Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-01-29
MY VILLAGE NEIGHBOR.

OF which l found in the pretty abode, of
which was now temporary owner LA.
burnum cottage" was situated on the out
skirts of the village, and its only near
neighbor was a somewhat larger abode Of
the same rustic type of architecture, whose
garden, back and front, was only separated
from mine by low hedge. / believe the
two houses had originally been built for the
occupancy of relatives who wished to be
together.
''You will find Mrs Fraser, the lady
next door, a most quiet and inoffensive
neighbor, said the house agent from whom
/ rented my country abode; and his words
certainly proved true. Mrs. Fraser kept
neither dogs, nor pigeons nor fowls; she
was, indeed, a model next door neighbor.
often caught glimpse of Mrs Fraser fit
ting bout her garden or sitting at work in
her bow window: she was a sweet-faced
woman about sixty, with silvery hair
braided under lace cap, and possessed of
a voice as gentle as her face Her modest
establishment consisted of a little maid and
an elderly servant, who was devoted to her
mistress. My married sisters / am the
only maid in the family often laugh at me
for the manner in which | take notice of
strangers" Perhaps if my life was as full
of home cares aud interests as are theirs l
y
woman's personal affairs are not very en-
crossing, and | plead guilty of taking
notes" of my neighbors. Possibly my liter
DRY avocation as a novelist has disposed me
to observe traits and characteristics
more than | should otherwise do, and | had
not been many days in Laburnum cottage
before had began to speculate regarding
my next-door neighbours history, and had
settled in my own mind that she must be a
widow.
l was greatly attracted by my neighbor,
and was pleased when chance gave me an
opportunity of speaking to her. As l ex-
pected her manner was as fascinating as
her face, and before l had been a week in
the cottage, Mrs Fraser and l regularly
gave each other the time of day" as the
servants phrase it. whenever we saw each
other over our garden hedge, although
neither had yet entered the others house.
1 returned from long ramble one evening
to find my neighbor standing at her gate.
AS l passed into mine l made one of the
usual weather remarks" The sunset
was cloudy and l said that l hoped the
next day would be fine, as | expected
niece to stay with me and was to meet her
at the station, about mile away
Eyes, l, too, hope it will be fine to-mor-
row, said Mrs. Fraser; "for also am GO
ing to meet some one at the station, and
this place looks 50 cherries on a wet after
noon. | am going to meet my husband, "
she added.
Here was an end to all my preconceived
theorie>; but somehow l had never asso-
ciated the house next door, so neat, so
quiet, with the idea of a man on the prem
ises. l suppose my face showed my sur
prise for the old lady went on:
"My husband was obliged to go to Lon
don for some business, but | expect him
back to-morrow-indeed, / am quite sure
he will come that day, for it is my birth
day-of course, l miss him so much when
he is away"
"You have no children to keep u COM
pany!" asked.
slight blush rose to the old lady's face
as she answered mo" with little hest
fancy of manner and then walked into her
house.
Perhaps her family has given her
trouble" thought to myself, now driven
to construct fresh romance to account for
the lines of former care on my neighbours
brow.
Despite the threatening sunset, the next
day proved bright and cloudless, and l set
off on foot to meet my expected guest, in
stead of rumbling both to and from the
station in the one decrepit fly which the
village boasted and which duly awaited
the arrival of possible flares" at the sta
ton. AS l walked down the lane / heard
steps behind me and turned to see my
neighbor. She looked ten years younger,
with bright light in her eyes and pref
ty, faint color in her cheeks. Happiness
beamed on her generally quiet face.
81 am going to the station to meet the
-. Il Il. l. I
will be sure to come by that"
II suppose you have been married long
timer" l ventured. But Mrs. Fraser's re-
plies seemed fated to surprise me, for, to
my great amazement, she answered
promptly:
"Not very long, only about year"
"About year." And surely my neigh
Dor must be sixty at least.
Assuredly this old lady was still 'in
love" with the husband whom she was now
hurrying to meet; checking herself, in
deed, as she noted that l could hardly keep
pace with her rapid steps, and saying, half
laughingly:
II am walking too fast for you, and
know we have plenty of time 1t is very
silly of me, but am so anxious to see my
husband again, although, of course, he can
not arrive before his train comes in"
HAS he been away long.' l asked.
'I-I scarcely know" she said, slowly;
81 am never very good at counting time
exactly. But he is sure to be here this af-
ternoon," she continued, Frightening again,
''for he promised to be with me on my
birthday-today without fall" and she
walked on again so rapidly that could
scarcely keep pace with her.
The little local train duly dawdled into
the station some while after the annointed
time, and few passengers, among them
my expected guest, alighted on the plat
form. But was sorry to observe that nv
companion was still standing solitary, with
the tears rising to her eyes
"Your master has never arrived, Sarah
and he promised" said Mrs. Fraser to her
servant in piteous tone.
"Well, it is no use waiting here any
longer now, ma'am," said the woman, in a
soothing tone, as one would address child;
'there's no other train till tomorrow.
have the pony chaise outside and you d
best drive home now and rest, because you
know"-and here she whispered something
into Mrs. Fraser's ear-and the old lady
blushed again, and said, with little laugh:
eyes, Sarah, you are right l must not
Overture myself, of course. 1t would so vex
your master when he comes home to find |
had been fatiguing myself waiting here"
and the two women left the platform.
~ am sorry that lady has been disap-
pointed in meeting her husband" l re-
marked to the civil station master.
Mr.. Smith looked at me with surprise.
"Why she's been a widow these thirty
five years"
"But she was coming to the station all
in hurry today to meet her husband, she