Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-12

the voices Of the swift and the panther
had grown mild and tremulous and an
satisfactory and even absurd. Time
had tanned the monsters Of that mag
mary wilderness, and I had begun to
lose my respect for them. But one fear
had remained with me rs I grew older
the fear Of the night man. Every
boy and girl in the valley trembled ut
the mention Of him. Many n time
had held awake in the late evening to
hear the men talk Of him before they
went asleep-Uncle Eb and Tip Taylor.
! remember a night when Tip said in
a low, awesome tone that he was a
ghost. The word carried into my soul
the first thought of its great and fear
full mystery.
Years and years ago" said he,
''thcre was n boy by the name of Nehe-
miah Brewer. An he killed another
boy once by accident IN run away nm
was d%rownded."
"Drownded!" said Uncle Eb.
"How"
"1n the ocean," the first answered,
gaping. went away off round the
world. nm they got n letter that said he
was drownded on his way to Van Die
mans Land"
ITO Van Dicmnn's land"
Eyes, an some say the night man is
the ghost O the one he killed"
remember waking that night and
hearing excited whispers at the win.
dow near my bed. 1t was very dark in
the room. and at first I could not tell
who was there.
Don't you see him." Tip whispered.
"Where?" l heard Uncle Eb ask.
"Under the pine trees. See him
move
At that time I was up at the window
myself and could plainly see the dark
figure Of n man standing under the lit
tie pine below us.
THE night man, I guess" said Uncle
Eb. But he won't do no harm. Let
him alone. He's goin' away now"
We saw him disappear behind the
trees, and then we got back into our
beds again. I covered m " head with
The bedclothes and said a small prayer
for the poor night man.
And in this atmosphere of mystery
and adventure among the plain folk of
PARKWAY, whose care of me when I
was in great need and whose love of
me always count among the priceless
treasures Of Gods providence, my
childhood passed. And the day came
near when ! was to begin to play my
poor part in the world.
1t was a time of new things. that
winter when l saw the end Of my tif-
leenth year. Then l began to enjoy the
finer hulnors of life in PARKWAY, to see
with understanding and by Gods grace
10 feel.
The land Of play and fear and fable
was now far behind me, and l had be
gun to feel the infinite in the ancient
Forest, in the everlasting hills. in the
Keep Of heaven, in all the ways of men.
Hope Brewer was now near woman
grown. She had Il beauty OF face and
form that was the talk of the country
Side. / have travelled far and seen
many a fair face, but never one more
10 my eye. l have heard men say she
those days.
Late years something had come be-
tween us. Long ago we had fallen out
Of each others confidence, and ever
since she had seemed to shun me. l
began to play with boys and she with
girls. And 1t made me miserable to
hear the boys a bit older than I gossip
OF her beauty and accus each other of
the sweet disgrace Of love.
But l must hasten to those events | in
PARKWAY that shaped our destinies.
And first comes that memorable night
when l had the privilege Of escortine
Hope 10 the school lyceum, where the
argument of Jed Feary. poet of the
hills, fred my soul with an ambition
that has remained with me always.
Uncle Eb suggested that l ask Hope
to e with me.
"Prance right up to her. he said,
San say you'd be glad of the pleasure
of her company"
1t seemed to me a very dubious thing
to do. looked thoughtful and turned
red in the face.
Young man." he continued. "the boy
thet's 'fraid O. women II never hev
whiskers."
Flows that?" / inquired.
BE scairt t DEATH" he answered.
"'fore they've he'd time T. start. Ye
want t step right up t. the rack jes' If
ye'd bought an paid fer yersclf an
was proud O. yer bargain"
l took his advice, and when l found
Hope alone in the parlor | came and
asked her, very ~awkwardly as l now
remember, to go with me.
She looked at me. blushing, and said
che would ask her mother.
And she did, and we walked to the
schoolhouse together that evening, her
hand holding my arm timidly, the most
serious pair that ever struggled with
the problem Of department on such an
occasion. l was oppressed with a heavy
sense of responsibility in every word l
uttered.
Ann Jane Foster, known as Scooter
Jane" for her rapid walk and stiff car
rage, met us Mt the corners on her way
TO the schOOlhouse.
big turnout, I guess" said she. "Jed
Feary an Squire Town is comm over
from Jingleville an all the big guns III
be there. l love t hear Jed Feary speak.
He's SO techin'."
Ann Jane was ALWAYS looking around