The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-09-14
Selected Storp.
Flip.

y
Voorhees, on his side, out of the depths
of the county newspaper
And then silence reigned, but for the
purring of the cat and the ticking of
the clock and the wild dash of the rain
against the windows. AT last, just as
Mrs. VOORHEES, was about to begin a
new round, she laid down her needles
and listened.
What was that, William Was it a
knock?"
eff twas, didn't hear it. 'Tlsn't
likely any of the neighbors would be
happenin' in in such weather as this. 1t
must have been the wind at the shut
ters."
Another minute rolled by, and then
Mrs. Voorhees, folded together the ends
of the gay handkerchief which held her
yarn, and put it on the table beside her
and rose, saying with decision:
eff woman of my age don't know
the difference between human bein'
wantin' shelter, and the wind rattlin'
the shutters just to entertain itself,
why then it's pity, / say; that's all.
Excuse the light minute, William, If
you please. Pm a-goin' to see who
that person is"
William, as one who knew his wife's
ways, resigned himself to darkness and
an hiatus in the local column, without
protest.
g 1t would have been more handy for
me-" murmured Mrs. Voorhees,, as she
made her way through the long,
draughty passage and began to tumble
at the many bolts and bars of the front
door, I" if they had come round back,
like the most of folks. But if it was
more handy for them to stop here, why,
in all this storm, haven't got word
to say"
By this time the last fastening was
undone, and the strength of the blast
forced the door in with a rush. Has
tily sheltering herself and the lamp
behind it, Mrs. Voorhees, called out:
Whosoever's there, come in, be-
fore all the winds of the universe are
tearin' round in this one poor distressed
house."
In the kitchen the farmer smiled to
himself in the dark as he listened to his
wife's invitation, addressed, he felt
sure, to space; but to his surprise, the
shuttle of heavy feet responded to it,
then the door slammed, and he knew
that the farmhouse held one more than
its usual occupants.
"Never mind standin' lookin' at your
feet, man." said Mrs. Voorhees,, cit
won't take off any of the mud. Just
step right along the passage to the
kitchen; what drippin' can't be helped
must be put up with; and bein' slow
and dainty won't make it any the less"
When the bustling farmers wife had
ushered the stranger into the kitchen,
to her own place by the fire, had set
the lamp back on the table, and found
new seat for herself, there followed
an awkward pause. Farmer Voorhees,
looked keenly into the face of the man
Che was hardly man YETI who stood
drying his clothes in the chimney cor
ner. 1t might have been handsome
face but for its pallor and sullenness,
end the half.cowed, half-ferce look in
the great hollow eyes, which he kept
downcast or rowing about the walls and
ceiling Of the room.
Good Mr.. Voorhees, shook his head.
she don't appear to be the right Sort"
was his inward verdict. He asked:
"What do you want, my lad, and
who are your"
"Food, lodgin', anything 1 kin git,
which amt much if you're like the rest
of 'em," said the boy recklessly, leav-
ing the last half of the question I'M
answered.
Chow comes it that you are in such
need, a smart young fellow like your"
"Because l don't work none, and
them that don't work can't eat, unless
they can git it off O. some o. them that
do. Most generally, if you manage
right, you can, and live real high, too,
but there comes low times agin, like
there do in all trades, and you have to
hustle to git bread and water. It's been
so lately, and for the last day or 80, not
even that; nuthin'," he added grimly
"but the water, and 1 can't complain
O. no scarcity in that"
"But you aren't exactly the kind OF
a character" said Mr.. Voorhees,, that
quiet folks like US like to take into theil
house over night"
81 s'pose not; wouldn't be in your
place, know. But then, it warn't fol
me to say; if you are willin', it wasn'
no affair o. mine to hinder you, bein
on the other side o. the counter, as yor
might say"
"WhO are your" asked Mr.. Voorhees,
going back to his old question.
Who am II" cried the youth, a som
Der fire breaking forth in his eyes, ant
his careless impudence quite leaving
him; " Pm one O. the many that comes
into this world and goes out of it, will
no good done to themselves nor an,
one else by the whole business. wa
born to wickedness, got fine start il
it, and amt ever likely to go back OF
my education till die. And when tina
comes" he ended with rough laugh
"why, the Lord Almighty, l s'pose, vii
be the only one to miss me-"
Mrs. Voorhees, was moving softl
about in the pantry while they talked
and now as her husband, with his pu2
zled gaze fixed on the fire, made no re
Spouse, she looked in on them and sal
softly:
"The Lord is missin' you all tn
while, my son. He can't bear to thin
that you're wanderin' far away fror
him when he's wantin' you so bad a
home -