St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-03-05
and Di like them, and Edmund does
too.-thatis. pretty well"

They had by this time finished
hanging the clothes, and Emerald
came up and put her arm around
the elder woman's waist and laid
her curly head on her shoulder. Miss
Rachel fairly gasped for breath. She
had never been so thrilled by an en-
brace. The dazzling and overpower
ing nearness of so much youth and
beauty made the tears start to her
eyes The child looked up in her face
with sweet Inconsistencies.
II wish you'd come over and see
me this afternoon" she said caress
ingly. II amt got nobody to play
with. You come over and I'll teach
you tennis"
Miss Rachel could not help smiling.
Il never could run, my dear" she
said gravely.
"Oh, yesl think you could" said
Emerald encouragingly; then, con
tinuing her hospitable offers, Il sup
pose YOU don't own bicycle 2 |
guess mine would be big enough for
you. You come over and I'll teach
you how to ride"
At that moment Madam Forrest
fields sharp, querulous voice was
heard, calling her daughter. The
child instinctively started to go.
PAS going to send me my pony
phaeton next week, and I'll come and
take you to ride. Now you come
over" and Miss Rachel said she
would.
The Witans wereevdently neigh
borly family, and they moved in sub
lime ignorance of Madam Forrest
fields edict that it was not necessary
to call On them. In the afternoon a
stout, fashionable woman in black
silk and diamonds walked over the
Forrestfeld cobbe-stone pathway
straight toward the great brass
inocker on the front door. No such
person had ever before stood under
he stone portico. The lilac-bushes
-ustled when they saw her coming;
he great chimneys sighed down their
1eep throats; the many paned glass
lights squinted sideways at her from
heir leaden castings; but Mrs. Witan
stood unabashed. She had come to
make a friendly call and also to men
ion a little matter of business.
What ramshackle old place this
81" she thought; land yet the
louse is pretty good, if they'd fix it
Up little. They ought to cut down
hese bushes, and NOW the sidewalk,
and make kinding wood of those
great tall posts with the urns on top
IF them, and put in stone curbing
where the fence is, and let in some
light and air, and then the place
would be quite stylish"
Miss Rachel met her at the door.
What will mother say to herr" she
bought. "But it might as well be
,ver with first as last!" So the
,uest was admitted to the family
itting-room, where Madam Forrest
eld sat in her wheeled chair.
How do you do, ma'am ?" said
he visitor cheerlully, advancing
With outstretched hand.
The old lady slowly gazed at her.
Good afternoon, Mrs."
"Witan," said the other, sinking
own on springless, dilapidated
hair. We have just moved to town.
hope | see you WE'LL"
81 am a constant sufferer from
heumatic govt" returned the elder
"No breath that | draw is
without pain"
Mrs. Witan seemed somewhat dis
urbed by this information. She pro-
eeded uncertainty. Have you ever
ried doctoring? Do you know what
it on?"
at is an ancestral complaint"
aid the sufferer serenely, "all my
amily have it at the age of seventy.
here is no cure"
Mrs. Witan stirred uneasily in her
hair. Perhaps she was afraid the
eat would give way, of which in
iced there was dangar; or possibly
he old lady's implacable calm made
er nervous.
at seems kind ofdamp round here"
he ventured. That's bad for the
heumatism. Don't you think il you
ad those bushes cut down, it would
e more healthy? And it would be a
God idea to cut the grass too, it
GEMS to me. Now I've got a lawn
mower, and I'd just as lives lend it to
on as not. I'll send il over the first
hing in the morning, if you'd like"