Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-11-18

A week slipped by, and Ed was almost
AS happy as he had ever been at Beaufort
Thoughts of nanny came when the little
lantern swung back and forth in the night
over Ed as he lay on bed made OF the
mems old coats and a ragged comfortable
one of them had brought from his home.
During this time Ed had heard many
references to the "Gov'ner," who he un-
derstood owned the boat, and would be
aboard any day. A governor was an awe
inspiring individual to Ed, and he made up
his mind to drop down among the coal
when the governor came on board.
"a Teller in SIGH cloes hain't no biz ness
standing fore governors, and I'll git.
So no matter what Ed was doing when
the boat was at the dock he always man
aged to watch for a coach with four horses
-"white ID be best COS you see em far
! therest, and the coach II have gold, reck-
on, so I'll see 'em in time were the
thoughts that occupied large part OF Eds
mind One day he was securing the dish
pan-"Mammy wouldn't have such truck
in her house, he had told JOe-when he
saw very pleasant-looking gentleman
coming down the dock. He stopped work
/ ing to look at him, for all the men work
| ing on the dock stopped, whatever they
were doing, and greeted him warmly as
/ Captain Billy" Ed did not wonder
| that the men stopped and spoke to this
man, there was such a winning look on his
| face, his smile was so kind. Ed still stood
watching him when he heard Captain
/ George call out, "Why, here's the gov'ner."
Ed dropped the cloth, and then almost
dropped the pan he held he was so aston
ished. At this moment Captain Billy"
discovered Ed, and, springing lightly to
IL. I. L. - 4 Ii
ing cordially, "Well my boy, I'm glad to
see you" Ed took the hand and held it.
This was the first time he had ever had
a white gentleman offer his hand, and
somehow he felt stronger, taller, than he
had a moment before. He never knew
how he began, but he found himself telling
Captain Billy" all about Beaufort and
nanny. He had not told anybody about
that awful time when he came home to the
little house in the outskirts of the city,
and found nanny so still and cold on the
floor beside the great basket of clothes that
they-Ed and mammy-carred to the big
hotel on Main street every Friday. 1t was
easy to tell Captain Billy and when he
got through it seemed natural to tell of all
the hopes and plans that he had made
about coming North, where the wages were
so large and the work so easy; and how
different he found it,. The wailieman and
the Frankfort-sausage man were not for
gotten, nor the plan Of sleeping on the
boats deck to get the heat that came un-
/ der the bottom of the door from the fur
/ naces: and Joe, When Ed began about
! Joe's goodness and kindness he trembled
3 But suddenly Ed thought that perhaps hC
t was talking to the governor, and he was
3 struck dumb.
y
e. he gasped..' 7-Sd -. -
e Captain Billy looked puzzled.
"Ain't you the GOVERNOR he asked
t tremblingly. How Captain Billy laughed
He understood at once; that was one o
t Captain Billy's charms-he always under
stood.
. Late that afternoon Captain Billy cam
b down to the dock with large brown pa
per parcel, all nicely tied up. When h.
+ got on board the boat he called for Ed, witt
f appeared all busted over with -four.
"Pm making biscuit, governor" an
= nounced Ed. =
n Hurry up, want you TO go with me.
= In few minutes Ed appeared, all care
fully brushed. Captain Billy took Ed int
the cabin, and when he came out he di
s have the brown paper parcel. Neither di
" Ed when he appeared, for the contents c
+, the brown paper parcel were on his back
Ed was dressed in a new suit from top
d toe.
IS "Good-by!" said Joe, as soon as he sa'
a him. Ed was bewildered.
d "GoOd-by; you're lucky boy, and II
1t mistake"
This puzzled Ed the more. But no
IS Captain Billy appeared, and said, lookin
lie at his watch, 81 guess we have just abou
time to catch the train" Ed was goin
~ home with Captain Billy.
TX That night in village in Connecticut,
N very smiling old gentleman, followed by
I, very tidy, neat-looking colored boy, wake
h.. up the road from a railroad station towaI
I'd a big white house. The lights were shin
k, ing all over the house, as if a good mar
he people were in it, The old gentlema
r; walked to a door on the side of the hOus
pit but before they stepped on the stoop Il
IN door opened and a dear old lady lookt
Cd out.
ats |, mother, and I've brought a sms
lis boy to help eat Thanksgiving dinner
y, The old lady peered out into the darkne
ad and saw Ed clinging to Captain Billy
en- coattail
"Bless his heart! I'm just as glad
he see him as can be. Come right in, dear
re There was lump in Eds throat tn
would not let him speak, and the lights
# the hall danced before his eyes. Isl
zig called me dear, like nanny" was h
lie. thought as he took the hand held out
DIV him.
II suppose you have enough Thanksgi
is ing dinner for him; he is not very big, "
'as see"
zee "As much as he can eat, bless him
nd was grandma's reply, as she drew the b
Tor IN the fire i'm the sitting room.
ere Ed was so handy in the kitchen III
ng night that Sarah frOwns turned to smil,
all the time that Ed was wiping the disl
grandma and another lady with gr
hair, whom grandma called "Mary,' We
er? consulting together and with Sarah abe
Thanksgiving turkey" opium pudding
n a pumpkin pies until Ed tried to mus
courage to ask what Thanksgiving W
He found out the next day when dim
md was ready: but he told Sarah, when he
the through eating, that he was glad it ca
cap only once year, "else folks could ne
set earn enough to pay for their dinners
int SIS that PLAT yese think Thanksgiyi
the is? Shure, ye're a hathen, and no msta
cap Shure, it's to give yer a chance to stop
hat this busy world and thank God for all
cry good that has come TO you and yours.
eep hathen, to think it's only attn ~ and
ok rah looked severely at Ed, who was To-
'ble ing through the uncurtained window
ont the stars shining clear and cold in the
10 vember sky,
lie There was something so quiet and {
ack nfed in the figure, which even Sara