The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1904-01-14
MANCHESTER VERMONT THURSDAY MORNING JANUARY a. 1904

shen sbe eclssd speaking no one vsf,u
ID rsmnk. Miss Ba,tleby save co
tempinous spia end applied htrseli :
her needle. While che 0vrd on, I'd
slinner Of su ides sho, ihroash her rio
snd ~ sbe pondered snd enlarged upo
IL the stern lines OF her tsos felsIed int
broad emile Yes. che would do II
There VAS no reason Why ehe should no
and many reasons Why she should. lie
msny persons congratulated them ceive
snd asked Others 10 l,in them simply b
c,nse they hsd been msrried score or q
OF years wby should ste not be conerst'
lated in rtmsiniog siusle . similsr pc
iodf Sortly " sss more diliicolt 10 u
msin nuusiriei than to lod q husband
Yes, she would do 1t.
Ia dsy CT two The villsges received
the following iavitstion.
"Miss X Eisb Boitleby, bsvius existed
10 single blessetue.s for ior,y-fvs years
nq nests your presence st her home OF
rhutsdsy. May IL st 0 o'clock 10 the oil
ernoon, tbe occasion being IN old msid''
variety. Tee snd doughna,a will be eel
ed, aud presents nsy be stored 10 The
psrlor"
They we're the talk OF the village, these
Invitations, and tvcry one said how like
Miss Bottltby IL vas. They oil meant 10
40, too, for they felt ihst che did deserve
something for her long years OF sbness
tion. Toe general tendency was TO defest
her purpose BY is1orius the obvious ssr
CASIO and pretending that they took her
seriously.
Hiram Spinks had tec siyed 90 Invitation
and 1t bed struck . responsive chord 10
bis heart, for be. too. had etioyed life
oi otlaticy.
He mst Miss B Bltilsby several deys be
fore the "variety' psrty. and che smiled
so warmly that Hiram lifted bis hat clear
from his head instead OF giving the Gus
tomsry little q p OF his hand.
Hou be ye. Hirsm2 asked Mics Bottle
by Fine warm dsyp
Why. bow de- dc-o.o, X z'sh' Yes, nm;
yes lie tolefable warm.
Tia. was sl. X 'zish swept by. but
Hnem suddenly gave start and turned
to look al her retrestiDg figure.
A foe. smart woman, be muttered, .
real woman. He was thinking, He thought
all the way to bis lonely home and aoally
slspped bis haad on bis thigh.
By suml be ti4Oulated. I'll do it rs
sure ss shootil'l
The next few days we're spent in paint
ing, and bis married eister came over and
helped him pn. she house 10 uawonted or
der. But she felt that he had suddenly
lost his miad She was conaient Of this
isct wien Q day or 20 later Hi,em cAme
home with v suit OF clothing snd =
new hst. But ell that be would vonchssie
vas that be hai bought them for the par
". Hiram was ready, and the more be
mused on his ne resolutions the more sb
sent minded be became.
The day Of the "vsrieis" came, and the
villa gers ootdid themselves 10 their gener
osity. They reOkoDed to silence Mics Bot
tlebJ's tongus on the snhJsot OF Wedding
forever. The little psrlor
was piled With presents Of all kinds. sLd
sll. including Miss Botslebv. were radiant.
Every one had . regular good time, and
when the guests began TO leave they sssur
ed her they we're ready for the next 'vsri
ETY. any time she chose TO civ, II. Finally
the door closed on tbs last guest. and Miss
returned to the psrlor. She did
not look at the presents. she was think
iue Of how kind they all had been and was
msking oil sorts 0: resolutions concerning
her future relations with her neisbbore.
Then she looked ont OF the widow.
wonder whatever became OF Hiram
Spinke. she said.
Az in answer th. hell ssbe sDd upon
ope ming tho door there stood Hiram. shaw
er, beard and hair til nmed snd new
X z!sh gssped.
Why. Hirsm, ye sre lste, sint ye'
Come in.
Yes, yes, murmured Hiram. I'm s.eom
To-. folloxing Miss X zish into The psrioE
Bu. ] can't stop long ] Jest came 10 to
bring ye my present.
Mics B,t.lsby looked surprised, for
Hiram was quite empty handed.
So ye'vs brnng me present, eh' Well.
70 needenr hev done that, Hiram. What
10 it2 Lst me see IT,
Hiram stepped closer.
The present. be said slosIy. Why.
K sb. ye can see the present. It's right
tefore ye. I've come spd brnpR myself
for . pre,ent Do yon want me, Kezshf
Why. Hirsml
Hiram moved closer. and then suddenly
Mics Kszlsh but let ns draw the curtsin
,ver shst followed. those precious mo
nents OF fret love 10 South Dusepbury.
Eax Earp,ipu IN Maipn-A AaM IN.