The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-05-29

such clothes If They'll stand patching,
it's more'n expect. | wouldn't have my
folks see you looking the way you do now
for anything any one could offer me-
"My sister Jane don't think did very
we'll anyhow" continued Mrs. Haley.
"She said I'd find things awful run down
I'D here, but I'd no idea they were this
bad This is no place for folks to live,
don't care how cheap the rent is. No,
Moses, it is not. That boy of yours is as
| peaked as monnymint."
She began to roll up her sleeves, an
nouncing as she did so that she rcckoned
she might as well turn in and get supper.
| Ambrose sat watching her swift move
| ments All those soft eyed, gentle voiced
ideals of motherhood which he had cher
shed vanished one by one before the hard
reality of Mrs Halcy's small, imperative
! presence. The white rose he had given her
lay dropping on the window sill. A sort
of spasm passed over the boys face.
After supper he sat quietly while Mrs.
Haley shcarcd his long locks.
"You look n little more like something
human" she assured him as she stood
away, regarding his small shorn head.
| THANK 'cc ma am" brcathCd 'Brose
family Mrs. Haley gave him a keen
| glance.
1Ou DtlltF EO IlHllubll tO''hi Stu an
vised After he had gone she turned to
her husband
" 'Brose seems like queer kind Of
child" she said "IIe's got a wise look
out of his eyes. Seemed like there wasn't
anything left of him after | cut his hair. -
" 'Brose has heaps of sense, admitted
Mr.. Haley. "If I'd have got along like l
ought to, I'd have sent him to school down
in the town Beings as it is, | reckon I'd
better begin to let him work round. He
won't have to stay home and tend the
house any more"
an talk over what's best with my
sister Jane" said his wife, and Moses
Haley suddenly realized that the manage
mcnt of his affairs need not trouble him
in the future.
The next morning after breakfast Mrs.
Haley, full of plans for the day. missed
'Brosc from the house.
81 wonder where that boys got to so
quick?" she pondered. II need some spring
water right off " She went to the door.
The old stones looked less grewsome by
day. The summer sun fell on them softly,
showing the gray and green traceries of
lichen and moss along their sides Flow
ers painted the weedy grass with patches
/ of bright color and rcdbrds flashed flame
like along the shadowy thickets. There
| appeared to be a movement among the
bushes in distant corner. Through the
low branches Mrs Haley's eye caught
glimpse of dull blue, which presently re-
solved itself into 'Broses shoulders.
81 wonder what he's up to out there|'
she specialized. Lifting her skirts, she
stepped into the jungle of weeds Once
she gave gasp as her foot went down into
a sunken space Two or three times she
stumbled over PROSTATE slabs.
But as she drew near the place where
'Brose was, her chief feeling was one of
amazement. The boy had turned and was
looking at her. He had been tying up q
rosebush, and the strips Of cotton dangled
from his hand as he stood.
The grassy space about him was as
smooth as vevet-so smooth that outlying
taller grass made deep hedge around it.
Flat and falling stones slanted through the
outer rankness, but the single stone in the
clipped space was erect. A carefully trim
med rosebush hung over it, splitting white
petals ON the neatly shaped mound.
"For PHYS sakep' said Mrs. Haley.
"Whose grave is thisp l didn't know any
one kept up any of these lots"
She had stepped round to read the in
scription. The letters, though free of
moss, presented blurred outlines, for the
soft stone had crumbled away about the
chiseling.
Below the rounded top of the red brown
slab picture was inserted. 1t seemed to
be an old ambrotype, indefinite of line
and tint. The glass over it was closely
fitted and sealed, and peering at it, Mrs
Haley presently made out the smiling face
of young woman.
1t was pretty face. Bunches of curls
h11pu bo A 1apa COLLAR will
pointed lappets was crossed at the slim
throat. On the demurely poised hands We're
netted mittcns.
'Lavica Roberts, " read Mrs Haley
"'Aged 10 years. Daughter of John and
Ellen Roberts. " She went on spelling
out the dates and the half pious, half SEN
timental stanza below them.
II amt ever heard of no Robertses
round here" she said, with suspicious
air, as if she half suspected the long dead
Lavica of being an impostor. "Who keeps
the lot fixed up this way?" she asked.
'Brose smiled delightedly. II do, he
burst out "When we came here, that
stone was fiat on its face, and the rosebush
looked like it was about done for. fixed
'em up. 1t was kind of sunk in, and l
rounded it up and planted those vines.
don't know what you call 'em. Bein's her
|
friendly with Lavicy. She's awful sweet
lookin, amt she?''
II never heard the like!" gasped Mrs.
Haley. She stared at Brose "She ain t
any kin to you"
81 feel like she was said 'Brose wist-
fully
Mrs. Haley felt the necessity of speaking
sharply.
"Folks'l, think you amt in your right
mind" she declared. "If she was kin tC
you, could zee some sense in the bust
ness, but she amt. If her own folks have
forgot her, that's not your lookout.
reckon they're all dead themselves by this
time It's 80 years since she died. reckon
if she was living now she wouldn't have
pink cheeks, nor a dimple in her chin. ,
She gathered up her skirts again.
''Now mind you, Ambrose" she added
; 81 want you to stay away from this place
You've got right queer idees. What you
: need is young comp'ny. I'm going to tall
, about you to my sister Jane. She's com
,, ing over to see me next week d. know