The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-09-23
SELECTED STORY.
The 4:19 Express,

ing quake in every board and beam.
There were the usual number OF vii
lage loungers waiting TO see the train
come in-an event of some Importance,
where there were but two trains day
and thin, round shouldered little
woman, with meekly anxious face
and faded blue eyes that were always
watching, watching, for one who would
never come.
To-day, as the long, powerful, black
engine drew slowly up with its train of
cars, an alert-looking young man, q
lawyer who had come far from his
Eastern home in search of local data
concerning an old land dispute, alighted
with trim russet-brown grip in one
hand, and, after a swiftly comprehen.
sive glance around him, walked up TO
the nearest by-stander and inquired the
way to the "hotel."
His arrival created stir of interest
among those present, for it was many
days since a stranger had come to
L..
The man whom he addressed stared
at him before he answered, taking in
every detail of his keen, pleasant face,
and well-fitting clothes, and the sad
eyed little woman hurried forward
with cry of welcome and delight,
and then shrank back, shaking her
head in a pathetic, vaguely disappointed
way.
He'll come tomorrow, sure" she
whispered, peering wistfully at the
stranger from beneath a pale-blue sun
bonnet, whose pristine freshness of
color had grown sadly dim, as had the
blue eyes and thin blond locks of its
owner. Then, with single patient
sigh, she turned and walked slowly off
the unsteady platform and down the
long yellow road.
Henry Foster turned look of half
unconscious inquiry upon the tall fell
low to whom he had first spoken.
The man rolled quid of tobacco fur
Their into his cheek, and shuffled
awkwardly, before this spruce young
stranger.
"Don't mind her, stranger, it's jes
Ibis way. She's teched, pore thing.
Allus comes to meet tn 4:19. I'll take
We roun' to tn hotel"
Henry Foster turned with his tall
guide, declining the mans offer to
carry his grip, and together they started
down the road to the scattered group of
houses comprising the town of l..
1t would have been plain to the most
casual observer that this was town
whose boom" had fallen fiat, a town
which had started out vigorously and
joyously to be city, and had failed
miserably before it was fairly started.
To Henry Foster it seemed that he
had never seen place 30 hopelessly,
glaringly ugly, and so obviously dead
The few houses were implanted and
obtrusively plain, one story in height,
and presenting bold front to the road.
There was not shrub nor a tree, nor
even plot of green grass, to relieve
the gaunt baroness of their appearance.
The sun beat mercilessly down upon
the dusty yellow road, which in winter
time was doubtless sea of mud, and a
lean, patient-eyed cow was grazing on
the few coarse weeds that were strug-
Cling for existence by the hot roadside.
Yet Fosters keen eyes saw more than
this. The soil was barren now, needing
irrigation, enriching, and judiciously
applied labor, but it had fair possibili-
ties, and the timber land beyond was
good.
were worth a dispute which sent a
them, they were certainly worth cult
waiting. The inhabitants were probably
too lazy and shiftless to work their land.
This yere's thu hotel, stranger" re-
marked his guide.
1t was also the store, tavern, post
office, city hall, and various other pub
lie and private institutions. Two men
who had been seated comfortably
astride of soap boxes by the door rose
abruptly and stared at them, and one
of them said leisurely:
"Howdy, Hank"
"Howdy," replied Hank, gravely.
" This is the man ye wanter see, stran.
ger. Kin ye give this young Teller a
bed, Bill?"
"Ireckon," genially replied the land
lord, giving his baggy trousers an easy
hitch as he came forward, "We amt
80 crowded jes' now but we kin stow
We in some'ers, eh, Hank?'
At this, Hank and the few bystanders
who bad strolled up laughed immoder-
ately, and the landlord lifted up his
voice and shouted, "Phebe! Con-
Guiding that it was the proper thing to
do in this company, Foster smiled too.
my name is Foster, and as shall
be in l. several days, should be glad
if you could accommodate me-"
eyes, reckon we kin take you in,
eff we amt much on style. My names
Reeves, Bill Reeves, an eff ye've got
any business on hand, Pm the mayor
an postmaster, an police force, an III
see ye through all right. This is Mr.
Hank Applegate, an Mr.. Jesse Stiles
an Mr.. Jake Morgan"
Mr.. Reeves waved his hand grandly
as he concluded this wholesale intro.
duction, and as tall, raw-boned woman
appeared in the doorway, he turned tC
her.
cam this is Mis- Reeves. Phoebe
this gentleman's goin' to stay here {
day or two, so give him the best room
an fix him up comPtable."
Foster followed the woman's leaC
through the tiny store, with it' miscel
laneous assortment of groceries, dr.,
goods, cutlery and cheap whiskey, int