Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-04-07

| down into their new home, and after the
first feeling of strangeness had worn off
were forced to acknowledge that the re-
atty of country living was not so disa-
greeable as they had anticipated. The
neighborhood was pleasantly and thickly
settled the people kind hearted and hos
pitable. True, Mrs. Smith still secretly
yearned for modern conveniences and
the comforts of daily market. and felt
that time alone could reconcile her to the
unreliability and ineflieiency of colored
servants, but even she had compensation.
Her husband-whose time since his re-
tirement had hung like lead upon his
hands-was busy, active and interested,
full of plans and reveling in the pure de-
light of buying expensive machinery for
the negroes to break and tons of fertil-
izers for them to waste. The girls were
pleased, and Norma happier and less diff
cult than she had been for years. And,
best and most welcome of ALL Warner
appeared to strengthen. AS for Percival,
his satisfaction knew no bounds. His
father had given him gun and Nesbit
Thorne was teaching him how to use it.
At the eleventh hour Nesbit Thorne
had decided to accompany his relatives
in their fitting, instead of waiting to
visit them later in the season. He was
melted thereto by idleness and ennui,
leavened by curiosity as to the manner
in which their future life would be or
dered, and also by genuine desire to
be of service to them in the troublesome
move. Perhaps there was, besides, an
meteorological feeling in his breast
that with the departure of his kindred
New York would become lonelier, more
wearisome than ever. They had given
him a semblance of home, and there
was in the mans nature an undercurrent
of yearning after love and the rounding
out of true domestic life that fretted
and chafed in its INSTRUCTED channel and
tried here and there blindly for another
outlet.
Thorne's coming with them seemed to
the Smiths very natural proceeding
His aunt proposed it one day when he
had been more than usually helpful.
vowing that she scarcely knew how to
get along without him. and Thorne fell
in with the proposal at once; it made
little difference, since he was coming for
the shooting anyway If Norma had
another theory in regard to his unwill-
ingness to be separated from them, she
was careful to keep it hidden
The country gentry, led and infu-
enced by the Masons. extended the right
hand Of fellowship to the newcomers
and wrapped the folds OF the social
banlret cordially around them The
worldly affairs of the Nirginians, like
their Surroundings, were in more OF
less pereeptible state of dilapidation, and
their means frequently failed to match
their hospitality But their intentions
were the best, and the Smiths well
bred people, neither arrogant nor purse
proud) speedily became reconciled to
and lack Of system. and
learned to overlook deficiencies or to
piece them ont with kindness.
From the first they were thrown much
into the society of the Lanarth family,
for the Masons at once assumed right Of
in them. being bent with simple
loyalty on defraying some portion of their
iebt of gratitude. When their loved one
was sick and in prison these strangers
lad extended to him kindness, and, now
mat opportunity offered, that kindness
should be returned, full measure, pressed
Town and running over For the general.
conceived positive enthusi-
ISM, a feeling which the jolly old soldier
was not slow in discovering nor back
ward in reciprocating; the pair were the
BEST of friends.
Ever since the finding of the letter the
yirl's mind had been filed with the story
# the brother whom she scarcely re-
nembered. With tender imagination
he exaggerated his youth, his courage,
lis hardships and glorifed him into a
Zero. Everything connected with him
pitiful and sacred; his saber
lung above the mantel, crossed with his
and she took it down one morn
ng and half drew the dulled blade from
he scabbard The brass of the hilt and
he trimmings of the belt and scabbard
we're furnished. and even corroded in
'laces. She got cloth and FURNISHED
hem until they shone like gold When
he replaced 1t the contrast with the other
word hurt her, and rush of remorseful
enderness made her take that down also
nd FURNISH it carefully. Poor fatheri al
most as unknown as the young brother.
be was grieved that he should have been
he second thought
She was restoring her fathers sword
0 its place and rearranging the Grim
on sash, faded and streaked in its folds
rom wear and time. when Norma and
'lanche arrived, escorted by Nesbit
horne. Little Sawney had been sitting
n the hearth rug watching her polish
be arms and offering suggestions, and
'ocahontas dispatched him to invite her
uests into the parlor. while she ran up
tairs to remove the traces of her work.
he young people from Shirley often
'alked over in the afternoon; the way
-as short and pleasant, and the brother
nd sister usually ACCOMPANIED them