Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-11-10


ting room door. A lank fellow, bundled
in wool scarf, stood on the threshold.
"Howdy," he said, amiably nodding at
lucia, who locked up with calm, dark
eyes and smooth, soft lips which silently
questioned the intruder
you're the new elderess. l reckon"
promised the man. 81 used to know
Sister Jane right well. I'm the tollgate
Wan. l was jest goin on to Harrodsburg,
and | laid off to stop in and tell you
some ones livin in the old log house
down on the river. l knowed it was
Shaker property, and l jedged you'd
want to know. NJ wife she see smoke
comm from the chimney, and she he'd
me climb up the bank to see who was
living there. | couldn't raise no one.
But m wife she says she see a woman
sneak thoo the bushes up there with
passed. of fagots. | didn't know but you'd
want to hear if any one was Twin in one
of your houses and a-stealin your tim
Der. Me and m wife we're always glad
to do the Shakers good turn"
One of the Shaker women uttered an
exclamation: Claw me! who ever hes
to lie in that old crib must be poorly off
1t amt fit for firewood and half a mile
from a livin critter! l wonder who
Why, law mel it couldn't be old Huldah?"
Lucia started. "She went to her peo-
pie" she said sharply. And then, sud
denly enough, she said to the tollgate
man: "Will you take me to the place?
Some one there may need help. Sister
Rose, tell Abraln to hitch up"
The spring wagon, however, could go
only the less part of the way. At the
turn to the ferry the tollgate man tied
and blanketed the horse. Then he pro-
ceeded up a rocky break in the cliff side,
and Lucia toiled after him through muir.
muring pines and between jagged stones,
which nibbled hungrily through their
slight covering of snow.
In the midst of leafess trees an old
house presently disclosed a black and
tumbling roof AT one side of the
bleached log walls massive chimney
rose in broken, hoary heap. Family
from its mouth came dying breath of
smoke, but there was no other sign of
occupancy, not even so much as foot
print in the slight snow about the door.
Lucia laid her knuckles against the
rude panels. There was no response.
The single window was boarded up, but
as Lucia peered through a crack in the
planks she caught glimpse of gar
ment hanging across the panes-a gar
ment of brown print at the pattern Of
which her heart twitched.
Try the door" she said breathlessly.
"Push it inn There was crack and a
sharp cry as the tollgate man set his
shoulder against the rotting panels. He
caught himself by the jamb and stood
peering in. 1t was nearly dark in the
bare, puncheOn floored room, except that
now and then tongue of flame thrust
itself from a smoldering handful of
twigs on the hearth. Against the far
thest wall a woman crouched, a woman
who at sight of Lucia struck out two
bony hands and moaned and gazed
blankly.
Don't touch me-" she said hoarsely
II won't go! | won'tl I've hid away
here and prayed you'd never find me-
"Huldah!' broke in the elderess pas
sionately don't look at me so! I've
come to take you home, Huldah-home
to West House. Listen, Huldahl I've
been hard and cruel, but I'll never pain
you again"
The old woman seemed not to hear
She gazed round at the cracked walls, the
pallet of brush, the darkened window.
II amt no trouble to no one," she
muttered. 1--WE starved and froze and
all. I've heard the owls boot at night
4 IL l
sick, but l was home, and l could "a
gone on if Ann would "a heard my pray
ers. But she amt listened. She's turned
agin me. She give me into your hand"
Lucia had cast herself on the rough
floor and was clasping Huldah's knees.
"You are killing me, Huldah," she
wept. Il have sinned against you and
against all those whose lives l have made
cold and hard. | meant to do right, but
was vain and wicked. Huldahl HUI
dah! do not forgive me. | do not ask it.
do not deserve it. Only come home
with me and let me serve you as a daugh-
ter who has erred may serve the mother
who pities her."
The tollgate man rubbed his nose with
the end of his red scarf and wheeled
away. Huldah stood gazing confusedly
down on the kneeling slender figure,
with its wringing hands and beautiful
pale face and streaming eyes.
BE you'ns a-cryin" she stammered.
81 lowed you was a flint. And kneeling
to me! Elderess Lucia-don't ye, don't
We! Sit up, Elderess Luciav'
But Lucia clasped her the closer.
Not till you promise to come with
me-" she sobbed. mot till you promise
not to hate me as deserve"
Huldah drew a quick breath. Her
hand trembled down upon the young
woman's black, soft hair.
"Hate your" she breathed. "Why, I'll
go-now--wherever you take me-or
send me"-Harper's Bazaar.
Lived or His Sister.
Not long ago a young man whose sole