Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-07-21


other and another, keeping the great
cup of cocoa filled all the time beside
him. The doctor had said he must be
fed and overfed.
Then he leaned forward, his elbows
on the table, and stared at the high
sunny window where a little jug of
buttercups and clover stood and bee
buzzed and hummed. And his head fell
between his hands, and she came and
put her arms about it and brought it
forward so that it touched her shout
der. You're real sleepy" she said.
"You jes' 60 into the bedroom and lie
down aud git nap, and I'll cover you
up
He put ont his long arm, pushing her
off with the open palm of his hand.
"Td like you to keep your distance"
he said, raising his heavy lidded eyes
~ know abont morals, CT you amt no
princerpele" and he rose and moved
majestically to the calico covered lounge
under the window and threw himself
down upon it, "You there again" he
said presently, as she pulled the curtain
across the window over him. "No bust
ness here, dropping off to sleep and
waking again with start to murmur,
"Tuin't proper, and then lost in some
five minutes vagsry of dream from
which no sprung hallooing, with an
idea that he was drowning. Take your
hans off'n mel' he reared. You're
a.chokin me! I'll hev you hung for a
witch yeti" And when the air was sui
phurous with storm of oaths that cur
died the blood of the little woman on
the stool at his feet-he-her husband
IA church memHr-she hid her face
in her arms, rocking to and fro, the
tears OVERLOOKING.
~ don't like to sec you cry, Sally,
and you know itr' he said, stopping to
gaze ct her.
ooh, IL can't help i'll" she OK.
claimed.
Il sh d think twas me that made you
cry" he said irresolutely, and he add
ed under his breath, "instid of your
own cussedness.
where's Polly?" no said presently.
after standing moment and staring in
to vacancy as if trying to recall his
poor WIS. lnaJ WnaD 1 WanJ 10
know. Where's polly?"
"She's we'll took caro- of. She's-she's
better where she is whilo you-while
you air t feelin so we'll" n little trem-
ulous thrill in tho sweetness of the
voice.
"I'm putlickly WELL Look at the
dinner I've cat. never felt better in
| % L talr 4 30, H.
, river and drownd you quick as could a
. kitten"
"You couldn't drown kitten, Hum.
phrey."
He made q step toward her. "a,
least l could" he said as she looked
; in his face, with the tears still on hel
own, "ef you belonged to me. But be
ing as you're Tom Briefs now-you'r RI
! pretty woman, Sally" he said after
looking at her moment again. "Ei
. you hedn ben 20 blamed toppin ant
! bound to have your own way, wouldn'
} "a got rcd Of you. You can hev your
CHI 'ico now between Tom Bricr and thu
river. Oh, my head, my head!"
There was q rap on the door, and ther
} a shadow fell through the little passage
way into the bright kitchen. "Oh,
forgot to bolt the door - exclaimed Mrs
l Lavender.
0 "1'll be bound you did ~ cried Hum
= phrey. "Who's this a-comin into folks
houses 'thout by your leave?"
o cts me, Humphrey; it's-yes-it'
me-" piped a high thin voice will
t something like an escapement midwa,
d Of its utterance.
J. "Oh, Mr.. Hodge," exclaimed Sally
wiping chair that was clean before
b. "Come right in. Only you'll excuse u
y Humphrey isn't-isn't quite as wei
d as''-
"Who be you" cried Humphrey
"tellin him to set down in my house
And you amt welcome here, a-spyi
round, Ivy Hodge, and you know it"
my dear-Humphrey- reall
think you can't know what-yes, wha
you're a-sayin," said Mr.. Hodge bland
ly and taking the chair. "A selec
mans welcome - yes - most any
where's.
'Ctptin here" snid Humphrey
!, looking for his stick.
! How" said Mr.. Hodge.
~ said exceptin here, and amt e
in to hev you exchangin looks wit
that woman oyther. She don't belon
here no way, thanks be to praise. Nv
allus KEEP thin's respectable, and
you've come to deal 18th me as u churc
member l don't stand in need of mol
Of your dealin, and SO good day to you.
And as Mr.. Hodge did not go he stroC
off himself through the open doorway
"Oh, Mr.. Hodge," exclaimed Sal
breathlessly, ~ must CO. tool can
let him off alone"-
~ "Thsts jest it; yes, / may say, je
10 it," said tho selectman, with his shor
dry cough. IL came to see abou
10 yes, about a-removin of him, as ms
~ cay, to the asylum
ooh, no, no, / couldn't have it
cried Sally, but under her breath. g
10 would break his heart " ell he come
z, He'll come round all right in lit
y while. He allus docs. You mustn't thin
., of it, IL couldn't stand it myself
But Mis- Lavender-it ain't-ye
,, it amt only you, only you, may sa
and him. It's-it's the commuity-yt
y, the community. Nobudy's safe, so
y speak-yes, nobody's safe with era
~ man loose"-
: ooh, he amt crazy He's only j
~ q little mite out'n his head He never
= hurt fy!" she cried, hesitating on
~ point of one foot, and tying on her be
NJ net she hurried by, a sunbeam sInnti