The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-01-22

"let me do the talking. Don't look 50
downcast When / tell you that you
have made me very, very happy, you
shOnld look happy too When you eamo
10 me yesterday and said what you said,
/ thought you were in too much Of a
hurry, bat now | think that perhaps YOU
were right, and that when people Of our
age have anything Important to do, it is
well to do it at, once, for in this worl1
there are all sorts of things continually
springiing up. 70 prevent people from
TLeIwRoie body Of tBebaker was filled
with. a, great groan, but, he deneid 1t
utteranee He mpst hear what hewould
slyIi b,9eI,r T,i,e1g,Ia Do .-oI.,ls .''i d. d
arii' And so Was going to suggest. 4" she
continued that instead of skipping
Christmas together we keep it together.
That i all the change 1 propose to your
ZIP sprapg the baker, 50 suddenly that
he overturned the chair. Now he. must
speak The widow stepped quickly
toward the door, and turning with a
smile lheld'pp her hand. 4. 1.iIr, n srr
Nov. good friend,m1 she said, stop
there! AT any moment some one might
hcome in Hasten back TO your shop. At
~ O'clock / will meet you at the prisons.
That will surely be soon enough silf
The baker came forward and gn'ped,
I"Yopr husband. y ~. .,l g.,.l..,,-.- -1ma,
Not yet. said the widow, with a
laugh. and kissing the tips of her
fingers to him she closed the door behind
her.. ...,. s. -....,...... ~, .... s,rr..
Out into the cold went the baker. His
head was, dazed, but he walked stead
tasty to his shop, There was no need
| for him to 90 anywhere; to tell anybody
Ianything, The man with the earrings
would settle matters for himself soon
lenough. ,..L ..,, ...,.'...,.....- Oh. u4.Ir
The, baker put up his shutters and
locked his shop door. He would do
nothing more for the good OF trade
nothing more for anything, Skip Christ
masl Indeed would heI And, more
over, every holiday and every happy day
would now he skipped straight on for
the rest Of his life He put his house
in order; he arranged his affairs: he at
tired himself in his best apparel; locked
his door behind him; and went out into
the cold world, 1.f. .,....r, ~ r9-n
He longed not to get Tar away from
the village. d. Before the sun set there
would not be one soul there who would
care for him, 20. .....'....... .g.u
| AS he hurried on he saw before him
tile parsons house. .,l '....... -mu.I
| ~ win take but one thing away with
me-" lie said. will ask the good man
to, give me his blessing, That will l
take with me- ....'.'.... e.. Ell. ibid flo
"Of course he is in, : said the parsons
lmaid, there in the parlor.n I..... IgI. h
Il As the baker entered the parsons par
ilur, some one hasteued to meet him. 1t
was the Widow Monk.
You wicked man" she whispered,
you are a quarter Of an hour late, The
Ipafson is waiting" .' i....-..r'.'.55'.. prru
The pagson Was . little nun with
white hair. lie stepped toward the
couple standing together and the widow
took the bakers hand. ' ',,l,...,j . ,...i+
| Then the parson began the little speech
he always made on such occasions. II
was full Of good sense and very touch.
ling, and the Widows eyes were filled
with tears. The baker would have
spoken hut he had never interrupted
la clergyman, and he could not do il
lnOw. ~. ......
Then the parson began his appointed
work, aud the the heart Of the baker
swelled, as the widows hand trembled in
his own. . ' ~ '-.. ....
wilt tbo1 have tliis woman to be thy
welded wife?n asked the paIson. -.. !
| "Now for this, F" quoth tile poor baker
to himself, al may bake forever, but
cannot draw back nor keepthe good mar
waiting" and he said, eyes. >. ~ fluH
Then it was that. the baker received
what he had come for, the parsons
blessing; and, Immediately, his fail
companion, trimming with tears threw
herself into his arms. t... .i" n.ysl
Nov" said the baker to himself.
''when leave this house, may the devi
take me, and right welcome shal
HE he.n ...'Hl. TO- a''H h4"iH FIX,
Dearest she exclaimed, as she
Hooked into his face, you cannot know
how happy ] am. Ny wedding day and
my brother back from sea" .tau
Struck by a Sudden bl tst OF bcvilder-
ing ecstasy the baker raised his eyes and
beheld the tall firm OF the sun-browned
stranger who Ind been standing behind
them. .' .-'''' I.f'''''' -rIu..
"You arc not siilor-nan,'' quoth the
jovial brother, like my old mate who
went down in the brig Mistlctoe, but my
sister tells me you are q jovial fellow,
and wish you fair winds and paying
cargoes.' And after giving the baker a
powerful handshake, the sailor kissed
the bride, the parsons wife, the parrOn's
daughter, and the parsons maid, and
wished the family were larger, having
just returned from sea. anr9
The only people in the village of
Barnbury Who thoroughly enjoyed tile
Christmas of that year were the baker,
his wife and the sailor brother. And a
rare good time they had, for big sea
chest arrived, and there were curious
presents and Il tail flask of rare old wine,
and plenty of time for three merry peO-
pie to cook for themselves .-a o.
The baker told his wife of his soul
narrowing plight of the day before.
Now, them" said he. don't you think
that by rights 1 should bake all the
same?'' .rf. nr -It.,H I.. .
"Oh, that will he skipped,n she said,
with laugh, and now 90 you and make
ready TO- the cakes, pastry and sweet
meats with which the people of Barn
bury m1de right happy ON New Years
day.-N. T. CJmmercidi Journal Y-.U .
..