Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-07-25
Copyright 1905. BY } Lipp.neott Co

he wasn't quite so correct" rejoined
Hester, mischievously. "Just think
how delightful it would be if he would
only do something dreadfully wicked
or absurd-just the very thing one of
his handsome heroes wouldn't do"
you're quite too incorrigible, Hes
ter. I'm not going to say another word.
Here. comes Mr.. Ringbrand with Tom,
now, and shall let him fight his own
battles"
At the dinner-table the conversation
turned upon Ringbrand's stroll on the
mountain.
Where did you go, Mr.. Ringbrand?"
asked Hester.
I'm hardly familiar enough with To-
calities around here to know, but I
think went as far as McNabb's Cove"
'Then you saw the home of our
hereditary enemies" she said. did
you notice log house in the bottom OF
the cover"
Idid."
1--WE been telling Hugh the history OF
the feud," said Ludlow; she threatens
to write it up"
why. Ludlow! you know never
limited at such thing. Miss Hester,
hope you won't believe any thing that
he says"
I'm not at all afraid of your put
ting the feud into story" replied Hes.
ter, with an air of conviction.
Ringbrand could not let well enough
alone, and he asked: "Why?"
because the characters are all too
dreadfully impulsive and natural. You
couldn't possibly tone them down into
correctness, if you were to try ever so
hard"
Ludlow laughed uproariously: "You
don't know how much good that does
Inc. Hester. I've been telling Hugh all
along that he didn't know the first prin-
ciples of writing"
I'm sure l don't know why you
should say that" responded the girl,
changing front with an easy facility
that made Mrs. Ludlow catch her
breath. 81 think Mr.. Ringbrand's
stories are perfectly delightful. only
meant that he wouldn't care to use such
rough materials"
Ringbrand glanced up gratefully and
saw Mrs. Ludlow trying to look re-
proachfully at Hester; then the uncon-
ventionality of it all appealed to him
J like the turning of new leaf in the
book of experience, and he laughed
pleasantly. do you know it's quite
charming to hear ones self discussed
in open meeting?" he said. I'm all my
life I've never heard so much frank
criticism as Miss Latimer and Tom
have given me in the last few weeks.
It's decidedly refreshing, after half a
lifetime of meaningless praise on one
hand. set off by an equal amount OF
: spiteful abuse on the other. I'll give
fair warning now, though, that mean
to turn the tables some fine day, and
you'll hear me telling Ludlow how to
run an iron-furnace, and"
"And Miss Latimer how to hold her
tongue" interrupted Hester, mali
ciously.
t Indeed, wasn't going to say any
such ungallant thing" protested Ring
brand.
0 You might as well say it as to thinl
it, ''rejoined Hester, meekly. Il know
: shall catch myself looking for an i'm
I pertinent young woman in all your flu
= ture stories"
1 After that the talk drifted back tt
the feud, and Hester related the Incl
dent of the evening before. II suppose
it must have been one of the Bynums,
she concluded; though I can't mag
S inc what his object could have been"
; Perhaps it was Uncle Ephrain
e after chicken" suggested Mrs. Lud
low.
n 'Uncle Eph wouldn't come aroun'
:, the front of the house when there wer
l. four of us sitting on the veranda," re
;; piled Hester.
n May ask to be introduced to Uncl
Ephraim?" inquired Ringbrand.
i you've met him." said Ludlow
q "'Yes, sab, please, sab, tank yo', sah.'
J. oh! the old fellow who carried m
vaise up from the train. Why, Nv
seen good deal of him, and he seem
to be quite above understanding.
a believe I'd trust him with my pocket
book
# You could do that safely enough
70 he'd bring it back; but that isn't sayin
e he wouldn't borrow fat chicken
|. Gle Eph is as honest as the day is lols
it but he'll bear watching after dark" II
IS piled Ludlow. However, agree wit
le Hester; the intruder wasn't vagrar
l. OF chicken thief"
d NO." said Hester; 81 suppose it we
l, one of the Bynum boys; and wante
E. to ask you, Mr.. Ludlow, if there ha
to been any new developments lately;
N can't get anything out of father {
st Henry"
Or Nothing that know of, except
is well, yes; we've decided to begin wor
], again on the McNabb vein, but don
see how that could account for YOU
IN visitor; that's distinctly a company a
y fair, now.'
y "You may be sure they won't consi'
S! er it so. I'm afraid it will mean r
tie turn of the old days of cut clothesline
n and broken fences, and border warfal
r generally"
it Ringbrand looked shocked, and Lu
lg low replied, gravely: 1--WE won't ha'
s. that, at any cost. wish there WEI
is some way of getting evidence again
rs Them
nj | he. hot fhara ha-