Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1900-12-20


putting her head out Of the kltcho,,
'Tell 'em I'll be In as soon as I've tend
ed to the turkey"
| Lucinda went into the sitting roo,
to receive the guests. The air was frI
of kindly greetings and good wishes q,
she shook hands with the newcomonS
They seemed to have brought the Won,
spirit of Thanksgiving with them.
"Where's Marthaw asked Sister 6.
rah almost as soon as handshok,n
was over. II want to see her ahon,
somethin the worst way. In the kitch
! en-? Well, then, I'll go right in. yor
stay here an see to the children, Gin,
dy, while I'm gone"
7 ''For the lan's sake!" cried Martha as
Sarah appeared in the kitchen door
"How do you do, an how's all tbe
folks?"
"Quite well, thanky," responded So.
rah, with proper politeness, which was
Instantly put aside as soon as the doc,
was closed behind her and the two
were alone. Martha Pettibone, pvo
got some news for you. You can,t
guess who came to our house laS
night?"
"Elder Hogaboom," ventured Mar.
tina.
"Elder Hogaboom, indeedv' esclaIm.
ed Sarah. Il knew you'd get way off,
You'd never think of the right person.
Twas Robert Grant"
"For goodness sakew cried Martha
"Air you RELY in earnest, Sasy? II
don't seem as if it could be so. Cindv
an | was a-talkin about him yesterda y
an wonderin what had become Of
him."
Eyes, it's So" answered Sarah, "an
he's there now. We tried to coax him
to come over with us, but he said he
didn't knows twould be agreeable hut
he'd like to the worst way. jest know
he was thinkin of Cindy all the time
Now, l want to know if you have anv
idea she'd care if he should come. |
thought I'd ask you fore | said any,
thing to her. Martini he told John not
if it would be agreeable, he's goin right
BACK after Robert.
81 reckon she'd be glad to have him
come" said Martha. ooh, Sary, meb-
be it'll all turn out right yet Who
knows? He-he amt married, is hep
mo, he amt, an | don't b'lieve he
ever will be if Cindy don't have him"
answered Sarah. He blames himself
for what happened. He jest the same
as told me so. Call her in an ask her
If she's willin he should come"
"Cindy, come in here a mint, won't
you?' called Martha, in flutter of de-
Hghtful excitement. "Dear me, Sary,
feels if somethin was goin to hap
pen! Wouldn't it be jest splendid if
they should make up?"
"What's wantedY' asked Lucinda.
"Cindy," said Martha as solemnly
as if about to inform her of some
body's death, Somebody's come back"
Lucinda started, and her cheeks grew
pale. She opened her mouth to speak,
but no words came.
"He's over to Martins, and Sary
wants to know if you'd find any fault
with havin him come over to eat
Thanksgivin dinner with us. 1t don't
seem jest right to let him spend such q
day there alone, does it?"
"Why shouldn't he Gomez said Luz
cinda. But it hardly seemed to either
Of the women as if she spoke to them.
Indeed it hardly seemed to her, as she
stood there face to face with the fact
that after many years her old lover
had come back, as If she was not alone
with that one thought.
ooh, I'm so glad!' cried Sarah. "I'u
run right out an tell Martin"
Lucinda ran up to her chamber to
think it all over alone. As she shut the
door she heard the sound Of bells, and,
looking out, she saw Martin driving
swiftly up the hill road on his friendly
errand. How the bells rang!
He had come back! He was coming
there! She would see him again, would
hear his voice and feel his hand clasp
ing hers as in the old days when they
met each other after these long years
of separation! AS in the old days2
Perhaps not. There might have been
changes of which she knew nothing.
But they could at least meet as friends.
Suddenly sense Of all the sorrow
these vanished years had held seemed
to force itself upon her as she had
never comprehended it before, and she
laid her head down on the window sill
and cried. By and by she aroused her.
self.
'This will not do" she said as she
looked at herself in the glass. She al
most stared at the face she saw there
1t was not like the face she had seen
there this morning. This face seemed
almost radiant.
The clock was striking II when John
junior sang out that Uncle Mart Ia
comm back, an there Is a man with
him."
There was a general stampede Of
youngsters for the front door, Lucinda
felt wild impulse to run away. But
she did not. Martha and Sarah helped
her to pass the ordeal Of the next few
minutes by being very demonstrative
and laxative, thus drawing attention
from her. She saw Robert Grant coma
into the room; she saw him SHAKING
hands with all the grown foIl-s a.