Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-04-28
There amt better man walks this
footstool'-
"Say, I'm glad he's pa" said Johnny.

WlSQC ne was Ter uuIQ tulS luluulc. IL >
gittin' reel thick outside, an he'd orter
: he'd his. travis set long ago. l didn't
| feel ter let him 60 anyhow wen see
! it sed fallin' weather an the wind
risin'. Waal, he knows all they is
about boat, an, as he says, he allus
has come in"
81 guess pas all right, ma" said jim
my, pushing back his chair and coming
and putting his arms round her neck.
"The sea amt run yit that's goin' ter
swamp him."
You're mas great boy, amt you,
Jimmy?" said the little woman, lean
ing her cheek down on the rough hand.
"She do know where she'd be 'thout
you"
"An' 'thout mew said Davy, his rosy
| face peering over the other shoulder.
"An' me, maj cried Johnny, spring
ing into her lap, while Sis ran to get
there first.
"Without any one O. you," she said,
half laughing and half crying.
you're the best mother l got" cried
Johnny.
81 declare" she said then, you amt
half ct your sqppers. An it's time the
lamp was lighted. The dark shuts down
like a dish cover these days. If you're
goin' ter see Sis up ter st. Paul's, you'd
better be off, though. An you wait an
come home with her, Jimmy. You put
on your comforter now. You got your
artics, Sis? Yes, do wisht your father
was in. There's the light ter the point
blazin' up. My land, how it's come on
ter blow. You all be home early now
or Ill be reel worried"
Don't you fret, ma" said Jimmy.
"Wel take care O. Sis"
Bring her back fer Christmas pres.
ent," echoed Johnny.
We'll be home in time fer the
stockin's." called Dave, but their gay
voices came back to her on the eddy of
the wind that puffed out her light as
she held the door open. "You 20 right
in, ma. You'll ketch cold," Jimmy
shouted back.
"An' l guess that's all pa II ketch."
Johnny added, walking backward.
She watched them moment in the
twilight, trudging ON with the wind be-
hind them. scutfing the snow, pushing
one another, tumbling down and rolling
over and up again and filling the air
with their happy outcry, and she
caught little of their jollity as she
shut the door and relit her lamp and
went about her tasks.
But the jollity presently grew faint.
"He certainly d orter be in now," she
said, going again and again to the Win
dow, where under her shading hand
the flakes whirled and scared and fell
and slanted by like sparks of fire. Il
do know. | declare I'm main fright
ened. | never felt jest so shaky an
limp in my life" she said "Oh, Joe,
Joe, eff you don't come back
She went into the bedroom presently
to find tfe stockings, and as she darned
a small hole she thought of Sis up at
st. Paurs among the green boughs and
felt little awe as she saw her helping
at the last wreaths about the chancel,
with the old aisleS like the aisles Of
some dim. sweet wood, all green and
dark and spicy. 81 guess l know how
mothers feel wen their sons are
priests" she said, and then suddenly
the bell rang out, the old cracked bell,
giving a glad, rolling peal Oh the full
of the gale. That's my Jimmy" she
thought. Hes jest maxim that bell
praise God. My! 1t jest takes me
right inter church, 18th the hemlock
boughs an all the woody, cool green
things there"
And then another bell. one much
more close at hand, rang out like
roaring echo. Its the Old South"
she exclaimed. 81 yum, l believe them
boys have clim' the Old South belfry
in spite O. me! My, my! That's the
North church-no: it's the Oldtown.
My soul ter gracious, it's both O them!
That's my Johnny, then. An that's
Dave. l suppose the sexon's let 'em.
an they've got some o the other boys
along"
Precisely that had happened. for
when the sexton of ST. Paurs began to
tell Jimmy what to do the other boys
crowded round, jostling and pushing.
and Jimmy gave Johnny kick. and
Johnny transferred it to Dave. and
Dave hit out all round, and scutlle
and scramble followed that would have
ended In open disgrace If the sexton
had not ordered them all out and away
without benefit of clergy.
And at this Jimmy. remembering that
there were other bells in town, had in
stantly organized several rival bell
ringing parties, and they started at full
run to get into the meeting houses the
best way they could and make the
belfres rock and drown out ST. Paurs
by all the superior metal of the bigger
bells, and when one of the lads heard
the peal of the other sound out like the
boom of fire bells and answered it, with
the peal from his own steeple tossing
out upon the dark. their hearts were
almost Bursting with the delight in the
clash and clang and roar beating out
the air about them.
81 wisht their father was hearin' o
'em." the mother said again, pressing
her face against the cold glass, while
the snow drove by something less fu-
riously. "'Twould RELY tickle him. It's
mighty pretty music. Jest hear the
echoes. Oh. Joe. where be you?" And
as the bells pealed on she was walking
up and down the little house, stopping
at every turn to peer through the pane,
to open the door and feel the blast.
more than once to cry out with voice
that the wind pressed back soundless.
making her feel her helplessness before
the great forces Of nature which be-
numb and destroy, shutting the door
and walking up and down again as she
wrung her hand and pausing at every
shudder of sash and door to listen.
ooh, what sort O. Chris mus eve Is
thisY" she cried. "Oh. Jos, Joe, Joe"
But even while tn., bells were ringing
It seemed as " the wind were falling
Jimmy said it was jest n spit" she
murmured. "P'raps he's right, one o
them quick squalls O snow, but one o