The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-09-09
Mr.. Carey nodded.
tkT 81 e.. 1;,,1 ~ amid hn

Mr.. Carey nodded.
~ act for him." said he.
"Then tell him." said Philo, sue
cinctly, " that if he expects we're 60
ing to support him, he's con-sid-a-bly
mistook We've always took care of
ourselves; and he can do the same |
Come, Betsey, we'd better be goin'p'
"Philol" cried out Desire, show
can you be 30 selfsh2 Rolf Welland ia
our cousin. If he is in want or trouble,
whom has he to look to but us? NAL
vina, you won't be 80 hard-hearted?
The old farm house is big enough for
Cousin Rolf as well as for us. You
never would turn a sickly old man
adrift upon the world?"
"No, l wouldn'tl" said Miss Nal.
vina, humping her hoe upon the
ground. "Look here, stranger, tell
Rolf ,Welland he's welcome to home
with us. We live plain, but we're
ready to give him hearty welcome.
Tell him to come here at once. The
sooner the better"
"Women is FOOLS" incidentally re-
marked Philo Welland, chewing stalk
of currant leaves. elf you lost what
little you've got, do you s'pose this rela-
tive O. yourn would raise finger to
help you? Let every man take care of
himself, says l."
"And who knows" cried Desire,
brightly. Perhaps we can get him
the district school to teachp l heard
Squire Loames say that the new teacher
wasn't going to stay more than quar-
ter longer"
"Pm glad you can afford to take the
boarder," said Mrs. Philo acidly. "Me
and your brother-we can't!"
DO come in, now, and get the cof-
fee," said Desire. "And few late
strawberries, Mr.-Mr.-'
"Carey is my name," said the
stranger, who stood immovable be-
meath the fiery hail of this converse
tional episode. "That is to say, it is
my name now. l changed it to make
myself useful to a rich old gentleman
in the East, who took fancy to me
and left me his property in his will.
The only condition appended was that
l should take his name in addition
to my own. And Carey isn't bad
name."
"Certainly it amt" said Philo, with
watering eyes. 81 only wish we had
a few of that sort of old gentlemen out
this way. I'd change my name half
dozen times day If it would be any
accommodation to 'em. So you're
rich, eh? Betsey"-to his wife" if
this gentleman would be 30 kind as
to come and take dinner with us to-
day"
"No," said the stranger, in clear,
decisive voice. Will you be so kind as
to hear me out? Carey, as l have al
ready told you, is only my adopted
name. My real name is Ralph We'll
land"
What?" roared Philo.
Mrs. Philo scrambled 80 hastily to
her feet that she upset the pail half full
of currants. Miss Malvina dropped
her hoe; and Desire, who had just
brought out little saucer of late,
luscious, red strawberries, stood amazed
at this revelation.
"You!" she cried, sour cousin Rolf?
And 1 nearly hit you with the stick
chasing the COW and half startled you
out of your senses"
"And taught me-" said the old bach
elor, with a strangely.sweet smile,
"that there is yet left spice of unset
fshness in the conglomerate called
human nature. Cousin Desire, thank
you for the lesson. Believe me, l shall
not soon forget it,"
And before the day was over he had
helped Miss Malvina finish her patch of
sweet corn and mended the defective
fence rails where the offending COW had
broken through, besides stalking up the
williams and mailing the big rose
tree to the frame from whence its over
blOssoming weight had dragged it.