St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-04-02
The NeighbOrhOOd Rooster.

ceptance OF his frank humor,
A mist, like the shining pollen
blown from natures flowers, arose
in Melvlle's brain. Remotely, but
absolutely, he now understood that
this girl had been all these years
haunting his soul, along with the
singing brook and the growing cock,
Il mentioned buttermilk," he
lightly reminded her, taking one
step toward her, "but sweet cream
will serve just as well, or bonnyclab-
ber."
His whole countenance beamed
with magnetic goodfellowslip, which
bore some mysterious rays halt
frightening, half captivating to the
maid.
'Icould-but-the key ofthc spring
house."
"Oh, the door is locked ?" he inter.
rupted, increasing his smile. ut
doesn't matter at all. | beg your
pardon for my boldness."
She eyed him, as if halfof mind
to tell something she was thinking
then
81 will get the key" she said, and,
with a birds readiness and swiftness,
she turned about and went featly
tripping up the steep path.
mo. Come back" he called, quite
in vain.
She held her wide hat on with one
hand. A wisp of topaz yellow hair
futtered above her snowy nape.
"Confound it! That's the last OF
her." Melville snared. I'm the big.
gest fool alive"
He stood with neck craned and
arms slightly akimbo, watching her
until she entered the garden in front
OF the house, where she disappeared
He went and picked up his rod and |
creel.
"Confound the luck !" he repeated
twice or thrice. Good mind to fol
low, go right up and knock at the
door"
He bit his moustache and made
irresolute motions, as if acted upon
by equal and opposite forces. A
faint breath of hcliotrope fingered
with him. 1t angered him to hear a
woodpecker chattering and sounding
with desultory bill-taps the wood OF
a decaying bough overhead. Then
he flushed like girl, 1t was at the
thrlIlingly unexpected. Out of the
garden gate came the maiden, still
tripping swiftly and nimbly, with a
bunch Of keys in one hand and in the
other a glass goblet. She pressed
the keys on her hat to keep it in
place.
Pm monstrously ashamed of my.
self said Melville, when, audbly
and visibly painting, she reached the
spring.
ut was good exercise" she de-
clared. 81 don't mind it,"
Her checks were softly radiant,
like pink morning glories.
She unlocked the musty tulip. tim
Der door and went inside, whererows
OF stone crooks and jugs stood half
submerged in a current OF water
Melville was ravished by her dainty
way OF gathering her skirts and
stepping from stone to stone of the
rude, damp floor.
Cool sweet cream, yellow, fragrant,
corn fl ivored, and fresh from a
sprlng-house, is tipple tor the gods.
And when served by a maiden as
lovely as man could dream of, it is
actually intoxicating. A fact of
which every temperance society must
take judicial cognizance. Melvile's
head swan. He could think ofnoth
ing; he could say nothing, but he
drained the goblet twice, while
She stood demurely by.
She turned to fetch the third
draught. Then he found his tongue
mo, thank YOU" he said. "Save
some for tomorrow, when come
again. angle in this brook every
day. Do you come down here every
day."
almost every day but"
"Tomorrow at eleven bring the
goblet again. | don't doubt that |
shall be thir,tier than ever. 1t takes
a mighty lot Of food and drink
to satisfy me; l exercise so much
and am so healthy and strong
Melville went back to Pecyy's
cabin, where he was lodging, and it
is safe to say that he was not in a
normal state of mind, unless we
admin that sudden cnerry tcd hrn1