Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-07-25
TIE STAGE
ID RI VE RS Story
BY Mary B. Sleight.

his once, and a mighty fine place it
is, too" said Capt. Bob" the stage
driver.
was the only passenger, and as
the day was fine ! was sharing his
seat for better view of the country.
We were just then passing & large.
old-fashioned mansion standing well
back from the road and surrounded
with magnificent elms and naples.
"Yes, it's a mighty nice old place"
repeated the driver, "and it just does
me good to see them Youngsters frol-
licking on that grass plot. Hullol
there's the old squire himself!" and
he pointed with his whip handle to
shaggy-bearded old man who with
the help Of a crutch was hobbling
down the steps. Seems pretty bad
ly broken up. And he used to be one
o the halest heartiest men in STAN
tonville. / know | used to look up
at him when l was a boy and think
that the giants I'd read about could
Mt have been much bigger. But the
trouble with him was his inside
makeup didn't fit the outside. II
always seems 10 me when | see some
o. them great gianty-lookin' men as
II the Lord meant EN- to have hearts
az big in proportion as their bodies.
but they don't always; or # they
we're big once, they've got so badly
shriveled up. some Of them, that
should think they'd wabble round
Ike a dried kernel in a walnut she'll
NV uncle Ben used TO go to school
with the squire when he was
vounpster, and he says he was 50
mean that he wouldn't SO much as
give a fellow an apple core without
maxim him pay back in chewin' gum
and when you see a boy so stingy
AZ that YOU can most gently tell
about what sort of a man he is goin
70 make. But he was an only SON
and / s'pose that helped to spoil
him. He had one sister. and when
her husband died, leavin' her with
two children and scarcely money
enough to pay his funeral expenses,
she begged her brother to let her
come back to the old home; but she
might as well have asked that big
rock yonder to take pity on her
And 'twasn't long before the poor
lady. not being used 10 hardships'
broke down and died. Folks thought
hen that maybe he'd be shamed into
1oin' something for the two orphans
seein' they were his own nephews;
and he was; he took 'em both out o
school and 'prenticed 'em TO shoe
maker. Generous, wasn't he? Ana
he had but one child Of his own, TOO
and she was a girl that would have
been clad enough TO have EN- for
brothers. Her own mother was dead
as nice a woman as you'd care to
meet; one o your real ladies' with
aiwavs a smile and a heartsome word
for everybody; a good prayin wom-
an. too. Folks that knew her mt
mate use to say that she was always
prayin' for the squire, and mar
sop5etimes she'd send a note askin
10 have him prayed for in meetin
she didn't give in his name, but
everybody knew who it was. But
pravin' for man ike Squire Hone
alvavs seems 10 me a waste
breath. Anyway, the poor LADY died
,yifbout seem any good come Of u
md 'twasn't more'n year lore ne |
was married again. The second VIE
vas good deal like himself, big ana
,o,dsome. with no more heart than
IN oyster. and Annie. who was one
=, ,bem soft-eved little things that
always look as if they wanted q lot
a. motberin'. got to pinin' so that
AZ last some Of her mothers relatives
ever in Waterbury sent for her ana
len, her til she was grown up.
-.nember a well Al IL twas yester
Law the day she came back; ID lust
,ag,,n driyin' the stage. and she was
me ~ nv first passengers, tau,
girl. with forehead liNe
, babv's. and a look in her ewes that
made YOU feel as If you wouldn say
swear word before her no more Z
-ou'd cut off your hand; and that
he kind o. girl that I Ike 10 have
-ound when that of horse begins q
,et bolkv. Hi, there, Jerry None
/. vour nonsense!" But the Of horse
vas in mulish mood. and there was
long break in the story.
aTbe souire'd been sort O. ailin
hat spring." said Capt. Bob. when a.
~ the baker was conquered "and
then Annie heard Of it she hurried
,o,na "a see if she couldn't cheer
IN mn And he was mighty vel
leased to have her there, for he and
adam didn't get on any too vel
ogetber: and no matter how mean
man Is. he likes havin' somebody
= coddle him all the same, specially
rber he's sick. But when he found
M tbat she was gettin' letters from
YOUNG Teller in Waterbury, and
80 expectin' some time or other e
err him. he was madder'n a March
- and swore that if she didn
-ive him up he'd cut her of without
,.,nv But Annie didn't take
-, hort frr the