The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-02-03


thin"
The stranger laughed. "I've beer
to school quite Bit" he rel led, Z" blu
l like farm work, and you'll find tina
my book education won't make me
worse farmer"
Well" replied Olive, "sot ligb
down here ana less tlk it over" The
talk evidently proved satisfactory On
both sldes, for Abrom Huner soor
found hims'lf engaged to work for siS
months on Olive Pamer's farm.
Almiry shifted when she saw bin
" He's tew handsome tew amount tew
much, )" che declared. Il never seed a
real handsome man that was fiji for any
thing but lew look in the glass an court
the girls"
1t was not long, despite her prejudice,
before Abe had won her heart with his
merry weys. She would even smile
grimly at Ills jokes, sometimes.
Belial, too, felt the spell OF his pres
ence, and sometimes perched himself
solemnly, on Abe's knee.
The farm work had never been so
we'll done before, and many steps were
saved the two women, and many things
were done for their comfort, which no
one bad ever thought of doing before.
Then, evenings, Abe WAS so entertain
ing. He told them many things which
the two simple souls never knew before,
and many stories Of The great wide
world of which they knew 80 little.
As the days pass strange happi-
ness took possession of Olive. She
could remember 10 other summer when
the flowers were so bright or the skies
so blue.
She often looked in the glass now,
and sometimes pinned bright bow I'M
der her chin. She laughed at herself,
and one day she said to her reflection,
"Olive Palmer, yew are an all-killin'
homely woman, but s'pose even
homey women don't look no worse for
fixin' upl"
She did not ask herself why she did
these things or why she felt 80 happy.
She was not given to self-analysis. But
she felt new, sweet contentment and
strange loneliness when he was away.
She was the pOssessor of little old
musical instrument, known in days
gone by rs a seraphine. From this she
drew certain sounds which seemed to
come unwillingly from its depths. The
poor old continuance wheeZed as if
attic ed with chronic asst ma, and only
a vivid Imagination could transform
the sounds evoked from it into music
Abe tuned this wonderful and fear
full piece of mechanism 30 that he and
Olive could sing to her accompaniment.
She had a clear, unframed voice, while
Abe's mellow tenor seemed to Olive as
the voice of an angel.
All, those were happy days, when all
the world was illumined by the hand of
a god. Often in the golden sunset the
two sat together in the little porch, he
reading the newspaper, she knitting,
happy and content because he was
near.
Perhaps it does not seem very beauti-
full to you, dear reader, this love of
plain, simple country woman, no longer
young, for her hired man. Yet it con-
tains the same elements as the heart
history of a queen. Birds, when no
better material is found, make their
nests of straw and paper. So women
vii weave romances into their lives
God help the n Out of very fllmsy::m
Ierial when they have no oiher.
One evening, when Almiry had gone
out, Olive stood in the door looking at
the moonlight. Suddenly an arm stole
around her waist and she turned to see
Abe standing by her.
Why, Abel" she cried in astonish-
ment, "What be yew dewin'?"
Putting my arm around you," he
replied cody.
"What for?" she asked.
Because l love you," he said. &c Oh,
Olive, will you marry me, will you let
me love your"
Olive turned to him, looking into his
face with great round eyes.
Why, Abe Hunter!" she cried.
I" Yew don't really want tew marry
me?"
81 really do, Olive" he replied.
" Is there anything 80 strange in
that2"
Eyes," said Olive, 81 think it's the
funniest thing ever heard OIL Why,
I'm old an homely, an what in the
world do you want me for?,'
you're only eight years older than
l am" said Abe, "and you are the best
woman ever knew except my mother.
Nobody but she was ever 30 kind to
me as you are. I've nobody in the
world who belongs to me or cares for
me, and want you, dearw
Olive gave him both her hands, say
ing simply, " think l love you, Abe,
but OIL are you sure you will never
wish you hadn't married an old wo-
MANI"
Abe drew her closer to him and whis-
pered something in her ear. Never
mind what he said, it would not inter
est you and me, though it was intensely
interesting to them.
"Well," said Olive little later, with
sigh of supreme content, 81 guess /
amt outside no longer"
Olive feared the lash of her household
tyrant's tongue and begged Abe not to
let Almiry know yet.
81 know what all the neighbors'll
saw Olive remarked, tranquil,
"They'll say it was my last chance, an
so tits, as well as my first one, an
they'll say I've roped in young man.
M - l. 80