The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-03-16

meager fare with no trace of their
former ill-temper. Now Lois had made
up her mind TO call it picnic-a picnic
it was, and they laughed and chatted
like two children.
Lois slept as soundly as If her bed
had been down instead of shavings, but
Joe tossed restlessly about, walked
around the room, looking from the G, ZEN
window out on the moonlit prairie and
the slumbering village. Toward morn
ing he fell into heavy sleep for sew
eral hours, and when at last he opened
his eyes Lois was setting the food on
the table for the breakfast. He looked
about in bewidered fashion.
"Where's the cars? Where are we,
anyway" and he rubbed his eyes.
"Sho! how my head aches Oil l
remember; we're left on the prairie,
amt we Lois? Well, we won't stay
here but this one night, that's 'nough
for me. l had horrid queer dream;
same old dream had in Canon City,
and used to have to home. Went walk
in round the cem'tery, poor, miserable
little graveyard, too; no stones, nothin'
but sticks drove in to tell where the
graves was. Stiff kind of grass all
Overgrown. Wasn't it dreary?"
There, Joel don't talk bout your
dreams fore breakfast. Makes 'em
come true, grandmarm used to say.
Drink a cup of tea and have some
crackers. If we're goin' to have din
ner here guess we'll try change of
diet. Well, it does seem kinder
funny-no dishes to wash AN no water
to wash 'em if we had the dishes. This
amt much like our picnics to home,
Joe, an do think that Eastern bound
train tonight III look like procession
of angels to us, don't you? Let's go
out an walk" and she took his arm.
They struck off from the straight road to
the store aud rambled through the sage
brush till they suddenly found them
selves in the midst of group of irregu-
lar mounds, some fifteen or twenty, set
closely together. Joe turned pale, and
staggering towards Lois he seized her
arm in grip that made her cry out.
" Look" he exclaimed; here it is.
See! the graveyard of my dream-it's
come true-the same poor, miserable
little placed The grass never looked
nat'ral in the dream-'twas sage
brush-just like this. An Loisl faint
quite full-there's room enough for
one more grave-p'r'aps two," and be
pointed 10 vacant spot in the center.
Lois pulled him along.
"Come, joe" she said, " don't let's
stand here gloomin' round in grave
yard; come an buy our dinner. Do
come along. I've heard about that
dream till I'm all gooseflesh; an you
look as if you'd seen ghost"
AT last he moved mechanically along.
Mebbe you'll be able to put it out
of your mind, now you've found it at
last" she added.
EYES," he said dreamily, "I've
found it at last. Seems now as if I'd
been lookin' for it for years, without
ever knowin' it, either. P'r'aps that's
what's made me 80 uneasy an unset.
tled," and he rubbed his hand across
his forehead, "We'll leave it all be.
hind when we 90 home-tbe dreams
an restless feelin's an discomfort, an
III make you happy at last. l guess
your life's been kinder disappointin
one sence you married me two year
ago, but l don't mean to disappoin,
you no more. I've had my way
a-wanderin' round long 'nough; now
We'll try your way. You needn't
worry bout the drink, Lois; l never
really cared nothin for it, and / sham
never tech it no MORE" He put hi,
arm around her and drew her clumsily
to his side. She lifted her lips tC
his, and resting her head against him
answered.
Yes. I'm satisfied. l hain't never
ben unhappy, Joe, an l guess we'll dc
better now. Well begin ag'in, any
how, an I'll try to be more patient.
She was never serious for long at
time, and as soon as they reached tn,
store she began to plan for their dinner
"The best meal in hometown" sh,
called it. "We're bound to get som,
fun out of this. Pm goin' to try SOM
of them canned tomatoes. The label
look pretty dirty, but that won't do n,
hurt. Wen boil some eggs, an ge
some of them herrin', too, Joe. VIVA
poor looking biscuits; but we mus
have bread. Now you carry the bun
dies an I'll take the bottle of water"
They were hungry enough when the
reached the house again. Joe man
aged to open the can with his big Jack
knife, and they set it filed with the tc
matoes over the fire till they were hot
then dipped the biscuits in. The egg
were boiled hard, so they did not nee
spoons, and Joe's knife answered 70
everything else. They planned wha
they should do when they got home
and built several beautiful air castles, @
Lois did. She was the one who fun
, nished the romance, though she wa
, practical enough when there was any
, thing to do.
, She carefully cleared away all the re
! mains of their repast, for she mus
: leave this empty house as tidy as if
t were to be used again tomorrow
Then she sat down in the doorway an
f watched the clouds which were risin
+ from the west and creeping onwar
1 toward the zenith. Joe threw hmsel
e down on the floor with little pile G
, shavings under his head and doz,
f Lois wondered vaguely what was tn
r matter with him; he had lot SCENE
e quite natural to-day. But the chang
e was rather an improvement after al
: for lately all ambition seemed to hav
a deserted him, and a sort of heavy shift