Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-07-07
JOHN SMITH.


Deborah Hancock was busily engaged
In decorating her birthday cake. she
sighed as she placed the last candle. one
morc than the previous year. How fast
these little waKen milestOnes seemed 20
multiply!
Several years before, when the whole
surface Of the cake was so thickly studded
that she could find no place for the new
taper, Miss Hancock paused 70 ponder.
Was not IS a good age at which 10 lose
oouQty
The temptation was gBoat, but all false
pnctcnse was abhoTrcnt to the sturdy Han
cock nature. PrcvaricatiOn even to oneself
was not To b., tolerated And what folly
could equal Inf Stiffness that of attempting
10 conceal ones ageg
The tapcrs were red, white and blue
The republic and Miss Deborah celebrated
the anniversary Of their birth upon tbs
same day.
a light tap sounded at the door. Deb
orah carefully locked her pantry door be-
fore admitting her visitor.
an sther wants to knew II you won't go
over to the picnic with us tomorrow"
Me go to the picnici Why, Ellen
Ann, l amt been to,a picIhO for 20 years
Thank your ma, but
"Oh, do come, Miss Debl You know
we're going to celebrate the incorporation
Of Hilton us well as the Fourth"
Come in and I'll think 1t over"
With blush and giggle the girl cgst a
backward glance over her shoulder II
can't come in tonight. But you be ready
and Wen stop for you in the morning"
Miss Deborah followed the girls glance
and smiled as she caught sight of dark
| figure larking in the shadow Of the Hiacs
by the fence
"Oh, it's 1Oelr' safd she
Ellen Ann giggled.
Perhaps 1t was the remembrance of her
| own unfinished romance which made her
heart particularly tender toward all lovers.
Be that as it may; she was the village con-
| fidant. Many awkward youths and shy
maids blessed her for the kindly way in
which she sped their wooing
The next morning when Ellen AIMS
brother with flourish brought his hay
wagon to a stand before Miss Deborahs
door he found her waiting, lunchbasket
beside her.
The exercises were opened by long and
| fervent prayer by Parson Elihu Griffin.
| Then the schoolmaster arose and said:
Fellow townspeople, have sur
prise in store for you. Hearing that this
day was to be Of especial interest to the
inhabitants OF his birthplace, one of our
sons who has made a name for himself In
the political world, yet has still retained
in his heart a warm regard for his old
home, has come down to Join in our fes-
tivities and hos consented to mako few
remarks. Friends, ask you 70 join mo
In welcoming Hon. John Smith.
The cheering mercifully drowned Miss
DebOrah's painful little gasps of conster-
nation. No one noted her pale face. All
eyes were upon their illustrious townsman.
Deborah felt that she must go away by
herself and recover her lost equaniInity.
Selling upon two pals, she insisted upon
going to the spring for water. She started
of briskly, but behind the first clump Of
bushes she cast aside the pals and sat
down to give her thoughts full sway.
Miss Deborah smiled as she contemplat-
ed the mental pictures Of her youthful self.
There she stood in her girlish pride, her
head saucily atilt and a mischievous light
in her eyes. But the smile was quickly
followed by sigh as ever faithful mem
DRY drew the outline of tall, awkward
| country boy, who stood beside the maid.
All, now the girls lips parted, and,
bending her head, Miss Deborah hears the
sound of light laugh. At the sound the
| youth frowns, then speaks.
Dan Quincy is common Teller, and
the girl I've kept steady company with
shan t. dance with him.
Again the, girl laughs and then in
hooking tone replies:
"A common Teller, is hef Well his
name ain as common as some know OF,
John Smith.
If yer ashamed of my name now,
whatrl ye be when it's yer OWN"
who says III ever bear any such com
mon name as John SMITH If was you,
I'd ask the legislature to help me to q
| finer name"
do you mean that, Debf"
Yes do"
Thus Deborah declared her independ-
ence. She' supposed John would come
around that evening and make up" as
he had done 80 often before, but no, he
had gone away fAom Hilton without a
word
At this point her reverie was broken in
upon by the voice Deborah had not heard
for SO long.
Why, Miss Hancock, what are you do
ing here all alone?'
II was going for water" Deborah
faltered, pointing TO the forgotten pals
Down 20 the old spring. I'll go and
help you. I haven't forgotten the way /
believe l remember every incident of my
life here. Do you remember the picnic
| just before I went away"
Deborah nodded
do you know I've often thought OF
not 7 .l,-,,
and went to the legislature. 1t took time,
but I finally reached there. But decided
that If 1 could obtain handle to my
name 1t would answer just as well as If
| changed tt.
I'm afraid was rude, Deborah STAN.
mered
| 1T was the best rudeness lever encoun-
tered 1t made me leave here, otherwise
suppose l should have lived right along In
the groove made by my ancestors. l have
always been grateful for your scorn. 1t
hurt dreadfully at first, but I came to ses
the other side of the question"
John talked of this and that but sud.
denly he seemed to become aware of his
companions silence. He glanced at her,
and in a whimsical tone said:
Deborah, doesn't the hoporsbie modify
the Smith litQeS"
What. does 6 name ma tier anyway.
Deborahasked impatiently. But here We
are at the spring"
IF the name doesn't matter, Deb. per.
haps you II not scorn to share it'with me
now. Will, you, dearP" and the congress
man bent low to look under Deborah 4
hat.
John, there's Ellen Ann staring al
us, !" and with blush Miss Deborah with
drew her hand, but NOT until she had 70
turned the pressure of the one which held