Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-02-06
THE OLD SMOKE HOUSE.

House. There was not finer rnan in oil
Virginia than Col Garden, nor a prcttier
woman than his wife; but time brought
changes. We know all about tho war and
what befell. for one had rather not talk
those things over; and when first saw
Miss Abbie she WAS living alone her parents
dead.
One old black woman, old Maum Car
line, had stuck to her through all, and
how they lived they best knew. On per-
simmons and peanuts some folks said, only
il you ever tasted persimmons you'll know
no one could live long on them.
Miss Abbie's mouth was puckered up by
nature, as they do pucker your mouth, Pm
free to confess and she must have been 80,
and looked old for that
She was sallow and thin and plain, and
had no dress to set her off, but she WAS
very good
Poor folks, black and white, went to her
in their trouble, and if she could not help
them she got some ore else to do so.
l used to think about her looks some
times when she came to the mill with her
bags Of corn in the wagon, driving an old
horse that seemed just able to hold his
head up. | was bachelor of 40. ! wanted
wife, and lots Of the pretty women were
only pretty on the surface, | knew, and
bad enough to have the faces Of demons.
and here was sort OF good ANGEL SO kind
and tender and sensible, too that she
would have made any man happy if she
had had a face he could have kissed.
She wasn't proud. Perhaps She wouldn't
have refused miller because he was a
miller.
came from England and bought land
down there, and had money. But it was
just there-she was too plain. l never
could mako up ny mind TO ask her. No
one ever had, l suppose.
There were springs near our place where
folks came every summer for their health,
and big hotel, of course. Ono summer
Spanish gentleman stopped there, Us hand
some a man as | ever saw, think. and
once when he had taken n long walk and
lost himself Miss Abbie Garden, driving
along i'll her queer guy Of wagon behind
her barebonel horse, offered him a seat
and tool, him to the hotel.
4 little while after it was plain to all
beholders that some one was really court
ing Miss Garden The handsome Spaniard
used to go up to call on her every evening,
Maum Carline sewing in corner while he
played his guitar or waiting on them
while they took tea.
We all wished that it had not been that
summer that an old uncle in Texas left
Miss Abbe $4,000 Still, she seemed so
happy and SO bright that / used to say TO
myself
Gwen if the dowry made the match it's
better than a lonely Old maids Lille"
And now that she had money she wore
pretty bounets and nice gowns, and looked
quite another figure. The Spauiarl was
devoted to her Senior Josef was lis name.
and at last we ell knew they would bee
married in a week or two. We knew, too.
that tie legacy was in portable shape and
that they We're going to some Spanish
speaking place to liVe-a place where that
money would be a fortune for Senior Josef
was not rich, only a teacher OF his own
language, making his bread from day to
day.
People learn everything about their
neiehbors in a small town, and old Muun
CaPline talked and told all she knew
But one thing III say, nobody was ill
natured Every one sail that whoever got
Miss Abbie was lucky, plain as she might
be.
There was wedding in the church one
day and everybody went to it,
Miss Abbie looked better than / ever
saw her before aud the Spaniard very
handsome. They were to stay Ia the old
house a day or two, and then place it in
Jerry Johnson'S hands to lease to any
one who wanted to hire it-any respectable
people who would use it well--aud the
senior also had one more lesson TO give,
lesson he had been paid for.
1t was some miles away, and Madame
Williams, who was driving over, was glad
of his company. He said he would wall,
home.
1t was not a pleasant Walk In any
weather. There We're so many washouts
On the way, and il was lonely, too, and
there wero bits Of pine woods to cross, and
there were negroes about who were not
pleasant to meet
But no one thought OF any danger to the
senior, and we supposed he had got home
long before the great thunder storm began.
ii was friGhtful storm. Our barn WIS
struck and the smoke house Gu the
Garden place and lots Of trees, and we
were all glad to be under shelter, when u.
u o'clock old Maum Carliue camo over to
tell US that Miss Abbie, as she called her
s5ill, aAd always did call her, was most
crazy with sl,eer," for the senior was not
home yet.
Oh, that was a storml My mother
begged mo not TO go out, but in Virginia
men always help woman If she is in DIS
tre5s, and, storning Gs it was, two or three
Of rs mounted and rods to Nine. Williams
house.
Nine. Williams had set the Eenor down
at his pupils door and seen no more OF
him.
After that we ga,loped over to the pupils
house and reused the family AZ half past >,
She said the senor had gone away in the
early afternoon, bidding them all good By,
and saying that it WAS perhaps. forever.
We shouted in the woods, we called
across the washouts, we rode about long
while. All the light we had was the light
ming. The thunder rolled and the ram
poured, We had to go home at last and
tell the seniors vile that Le couldn't lie
found.
But no Doubt" | said, "he has gone in
somewhere, and is quite safe and Will be
home all right"
She thanked us over and over again for
what we had done.
But" she said, Il shall never see him
again, dear friends. The ouly being who
ever loved me is dead. | know it,
The house was full OF ladies' next day
before sunrise, and we men were searching
for he epuOr