Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-11-28


ment. saw an uneasy light in Jobs
eyes, as if he were being severely
tried. The spelling match was kindl-
ing him to the centre, it seemed.
A few more words were yet on the
list, and there lay the beautiful books
smiling and shining on US.
Beautiful" gave out the school
master; and Abijah laughed as Job
got up to spell it. Job looked at Abb
| jah and began, ''B- e-u--'' and there
was general scream of laughter.
"Darn It'll" cried Job between his
teeth; "what can fellow do with a
fool like that grinning at him?'' The
mastiff was shaking himself, and
| trembled for Abijah.
"Order!" said the school master,
and gave out the word again.
! 1t was my turn. don't know, as I
say, what imp possessed me this ev-
ening, but I stood up and spelled the
word with vim, just as if [ didn't
care one jot for Jobs defeat, and be-
fore l knew it the blue and gold prize
at Job, and could have cried.
But every one was merry, and all
were talking and chatting and laugh
ing as we broke up and said good
night I wanted to speak to Job, but
there stood Abijah in the doorway
with my shawl in his hands, waiting
to see me home, and nodded to Job
as he stood at the gate with his Ian
tern to show us the path. One after
another the merry party disappear
ed down the snowy road and the wind
ing lanes. Abijah and were the last.
"I'll see you down to the creek"
said Job humbly; ''it's rough road
to-night' And without another word
he stalked on ahead, his lantern CLEAN
ing after him.
We did not say much either, Abijah
and ]. for we were f1oundering through
the soft, thick falling snow, land some
how it seemed awkward to be walking
in Jobs lantern light.
Presently we came down to the
creek, where every angle of rock and
every elbow of gnarled tree was fecked
softly with snow, and the creek, which
I had crossed day or two before on
my visit to Farmer Dobson's, ran be-
low, gray and far, an unfamiliar
stream, with snowy, treacherous
banks shutting it ina strange white
fantasy. Over it two stout planks,
crossing few inches apart, served as
a bridge. They were rounded and
slippery looking tonight, and one of
them had slight warp, as if weather
strained.
Abiiah stood a moment on the bank
surveying it.
''It's dangerous crossing that" he
said: ct declare Jennie, don't like
the look Of it.''
The night was gray and soft and
stilF and all about us fell the snow,
which seemed to be creating itself out
of the feathery and shadowy under
brush and the white, quiet atmos-
phere. The scene was so strange and
weird that I felt a moments hesita-
ton; the next instant the imp which |
IldO DdSScSSCu Ill5 OIL OuO ONOl1l1ASo OOo
my blood dancing with mischief.
1T promised to be at home to night"
said I, eluding Abijah's OBTAINING
hand; and with a hooking, dancing
step I skipped on the plank.
Abijah stood still on the margin and
looked at me. Job stood still also one
moment, and holding up his lantern,
looked at Abijah.
Then he said sarcastically, "By your
leave, Mr.. Plummer; this is bridge
for two, and if you've no mind to. be
getting over I'll step along myself"
And it was Jobs hand that touching
me timidly, steadied my fool-hardy
steps, and Jobs lantern that hickered
over the phantom banks beyond and
the deep creek beneath that treach-
erous plank. Halfway across I felt |
a strange CULVER, as if the heart Of the
thing were being broken, and my own
heart leaped up with sudden terror, a
despairing cry, whirl of darkness
and chaos, and felt the bridge totter
and crash, and thought [ was being
swept away into humiliation. Some
strong hand grasped me then, not
tenderly but with a clutch that arous-
ed every faculty, and trembling, CON
scious, struggling for life, found my
self clinging to the slippery edge of
the other plank, with Job holding me
fast by my raiment, and we hung for
a moment in peril together, while the
lantern foated away below in the de-
bris.
Job speedily regained some sort of