The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-09


quite chatty as the pleasant motion brisk
ed him up, and began pointing out the
objects of interest to the stranger as
they passed them by so swiftly.
There be Pitgroun, where I DID the
very first piece of ploughin' as ever put
hand to. I mind the burrows were
crookeder than the hind leg of a doug.
Folk as knows nothing Of plough.n think
it's easy DONE but low they should try
it" -,
Presently they were bAssing a copse
which was just feathering out into spring
green, and he looked at the new growth
Of wood with the eye Of an expert
I've done a goedish bit to hurdlinG in
that there copse; I see they'm giv3n' it
bit of a rest. It's tuErlble rheumaticky
work, and 1 hadn't followed it long be,
fore getting crippled UPS
But ne grew mournfHlly silent as they
drove on by the river and SO close to
the scene of yesterdays tragedy If that
portion of their route, 5conld have been
avoided Selhurst would s, have chosen
some other way. BY this time they were
close to the Manor gates. which were
protected on either side by a small and
trinity kept lodge. In one of these lived
the head gardener and his wife: in the
other, which had been tenantiess for
some months, was the squire himself
trying to -sooIhe and comfort a restless
unQuiet cat. who had previously had her
paws carefully buttered by the garden
er's wife in order to reconcile her to new
quarters.
At the door of this lodge SiIvertaJ
drew up with much decision, and Joe
was asked to aligat. Qifite dazed by the
extraordinary things that were happen,
ing to him, he did so, after Yainly muir
muring that ''he thanked the gentleman
kindly, but wasn't it time he was going
backlong?"
Selhurst snook his head as he helped
the lettering old figure and cared for it
tenderly.
"Mr. Thorne," he said cheerfuiIy, you
arc not going baclllong any more. L
want you to understand this clearly"
Joe understood nothing: he was in a
dream, and therefore past speech alto
Sether AS the two entered, the young
squire rose from his ministcations with
welcome in his face, and the restless lit
tie gray cat, VINO had proved sa,yyerita Bile
handful to her anxious guardians, be-
came suddenly almost deliriotfs with
| happiness. For moment Joe regarded
ner as some mysterlously risen ghost.
and then the rapture of recognition
glowed upon his worn face and made IT
almost young again.
''E-flet,! My Vflet!'
It was all that he could say for some
time, as he was fam to sink into a COM
Portable armchair and let Vi'let announce
her bodily presence by vibrant purrs and
a scariication of his face With a very
rough and eager little tongue. They
were both too rejoiced to be in any way
coherent, but the sympathizing onlookers
felt well rewarded for their labor Of
love. But presently. when the old man
could look round. he found even more
than his one recovered treasure There
was the rickety fCurposters with its COM
Portable feather bed which had been
wrested from Liza Legg by generous
compensation there WAS. valso the oak
bureau, which the vicar, had brought
down himself the very Moment he had
heard Of what was in the wind There
was 4 hornely tea laid for, two; for ono
cupless saucer had cream in It, as the
squire and Selhurst had, both decided
that Yi'let had fretted as well as her
master over the separation, and that her
ribs must be better covered than they
We're. \ cheerful wood fire twinkled
upon the hearth, and there was just
enough homely comfort to keep an old
nan and his cat happy and content.
Joe DID not quite realize ali his good
fortune until the squire explained it to
himr' Ferya4 clearly and kindly, with a
neighooriy hand on his shoulder. 5AuI
Mr.. Thorne, this is now your home
yours and 4Fi'letisEoI consider it your
due, and not charity. You have been, an
honest and faithful servant to my
father and his father. and lam reaping
the fruit of your Iabers. 1 have arranged
that Mrs. Lockett, your near neighbor-
only a few yards away, you See-Will do
for you, and every week there will be a
small sum provided, so that either6you. or
she can do your, bit Of marketing. Per-
haps you may thank my friend here for
his share in all these transactions, for
Ia NJ la oil m }Sl1fln n Eaf
you have upon me-"
Joe did his best to sob out n few
heartfelt words of gratitude, for had they
not restored to him his loved Ni'Iet-his
lost individuality: and although it was
no longer the little brown house, had
they not given him back his home ard
the sacred privacy which Is its greatest
blessing? '-- ~ 81, fl
Seeing him so broken, albeit only with
the weight of his happiness, they made
his tea for him. and sat down to smoke
a friendly pipe. SO that all strangeness
might wear off before they left him.
But after the tea had refreshed him and
Vilet had Tapped up the cream, as be-
seemed a squires pensioaer, Joe could
speak at least a part of his grateful mind
with more composure. He thanked them
again and again; and Vilet, basking in
the warmth of the fire-ffer own fire and
Joe's. as she knew instfnctiyeIy-purred
and biinked upon the two, intruders. as
though assuring them. thatethe hospitality
Of her house and joe was EXTENDED to
them whenever they felt in need Of &c.
Il knowed," said the old imam humbIy
and gratefully. that there was a place
for me above, where my Louie be gone
before me. but [ never thought to find
another home upon earth''5 Chen he
turned wistfuily to the young squire Il
see the larrel hedge up the drive, do. want
cllppin' turr'bIe bad; 1 low. sir, as I'm
hard to beat at c1:ppin' hedges"
So on. very fine sunny days you may see
a bent old man clipping a,Thedge and talk
ing away blithelY to himself, or to Vf'Iet
who always attends-or to the squire him
self as he passes up and down the drive
Between the two there Is real attach
ment, and Joe never lets him pass with
out sending his respectful duty and
hearty thanks-in which Vf'let always
joins-to Mr.. John SeIhurst
STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR,