Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-08-17

You couldn't drown q kitten, Hum
phrey."
He made step toward her. cat
least l could" he said as she looked
IN his face, with the tears still on her
own, "ef you belonged to me. But be-
ing as you're Tom Briefs now-you're
pretty woman, Sally" he said after
looking at her a moment again. "Ef
you hedn't ben so blamed toppin and
bound to have your own way, wouldn't
"a got red of you. You can hev your
Oh ice now between Tom Brier and the
river. Oh, my head, my headr'
There was a rap on the door, and then
shadow fell through the little passage
way into the bright kitchen. ooh,
forgot to bolt the door p exclaimed Mrs.
Lavender.
"I'll be bound you did!' cried Hum
lphrey. "Who's this a-oomin into folks
houses 'thout by your leave?'
cts me, Humphrey; it's-yes-it's
me-, " piped a high thin voice with
something like an escapement midway
of its utterance.
"Oh, Mr.. Hodge!" exclaimed Sally,
wiping chair that was clean before.
"Come right in. Only you'll excuse us
Humphrey isn't-isn't quite as we'll
las''-
"Who be you," cried Humphrey,
"tellin him to set down in my house?
And you amt welcome here, a-spyin
round, Ivy Hodge, and you know it..
"My dear-Humphrey-I-I really
think you can't know what-yes, what
| Won ;ro in - coiI M
ly and taking the chair. GA selec'-
mans welcome - yes - most any
where's. ="
'Ceptin here,'' said Humphrey,
looking for his stick.
"How?' said Mr.. Hodge.
81 said eXceptin here, and aim 60
in to hev you exchangin looks with
that woman eyther. She don't belong
here no way, thanks be to praise. I've
allus KEEP thin's respectable, and eff
you've come to deal 18th me as church
member don't stand in need of none
of your dealin, and so good day to you. "
And as Mr.. Hodge did not go he strobe
off himself through the open doorway.
ooh, Mr.. Hodge" exclaimed Sally
breathlessly, Il must Co.. tool can't
let him off alone"-
"That's jest it; yes, may say, jest
it," said the selectman, with his short,
dry cough. "I-I came to see about,
yes, about a-removin of him, as may
say, to the asylum
"Oh, no. no, I couldn't have itp'
cried Sally, but under her breath. ''It
would break his heart W EN- he come to.
He'll come round all right in little
while. He allus docs. You muslin t think
of it. IL couldn't stand it myselfl'
"But Mis- Lavender-it ain 't-yes,
it AIM only you, only you, l may say,
and him. It's-it's the communicates,
the community. Nobody's safe, SO tc
speak-yes, nobody's safe with Graz,
man loose"-
"Oh, he amt crazy He's only jes
little mite out'n his head. He never't
hurt f1y" she cried, hesitating on tn
point of one foot, and tying on her bon
net she hurried by, a sunbeam slantins
through her great brown eyes lifted il
their mild, pitiful appeal. "He won :
do nobody harm as longs I'm near
and I'm near every minute and it's mos
l l.
take him his hat-he'll be SO mortified
wen he comes to-and he's the best, oh
he's the very best husband any woman
has W en- he's all HIMSELF
"There, Mis- Lavender, don't now
don't get SO, as may say, excited He
a-leanin on to the gate now-yes, quit
I quiet. Yes and you needn THAT is tt
, say, you needn't worry none. I won
do nothin 'thout your-your co-opera
, ton! AS longs you oan-yes, contro
, him.
} "Mostly I can manage" she said, hel
fingers shaking SO she could not tie hel
} bonnet strings. "He's really-really-
oh, he's fond of mel"
Yes, know-yes, said Mr.. Hodge,
taking up his hat and pouring out the
bandanna to mop his face "But don't
you-yes-don't you think you would
be happier, as you may say, safer-that
is, yes, easier every way, eff he was
took care off,
"Oh, oh, ohP' suddenly cried the lit
tie woman, covering her face with her
hands, through which the tears squirt
ed. 81 can't bear another word The
dear Lord knows what I've borne al
ready-w'en first found it out-and |
couldn't believe it thought I was
teched myself-but W EN- I'd wake up
in the night with his hands at my throat
land the baby, oh, the baby!"
"By graciousl'' cried the startled
Mr.. Hodge. And he would have said
"By gracious" again if he could have
made up his mind in season, when she
took down her hands, wiped her eyes
and with scarcely trace of her tears
10 rked out the door and smiled. His
exclamation had restored her self con-
troll.
81 shall. have to leave you to lock
up she said, turning to Mr.. Hodge
with pretty dignity, and as if nothing
had been said before. "We was goin to
take walk together, my husban and
me-"
"Well." said Mr. Hodge when he
went into Mrs. Mather's fore room, a
room Respondent with a picture of Cap
tain Mather's three master, the Man of
Null, under full sail and in a gilt
frame, and with a portrait of the late
captain himself that looked much as if
the figurehead of his schooner might
have sat for it, and where the pretty
l. AL