
ing hourp, aud we had started homeward
in the sweet summer evening, and he had
told me the old old story that is ever new
and | had said the old aud ever new yes
and the earth was nothing but garden Of
straw berries and roses. and we had finally
reached home because We Just simply
couldn't walk any slower we found Slim
seated 10 his usual place, looking AS though
the last feather had been added to his bur
den, nervously twisting and twiriing bis
hat, while mother sat pear, looking very
embarrassed aud uncomfortable. That
our coming was joyful relief to her ! ss~
at a glance. and with the same glance read
the whole story. Mother had been asked
to share Sims Government land. garden
truck aud all. and she had again cast him
down into The nethermost depths OF des
pair by firmly. but kindly, refusing the
offer.
Poor Slim. He looked simmer than
ever that night as we watched him go over
the hill TO bis lonely habitaiion.
Then Mr.. Mason told mother our story
and gained her consent. Johnny volun'
| teered his opinions, and characteristic con
prstulations; 9; then the usual amount Of
happy talk followed, and for time Slim
was forgotten. But after while our
minds went back to him.
/ really felt sorry for the simpleton'
mother said; but couldn't help 1t. could
| II
! dout see how You could. unless you
we're to marry him. said MIR. Mason. .laugh.
ing. Poor fellow. am sure l.feel sorry
for him, aud his arm stole around me 10
| the dark.
Slim visited Us no more after that night
Nv marriage with Mr.. Mason WAS appoint
ed for the first OF September. My school
had closed, and was very busy and hap.
| nv and so absorbed were both mother and
| mvself that our neiohbor was, for time,
foruotten. But one day, when we were
both enjoying a ride with MIR. Mason, ~
bethouebt ourselves OF our neglect. and
concluded it would be neighborly to call
and invite Slim to the Wedding.
Accordingly We drove to his house. which
in reality was one Of the best residenc ces
| in the country. and we're mnch surprised
TO see two children playing in the yard.
We slighted. and vent to the door where
Slim himself and smiling az though
be aud Fate bad kissed aud made up = met
us and ushered us. with great hospitality
4 INTO LIS uOmltlifs w sbS NN@>~'S'
table living room. and found round fsc'
"a, jolly looking woman. with smother
toddler cliDging TO her skirts whom blim,
proudly. aud with 40 evident enjoyment
Of the, Sit ust,on. introduced ~ bis vile.
You could have swept US ell out OF xis
,ence with feather.
Mother snd recognized the woman "a
a widow With several children. who bad
been living on claim 10 . distant neigh
borbood. Slim had evidently gathered bel
brood aud oil to his arms. snd, no thank
10 Us. bad wife. He looked very proud
sud e1ultaut. laughed aud talked IN W.,
which showed that bis one remsining innt
was still doing good duty. aud accepted
our Invitations for himssll and vile viii