Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-06-09

a few minutes intermission in which
to make up their minds. and he was
sure they would be glad to have Mrs.
Mavor sing. In the interval the men
talked in groups. eagerly. even fiercely.
hampered seriously in the forceful eX-
preston of their opinions by the pres
ence of Mrs. Mavor. who glided from
group to group. dropping word mere
and smile there. She reminded me of
a general riding along the ranks, brac-
ing his men for the coming battle. She
paused beside Geordie. spoke earnestly
for a few moments while Geordie
gazed soemnly at her. and then she
came back to Billy in the corner near
me. What she was saying could not
hear. but poor Billy was protesting,
spreading his hands out aimlessly be-
fore him, but gazing at her the while
in dumb admiration. Then she came to
me.
Poor Billy! He was good to my
husband" she said softly. land he has
a good heart"
Hes not much to look at" could
not help saying.
'The oyster hides it's pearl" she an
swered, a little reproachfully.
''The shell is apparent enough" re-
piled, for the mischief was in me.
'Ah, yes" she replied softly, ''but it
is the pearl we love-"
1 moved over beside Billy, whose
eyes were following Mrs. Mavor as she
went to speak to Mr.. Craig.
WELL" said, "you all seem to have
high opinion of her."
can Ugh hopinionw he replied in
deep scorn. can Ugh hopinion, you
calls iti'
what would you call it?'' l asked,
wishing to draw him OUT
''Oi don't call it nothink," he replied,
spreading out his rough hands.
'She seems very NICE" l said indif-
ferently.
He drew his eyes away from Mrs.
Mayor and gave attention to me for
the first time
'Nicer' he repeated, with fine con-
tempt and then he added impressive
ly, Them as don't know shouldn't say
nOthink."
"You are right" answered earnest
ly, land l am quite of your opinion"
He gave me a quick glance out of his
little, deepset, dark blue eyes and open
ed his heart to me. He told me in his
quaint speech how again and again
she had taken him in and nursed him
and encouraged him and sent him out
with a new heart for his battle until,
for very shame's sake at his own mis-
cradle weakness, he had kept out Of
her way for many months, going stead
lily down.
"Now. Oh hain't got no grip, but when
she says to me tonight, says she. oh,
Billy'-She calls me Billy to myself
this with a touch of PRIDE =" oh,
Billy says she, we must ave total
habstinence league tonight, and Oh
want you to 'elp! and she keeps a-look-
in at me with those heyes O hern till,
if you believe me, sir" lowering his
voice to an emphatic whisper. though
OF knowed Oh couldn't 'elp none. afore
Oh knowed Oh promised 'er Oh would
It's 'er heyes When them heyes says
do hup you steps and does"
l remember my first look into heI
eyes. and could quite understand
Billy's submission. Just as she begaI
to sing went over to Geordie and tool
my seat beside him. She began with
an English slumber song. ''Sleep. Ba
by. Sleep" one of Barry CORVALLIS,
think. and then sang love song will
the refrain, Love once again." but M
thrills came to me. and began to won
der if her spell over me was broken
Geordie, who had been listening some
what indifferently. encouraged me
however. by saying: "She's just pittin
aft time with the feckless sangs Man
, there's nae grup till them" But when
after a few minutes pause, she begal
"My Ain Preside Geordie gave
sigh of satisfaction, AYE. that's some
thin like" and when she finished tn
first verse he gave me dig in the rib
with his elbow that took my breatl
away. saying in a whisper "Man, hea
till Won. wull yep And again l foun
the spell upon me. 1t was not tn
) voice, after ALL but the great soul be
hind. that thrilled and compelled. Sh
: was seeing, feeling, living. what sh
t sang, and her voice showed us he
: heart. The coy fireside, with it's boz
i: ny. blithe blink. where no care coul
abide. but only peace and love. wa
I wildly present to her. and as she san
+ we saw it too When she came to th
;. last verse:
when I draw in my stool
u On my coy hearthstane,
z My heart loups sac LIGHT
! / scarce kent for my ain,"
= there was feeling of tears in the flow
n ing song. and we knew the words ha
g brought her picture of the firesid
+ that would always seem empty | fe