The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-08-08

its unwelcome inside passenger, rolled
along, his thought had been, Well,
she prayed hard enough over it," And
it was as though the last thing that
could be done had been attended to.
He was not of religious turn of
mind himself-at least that was what
he always affirmed. But, at the same
time, if there was any one thing that
made poor, illterate Daniel Ferris
warm right up into a glow of pride, it
was hearing his mothers prayers in the
little weather-warped school-bouse
mile away, and in which he himself
lighted the fires and lamps for the
week night services.
And more than once tramping back
through the snow from those meetings
with the thinly-clad, shivering woman
by his side, and thinking of the words
that had thrilled the little assemblage
as no others had done, his mental COM
ment was: /" Not another to hold can
die alongside of her. A master-hand
at prayin'." And when later he laid
his head upon the hen-feather pillow in
the little kitchen loft, it was with
sense of being rooted and cared for,
as he thought of his mothers prayers.
There had been a time when the
Ferrises had hoped to lift the mortgage
on their little home; but that was be-
fore the father died. To scrape the
interest together now by .dint of hard
savings was the utmost limit of their
accomplishment. And the year before,
the holder of the mortgage had said it
was the last time he would accept the
interest as " the thing must be cleared
up. 1t had run long enough" Still
they went on to accumulate the inter-
est; but they had little hope that it was
for that Mr.. Cavenaugh had come.
The supper was over, and they
waited around the stove listening for
the step they expected, but no visitor
appeared. There was little said at the
breakfast table; but Mother Ferris
eyes told the story of the night.
Il was in hopes he'd get round fore
l left" Daniel said, as he took down
his great coat and buckskin gloves,
preparatory to setting out the stage on
its return trip. l tried to get squint
at him when l was over at the tavern;
but he wasn't round nowhere"
AT this moment Daniel caught sight
of a tall silk hat turning in at the big
gate under the apple trees. He gave
quick look at his aunt, pulled chair
back, pushed the coffee-pot into the
cupboard, picked up the molasses
pitcher and put that out of sight, TOO,
and then, thinking it best give warning,
said: "He's here. You open the door,
Aunt Almira," and with stride to his
mothers chair, he said, gently pressing
hnr IL han ha hnu riu
" Don't let it upset you, mother. We've
done the best we could"
"Good morning, Mr.. Cavenaugh, l
saw you come down in the stage last
night Take chair near the stove"
But Daniel left his aunt to place the
chair, while he stayed guard by the lit
tie scared-eyed woman down by his
side, who vainly essayed to pass words
of greeting to her visitor; but felt tears
in her eyes and desisted, giving her
whole attention to trying to keep her
lips steady, that trembled, for all. Mr..
Cavenaugh assented that the "morning
was bit stiff" as he withdrew a glove
from one hand and then the other,
pocketing the gloves and extending his
bloodless members over the stove.
When was here last fall" he took
hold of the stove handle, and slightly
tilted the lid over the blazing maple
wood, 81 had my little girl with me-"
"Why, 80 you did, l remember.
She was right purity little thing"
Mother Ferris face relaxed, and Daniel
let 90 his possession on her shoulder,
while Aunt Almira turned with the
bird-cage halfway to its nail. But Mr..
Cavenaugh seemed not to notice. He
tilted the lid, leaning forward to do so,
and with his silk hat resting on the
floor beside him, he spoke again, look
ing down-perhaps he, like Daniel,
found it easier to say hard things when
not looking straight across to his au-
dience-"it was her first visit to the
country. She liked 1.-THE windmills,
and the bridge, and the little houses.
You gave her an apple, madam" He
lifted his eyes and sent them them right
over to Mrs. Ferris, and something the
eyes held drew the good woman straight
to her feet.
81 do hope there amt nothing hap
pened to her. It's such awful skittish
| times"
"She died four weeks after she was
here" Still his eyes were on Mrs.
Ferris face as thong they held an ap-
peal. "She talked great deal at the last
about the fields, and the apple you gave
her; it had green leaf on its stem.
She seemed to be holding the apple at
the last, and she talked of the leaf. She
wished-I'd make your face happier"
He drew long, deep breath as though
a great task was over, and rising, made
a dive for his gloves. "It's all right
about the mortgage" He had his hat
from the floor, and his hand upon the
door.
"But, Mr.. Cavenaugh, we have the
interest, if you'll take it," 1t was
Daniel, pressing close, but he was
waved back with one of the thin, white
hands, land then, seeming to bethink
himself, the visitor turned courteously,
and crossing over to Mrs. Ferris, looked
down on the plaintive face, saying, 81
trust, madam, the years will be kind to
YOU" and waiting for no thanks, ac-
cepting none, he passed out, engineer
ing his tall hat under the apple boughs,
and made his way into the road.