Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-01-18

E$V:I DrOnZeu lace DrOal
SI N shoulders, fee
T which stood square
NJ u ly upon the earth
sss Sla.Ss> a less eyes. Franz
Maxwell, aged twenty. fve, owner Of
broad acres, a physical frame in per
feet condition and we'll developed
mind, was q man 10 be envied.
She was a dainty maiden, with q
graceful figure, completion o.
mingled roses and lilies and eyes al
bright and blue as the summer skies.
Daisy Springfield, aged nineteen,
owner of beautiful face, glad
hearted, sunny disposition and count
less pretty dresses, was a woman to be
loved.
1t was something less than a man
but more than, an animal, with a face
Of satyr-like hideousness, misshaper
back, bowed legs and a pair of arms
SO long that the hands hung low like
those of a gorilla. Dumb Dick, OF
age unknown, owner of half.witted
mind, a body of abnormal strength
and ugliness and fierce and ungov.
ernable temper, was creature to be
stunned and distrusted.
These were the invariable judgments
of everybody who knew the three
characters Of this little story.
Frank was an orphan, living on his
own farm, understanding his business
and capable of conducting it in a
thoroughly efficient manner; just the
sort OF man who would be likely to
cut very respectable figure in the
world and end by leaving his children
more money and more acres than his
father had left him.
Daisy Was the only daughter of a
prosperous lawyer, little inclined to
be vain Of her good looks, but good
by nature and thoroughly pure heart.
ed; just the sort of woman to make an
affectionate wife. careful of her home,
a comfort to her husband and friend
to her children.
Dumb Dick was presumably the or.
phan child Of agypsy woman, who had
brought him long years ago to the
workhouse and had died there. He
was wild and unmanageable, had run
away and refused all control, and lived
where and how he could.
Frank and Daisy stood together in
the path of little wood. Dumb Dick
was also in the wood, but was hidden
by thick screen of hazels. Frank
and Daisy faced each other. and Frank
held both of Daisy's little white
hands in one of his brown palms.
Dumb Dick. all unseen, clenched his
fist and ground his teeth in fury,
crumpling up his face into the new
ugliness of mingled rage and misery.
The little wood was very still, save
for a slight rustling among the dry
leaves, or the crack Of twig beneath
the swift foot of a squirrel, or the oc.
casional fall of ripe nut. And in the
silence and the shadow Frank bent
forward and kissed Daisy lightly on
the lips.
Then the lovers walked away to.
gether, hand in hand, like pair of
happy children
And all alone behind his screen of
hazels, Dumb Dick flung himself do wn
at I'll length, clawing at tho brown
s~sth with his hands and giving vent
to his feelings in inarticulate growls of
rage and dry choking sobs of misery.
FraCI bought new dog cart, light
and delicate turnout of the latest pat
tern, painted black and picked out
with red, and with its polished lamps
and new silver plated harness and its
bright bay, it looked rather smart
and snowy affair. He drove it round
in triumph to Squire Springfeld's,
and his pride redoubled when he saw
Daisy's delight. But when he had
handed her in, dressed in her latest
and prettiest costume. and had sprung
lightly up to his place beside her, he
felt that his pride and happiness were
almost complete.
He gathered mp tho reins, clicked
encouragingly to the bay. and off they
went, bowling along the lanes in splen.
did style, laughing and chatting as
only q happy pair of lovers can when
the course of their love is smooth and
The first slight chill OF autumn was
in the air; the hedgerows were brown.
ing, and the perfume of the flowers
had given place to faint scent of de.
cay, but it was summer in the hearts
of the lovers, and in the selfishness of
their bliss they we're needless OF the
first signs Of the years approaching
death.
On piece of common land which
skirted the little wood in which Frank
had told Daisy of his love there we're
many clumps of bracken, now in pro-
coss of change from green to ruddy
gold. In the midst of one OF the
largest Of these clumps lay Dumb
Dick. He seemed to be unconscious,
and he might have been either drunk
or sleeping naturally
Presently there was a sound of
swiftly approaching wheels grating
along the. road, and then the sound
became suddenly mafasa, as ii the
vehicle was being driven over the
grass. Laughter and the sound OF
glad voices succeeded, and by some
magical power they penetrated to the
dull brain Of Dumb Dick and made
him dream for one brief moment OF
Paradise. Deep in his dream he
heard the music of a womsn's voice,
and he saw the radiant beauty of a
face; aud then land then
still in his dream-some envious fend
seized his wrist in the grasp of red.
hot hand, and he awoke in agony.
A roar OF anguish burst from Dumb
Dick as he leaped to his feet, holding
his wrist. and stamping madiy about
in the bracken.
Frank pulled in his bay.
Halo. Dick!" he cried. "l'm