The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-04-28

HIM letter in large, official envelope
He stared at it moment in bewilder
ment. Then he glanced at the post.
mark and next at the printed words on
the corner, his heart giving q great
bound. Governors office" were the
first words that caught his eye, and
thrusting the letter into his pocket he
walked toward the door.
"Whats the news, Sol?" asked the
postmaster, whose curiosity was raised
to high pitch by the sight of the
letter.
"It's only er letter from the gov'nor,"
he replied, loftily, and opening the
door, he went out.
"It's my 'pointment," he muttered
to himself, as he hurried across the
prairie in the direction of the little
cabin. 1t was getting dark when he
reached home. He replenished the
smoldering fire, lighted small kero-
sene lamp, then seating himself in one
of the low splint-bottomed chairs, he
drew the letter from his pocket. He
gazed at it for some time in fond antici-
patton before venturing to break the
seal.
eyes, it's from the gov'nor," he said,
as he opened the missive and spread it
out under the rays of the lamp. 81
reckon he thought he'd give me sur
prise by sendin' the 'pointment by mail
It's good thing tol' the squire ter
mention bout Lige, an'-the twin.
But let's see what he sez."
STATE OF k,
Executive Department.
Governors Office,
january II, 1S9-.
"Mr. Solomon Holt Benton's Post-office,
k. My Dear Sir:-Yours Of January 3
received. We note your application for po-
sition as one of the guards at the peniten-
tiary. In reply, the governor directs me to
say that the same will be filed and carefully
considered with other applications. Yours,
very truly, 81. L. BRINGToN,
Private Secretary"
The letter fell from Solomon's hand,
while look of deep disappointment
came over his face.
"'Taint the ointment after all" he
muttered, then relapsed into silence.
The disappointment was severe one
to him, but he did not lose hope. He
reread the letter many times, studying
its every word. How cold and formal
it all seemed. 1t was not even written
by the governor himself as he would
have wished. Perhaps the governor
had not seen his application at all. He
could hardly believe that such formal
note would have been written to him
had the truth been known. Perhaps
he would hear from the governor later
on.
"The gov'nor don't know nothin'
bout this, like as not" he muttered.
~ kent b'lieve he'd have SIGH letter
as that writ ter the twin brother Nv
Lige."
Three days later the squire returned
from the capital and came over to Soils
cabin.
81 didn't have time to write after
learning of the appointment" said the
squire, land as l was coming home /
thought it best to wait till / got here
and come over and see you in per-
son."
"I'm thousand times obleeged ter
ye," he said. 81 reckon I'll halter be
goin' ter the capital fore long,
The squire shook his head.
"I'm sorry it turned out the way it
did; but you didn't get the appoint
ment."
What didn't git it?" said Sol, his
face growing shade paler.
"No; you didn't get it after all. 1t
was given to Bill Shucker, who lives
over on Soap creek"
Solomon Holt sat as if stupefied, gaz.
ing into the smouldering fire. 1t was
several moments before he could find
voice to speak.
eye seed the gov'nor in person?" he
asked at length.
eyes"
you tol' him about Lige?"
eyes"
An'-an' the twin?"
eyes; but there were so many appli-
cants for Office"
reckon he never knowed Lige,"
said Sol, in sort of hopeless, detected
way, as if speaking to himself. "No,
he couldn't a-knowed Lige."
He sat there gazing yloomily into the
fire long after the squire had taken his
departure. The darkness deepened
around him; the fire died out and the
cabin grew bitterly cold. Still he sat
motionless, his chin resting in his
hands. He was thinking Orwell, no
matter; his lot had been hard one;
his life had been a fierce struggle with
poverty and want-yes, want. He had'
not always had even the necessaries of
life. If he had got the appointment he
expected he might have got along; but
now
He shivered like one with chill, and
rising, he CROPPED his way to his cold,
hard bed.
Three days later some of the neigh
bors came to the cabin, to find him in
dying condition. Pneumonia, the
doctor said. He had but short time
to live, that was the verdict OF all who
looked into his pinched and wasted face.
They gathered about him as the end
drew near. He lay as if he were al
ready dead, save when he would muir
muir some incoherent sentences.
eyes, the governor'll know Lige,"
he said, in faint whisper, his mind
wandering. "Tell him-I'm his twin
brother.n
He lay silent for a long time, his
breath coming family. Presently he
spoke again.
"It's long, dark road" he said,