Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-25
lousy. Both were silent.

who jostled about them favored his
suit and wished both Of them well. and
many lips, opening to speak to Hank
less in passing. closed when their own
ers, more tactful than Mr.. Bardlock,
looked second time.
Old Tom Martin. still perched alone
on his high seat, saw them standing by
the tent pole and watched them from
under his dusty hat brim. IL reckon
it's ben three or four thousand years
sence I was young" he sighed to him
self. Then. pushing his hat still farther
down over his eyes. 81 don't believe I'd
ort TO rightly look OH at that" He
sighed again as he rose and gently
spoke the name Of his dead wife: MAR
jc, reckon you're mighty tired wait
in for me. It's ben lonesome some
times
do you see that tail old man up
thereY" said Helen, nodding her head
toward Martin. II think should like
to know him. I'm sure like him"
"That Is old Tom Martin"
81 know"
81 was sorry and ashamed about all
that conspicuousness and shouting. 1t
must have been very unpleasant for
YOU. 1t must have been SO for a stran-
ger. Please try to forgive Inc for let
ting you in for it."
"But liked IT, 1t was all in the
family and it was 80 Jolly and good
naturcd. and that dear old man was SO
l. hn II,
low voice, IL don't believe I'm so
much Il strnngcr-I think l love all
these people n great deal-in spite of
having known them only two days"
At that wild exhilara ton possessed
him. He wanted to shake hands with
every soul in the tent, to tell them all
that he loved them with his whole
heart but. what was vastly more i'm
portant. she loved them great deal
in spite Of having known them only
no days.
lie made the horses prance on the
...meward drive, and once. when she
told him that she had read good many
of his political columns in the Herald,
he ran them into a fence. After this
1t occurred TO him that they were near
ing their destination and had come at
perversely sharp gait, so lie held the
roans down to n snall's pace Gf it be
true that a snails natural gait is not n
trot) for the rest of the way. and they
talked of Tom Meredith and books anC
music, and discovered that they diff
fered widely about Ibsen.
They found Mr.. Fisbee in the yard
talking 10 Judge Briscoe. AS they
| drove up and before the horses haC
quite stopped Helen leaped to thu
ground and ran to the old scholar Will
both her hands outstretched to him
He looked timidly at her and took tn
hands she gave him; then he produced
| from his pocket n yellow telegra ph en-
ycope, watching her anxiously as sh'
rccciNiI it. However she seemed t.
attach no particular Importance TO 1t
and instead of opening it leaned to
ward him, still holding one Of hi
hands.
"These awful old men," Harkles
groaned inwardly as he handed tn,
horses over to the Judge. II dare sa!
he'll kiss her too" But when the ed
! itor and Mr.. Willetts had gone it wa
Helen who kissed B'isbee.
They're coming out to spend tn
evening, aren't they?" asked Briscoe
nodding to the young men as they SO
Off down the road.
''Iige has 10 come whether he wants
to or not Minnie laughed rather con
sciously. Its his turn tonight to lool
after Mr.. Harkless."
Il guess he won't mind coming" sait
the judge.
well" returned his daughter, glanc
ing at Helen. who stood apart reading
the telegram to Fisbee, II know If h.
follows Mr.. HAIRLESS he'll get herr
pretty soon after suppcr-as soon a
the moon comes up, anyway"
The editor Of the Herald was late 4
his evening meal that night. 1t wa
dusk when be reached the hotel. an,
for the first time in history gentle
man sat down to meat in that hous
Of entertainment in evening dress
There was no one in the dining rooI
when he went in-the other boarder
had finished. and it was Cynthia
evening OUTPUT the landlord, &C
lumbus Lands. came and attended t
his wants himself and chatted wit
him while Nc ate.
"There's a picture of Henry Clay,
remarked Lands in obvious reicvanc
20 his compa MONS nttire-"therc's
: nj, Hf N rl
about the house in swallow tail. Coy
: crnor Ray spoke here in one, Bodcffe
says; always wore ono, except X wa
higher built up n yOurn about the 90
lar and had brass buttons, | thinl
ole man Windy was here again t.
} night the landlord continued. chan!
ing the sub ject. He waited around fe
We good while, but last he had 10 y
He's ben mighty wrought up scnce I'll
J trouble this morning an wanted to sc
We bad. | don't know If you seen it, hi
; that Teller I knocked your hat of wit
club got mighty near tore to piece
in the crowd before he got ava.
Seems some Of the boys re-cog ni2c
him as one OF the Crossroads Skillc
and sicked the dogs OIL him, and !
had q pretty mean time of it. Wimh
saws the Crossroads folks III be wor'
n ever, ard, says he, Tell him TO site
close to town. says he. They'll
anything to git him now says he, ar
rcsk anything ! told him you wouldn
take no stock in what any one say
and | knowcd well enough you'd lauc