Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-11

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.s@saEsA9 ram west to the edge of the
town. where ii turned to the south for
quarter of a mile or more, then bent
TO the west again. Some distance
from this second turn there stood,
fronting close OIL tho road. large
brick house, the most pretentious man.
sion in Carlow county. And yet 1t was
homelike place. with its red brick
walls cnlbowcrcd in masses of cool
Virginia crccper and comfortable
veranda crossing the broad front, while
half hundred stalwart sentinels of
elm and beech and poplar stood guard
around it. The front walk was bor-
dered by gcraniums and hollyhocks,
and honcysucklc climbed the pillars of
the porch. Behind the house there was
n shady little orchard, and back of the
orchard an old fashioned, very fragrant
rose garden. divided by a long grape
arbor. extended to the shallow waters
of a wandering creek. and on the bank
n rustic seat was placed beneath the
sycamorcs.
From tlr first bend of the road,
where it left the town and became
(after some indecisiom a country high
way, called the pike. rather than
proud city boulevard. n pathway led
through the fields To end ut some pas
ture bars opposite the brick house.
John fIarlllcss was leaning on the
pasture bars. The stars were wan and
the full moon shonc over the fields.
Meadows and woodlands lay quiet and
mOtiOnless under the old, sweet mar
vel of June night In the wide
monotouy of the Hat lands there some
times comes a feeling that the whole
earth is stretched out before one. To-
night ii seemed to lie so. in the pathos
of silent beauty, passive and still. yet
athing an antique message, sad,
mysterious. reassurng. But there had
come n divine melody adrift on the air.
Through the open windows it foated.
Indoors some one struck peal Of sill
YER chords. like Il harp touched by
lover, and q woman's voice was lifted.
John Harkless leaned on the pasture
bars and listened with appraised head
and parted lips.
ITO thy chamber window rowing. love
hath led my feet
The Lord sent mama to the children
Of Israel in the wilderness. Harkless
had been five years in Plattville, and a
womans voice singing Schubert's Ser
enadc' came to him at last as he stood
by the pasture bars of Jones' field and
listened and rested his dazzled eyes
on the big white face Of the moon.
How long had it been since he had
heard a sony or any discourse Of music
other than mat furnished by the Platt-
vile band? Not that he had no taste
for a brass band. But music that he
loved always gave him an ache or de
light and the twnge of "reminiscences
OF old gay days gone forever. Tonight
his memory leaped to the last day OF
June gone seven years to morn
ing when the little estuary waves
twinklcd in the bright sun about the
boat in which he sat. the trim launch
that brought CHEEKY party ashore
from their schooner to the casino land.
ing at Winter IIarbor, far up on the
Maine coast
Tonight lie saw the picture as plainly
as if 1t were yesterday. No reminis.
cences had risen so keenly before his
eyes for years. Pretty Mrs. Van Skuyt
sitting beside him-pretty Mrs. Van
Skuyt and her roses - what had be-
come of her? He saw the crowd of
friends waiting on the pier for their ar
rival. the dozen or so cmblazOned class
m fnS in, ,f hriI Ii,r, NJ
hanncls) who sent up yolley of col
lege cheers in his honor. How plainly
the dear old. young faces rose up before
him tonight the men from whose lives
he had slipped. Dearest and iolliest Of
the faces was that Of Tom Meredith,
clubmatc, classnatc, his closest friend,
the thin, r''dhcaded third bascman. He
could see Toms mouth opened at least
a yard. ii seemed, such was his frantic
vociferouSncss Again and again the
cheers rang out, "Harkless. Hark-
less" On the end of them. In those
days everybody. particularly his class
mates. thought he would be minister
to England in n few years. and the or.
chcstra on the casino porch was play
ing "The Conqucrins Hero Comes" in
his honor and ut the behest of Tom
Meredith, h. knew
There were other pretty ladies' be-
sides Mrs. Van Sk:Iyt in the launch
load from the yacht, but as they touch
ed the pier pretty girls or pretty wom-
en- or jovial gentlemen, all were over
looked in the wild scramble the college
men made for their hero. They hailed
Lin forth. SET him on high, bore him on
their shoulders, shouting "Skal to the
Viking" and carried him up the wood.
ed bluff to the casino. He heard Mrs
Van Skuyt say: "Oh. were used to it.
We've put in ut several other places
where he had friends" He remember
ed the wild progress they made for
him up the slope that morning at Win.
ter IIarbor- how the people looked on
and laughed and clapped their hands.
But at the vcrandn edge he had no.
ticed little form disappearing around
corner Of the building, young girl
running away as fast as she could.
'See there" he said AZ the tribe set
him down: you have frightened the
populace." And Tom Meredith had
stopped shouting long enough to an
swer: ITS my little cousin. overcome
| with emotion. Shes been counting
the hours till you camc-been hearing
about you for II good while. She hasn't