The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-05-29
SELECTED STORY.
An Unwept Stone.

and then he snortcd as If with his last
breath His furry old head nodded to the
strain
Even when Moses Haley, moved to pity
by these signs of exhaustion, slackened
rein upon reaching the level upland, the
mule, still hoarsely breathing, stood with
shoulders hcaved forward.
Looks like he concets himself worse
off'n he is, " remarked Mrs. Haley, from
her seat in the rickety spring wagon She
was bride of day or so, but no one could
have guessed it. There was nothing bride
like in Mrs. Haley's appearance
She was middle aged and of wiry build,
with narrow, deeply furrowed face Her
eyes were hard, black and bright. When
she spoke her head nodded with such en-
ergy as disturbed the black hangngs of
her bonnet. These hangings were the Wis
ible sign of the estate of widowhood she
had given up to become Mrs Haley. She
considered them becoming and had seen no
reason for giving them up also.
Hes powerful wise, Humphrey is"
said Mr. Haley, referring to the mule.
"Horses generally deal fair and square
with you A mule, nova mule will let
on that he's ready to drop when he amt
like even starting in to pull"
to get home by sundown," advised Mrs.
Haley Il amt complaining Moses, but
I'd have wished to get to your place earlier
In the day. Tombstones amt the cheer
fullest sights going And, long about dark
Il d know. Just as soon us you can
want you should rent place and go to
farming. won't live right into grave
yard Too gloomy"
Moses Haley having started the mule,
sat slouching over the seat He was a tail
man of wavering motions. His kindly,
inert face seemed never to have expressed
fixed resolution.
Me and Brose, we've got kind o. used
to seeing the stones round about, " he ven
tured. "Brose, he's learned his letters
off'n 'em, reckon. You see, after l lost
my farm, there wasn't place empty any
where's round but the keepers house up to
the old hill buryin ground. 'Twasn't
much of place, but got it cheap. All
they asked me to do was to keep the fence
sort O. mended up, SOS cattle shouldn't
tramp in. 'Brosc, he's looked after the
fence No ones been buried there for 30
years"
HIM! l should Judge it would have
been mighty lonesome for 'Brose, boy of
only IL years or so, and l reckon he was
all by himself most of the time. Kept
house didn't he, while you worked round
the country"
She added sharply, "How'd he take it
when you told him about meY
Mr.. Haley slapped his knee.
Take it9 Why, he liked to have went
distracted with joy. He don't recollect his
own nav. All he knows about mothers
he's read off them old tombstones Moth
ers get heap of pretty things said on
laiv tr,, ,hetr p,,I1 hn'e
EN- all out. There he is on the gate right
now Look a-yonder, Marthy. That's
Brose''
Just before them rose green knoll
whose evergreen trees were blotted darkly
against the low, crimson sky. Here and
there in the dense tangle of June LEAKAGE a
grayish glimpse of stone disclosed itself.
Smoke was pouring from the big CHM
ney of the little cottage to the right of the
gate. Clutching fast to the old rails, a
boy stood waiting. His face was luminous
with the sunset. He was neither well
grown nor well conditioned, but thin and
of sallow complexion, with wide eyes
and unkempt black hair.
It's them!' he cried gleefully, leaping
on one bare foot as he caught sight of the
approaching wagon. Its them!' He
threw open the long gate and stood by
while his father assisted the new wife to
alight
Mrs Haley was rather pleased with the
breathless expectancy of 'Brose's face. He
was poorly clad, and his hair needed cut
ting, but in spite of these circumstances
she was aware of being gratifed with the
boys interest In her
II hope We'll be good friends" she said
somewhat stii1ly. Brose's thin face flag
ged. Instead of stepping forward to shake
hands he looked absently at long stem
med white rose which he had been holding
behind him.
II didn't know but you'd like to have
it, " he said 1T just blowed out today.
amt ever picked one before, but l lowed
she wouldn't keer if 1 took just the one"
Mrs. Haley reached out surprised hand.
"Thank 'ee, " she said. "I'm obliged to
her, whoever she is All is hope you
didn't pick 1t without asking. Stealing is
stealing, Ambrose OF course you haven't
had mothers care, and 1 wouldn't wish
to be harsh on you, but neighbours rose
bush is as much theirn as their corn crib
is" Her voice sounded quite severe
II couldn't ask her." faltered 'Brose,
with scared look. but / most know
sweet that-Paw, Lavicy wouldn't keer
would she2"
Mr.. Haley turned from the wagon.
"Heh? Oh, Lavicyl Well, no. don't
reckon she'll make you any trouble You
can rest easy bout taking that posy, Mar
thy" he laughed.
Mrs. Haley drew her lips primly. She
had notion that she was being made
sport Of
The door of the keeper house was open,
and she could see, by the light of the fire,
Q low, bare room. The outer view was
full of weird suggestions. Down in the
valley the sloping roofs of Kentucky farm
houses could be seen vaguely Spirals OF
smoke UNFINISHED themselves across The
evening sky, Near at hand it was very
quiet.
Frogs were lifting a lonely clamor il
some distant marsh and from the thickets
Of the old burying ground came sibilanc'
of insect murmurs The stones seemed a
II settling comfortably back to earth. They
were plunged to half their height in tan
giles of grass. Long arms Of myrtle reached
even into the narrow footpath about tn,
keeper house A smell of fir came subtly