Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-08-07
Mans Declaration of indie
pence.

In little old village in south west
ern Maine, not far from the sea- coast,
stands a large white house. 1t is a
square substantial, dignified house
and has stood there so long that the
eIms planted around it have grown to
be splendid great trees, worthy of New
Haven itself.
On the afternoon of the third of
July, Nan Demper was sitting on the
front porch of this house. She had
the best reason in the world to be
there for the house had belonged to
her family during many generations.
This afternoon she could look down
by the side of the church, of which
her father had been pastor till his
death, the year before] and see the
sleepy old grave yard in which were
the stones that marked the resting
places OF many Dempers.
There was the old pastor, Nathan
Demper, and his son the judge, and
the Judges son, who was another
pastor; and so on down through a
long line of good and prominent men.
Her father had been an only child;
and now she, Nan, and her baby
brother Roger were the last of the
family. Nan was only eleven, but she
already had plans for Roger; he
should be college graduate and a
minister Of the gospel, as his father
had been before him. This was a
somewhat ambitious plan; for the
young pastor had left his widow and
two children little save the big white
house and the Demper name, which
was also very white and unsullied.
AS Nan was sitting on the steps and
thinking what would happen when
she and Roger grew up her mother
spoke to her.
EFNan, Farmer Stevens has Just
stopped at the back door and left this
message for me: your Aunt Barbara
has suddenly been taken ill, and
wants me to come over and spend
the night with her, and perhaps, stay
to morrow. Mr.. Stevens said she
was seriously i'll, and so, of course, I
must 60"
"Of course" echoed Nan, getting
up with sober face. "I can take
care of Roger while you are gone"
F'I'l1 leave you both with Mrs. Ben
son. went on her mother, cpl take
you to her house at once and ask her
to keep you till get back; for there
is no time to lose. 1t is long drive
as possible"
So Nan and Roger were taken to
Mrs. Benson, who was their nearest
neighbor, and left in her charge.
Soon after supper Mary Kent, a girl
of Mans age and her most intimate
friend, came to see her, having heard
that she was at Mrs. Benson's.
II hope your mothers going away
hasn't made you forget the Fourth of
July picnic that we're to have to-
morrow" said Mary. "You know
we're to start at ten in the morning.
if its pleasant. There'n be a big
wagon load of US and We'll stop for
you"
''Oh, mol L haven't forgotten it.
Roger and III be ready at ten.n
4sThat makes me think: Mrs. Hunter
said-you know she's going along to
see that nothing happens to us-that
no child under eight must go; for if
there are those younger than that,
they are sure to get tired and spoil
the pleasure of the others and have
bad time themselves. So Pm afraid
Roger can't CO."
Nan felt sorry; but, as for Roger,
he was not old enough to think or
grieve about it for very long time.
Besides, his thoughts just now were
busy in another way. He did not
know Mrs. Benson very well, and he
was beginning to feel lonely and to
long for his mother. All that even