Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-08-04

began to chuckle
Grandma Tobey shook his arm sternly.
stop it, Ethan" she said. LOOK at his
face"
He was coming nearer, waving his arms
and shouting something inarticulate.
'fWhatd you say, Roger?" called Grand
ma Tobey. She leaned over the wall,
gazing at him anxiously
"Patience!" he gasPed He came UP to
the wall and reached his hand at her 1t
trembled fercely. Patience s-dying-
she wants you-shes dying"
with a cry Grandma Tobey turned
do We hear Ethan?' she said, imperi-
ously. shes dyln' It's Patiencel Boost
me up!'
GRANDMA Tobey bent his stif back
obediently. and she half climbed, half
scrambled up the stump OF the old tree
Roger Talcott held out hand as she
crawled across the fresh-smelling yellow
wood. But she sprang past him. With
her apron over her head, the ends held
firmly in her set teeth, and tears on her
wrinkled cheeks, Grandma Tobey was
Running toward the big house.
The next moment Roger Talcott hurried
after her.
Grandpa Tobey, from the other side Of
the wall followed the tall figure with
round, increduous gaze.
wall" he calculated. He sat down on
a stone near by and drew his hand across
his forehead. WAR he repeated, slowly.
"IIe never even knew twas gone"
Two hours later when Grandma Tobey
came slowly back, along the lot, from the
big house. a figure was bending over the
smooth stump, working at something.
What you dom. pa?" she called out as
she came near.
He glanced up with startled face The
board in his hands dropped to the ground.
rs she dead?" he said feebly.
She shook her head Her eyes were
red. and the wrinkled old face trembled.
How'd you find her?" he demanded.
She looked down. Her throat worked
in little gulps. I've spoke to her." she
said at last She broke of and gazed at
him helplessly.
He nodded That's good he said;
that's good. Come in and get suthin' to
eat
She shook her head. stlll gazing at him.
The look had changed to wonder and a
kind of hope. I've spoke to her." she
repeated, slowly. THE first time in forty
year, She's goin' to live"
The old eyes smiled back to her He
held out his hand. Come over the wall.
Mandy. he said. gently
She glanced down with a startled look.
You've made a kind of stlle," she said,
in pleased surprise.
He nodded proudly. Come over"
She placed her hand In his. and, lifting
her skirts in the other, she mounted to the
top OF the wall and descended safely on
the other side.
The stile on the old apple-tree stump
stin crosses the wall. On either side a
well-worn path leads from a gray,
weather-beaten house to the big house
whose white gable CLEANS family behind
the distant orchard.
on sunny days two old men may be
seen sitting on the stile. Sometimes
they talk OF when they were boys Some
times they talk about the old tree.
"Where'd you 'spose II went to, Roger?''
demands Grandpa Tobey. 1t is the
hundredth time he has asked the ques-
! ton.
Il don't know, I'm sure" responds
Roger Talcott, politely. II is the hun
dredth time he has answered the question
II his thought turns to the little minister
| he never mentions 1t.
| II the little minister and the six big
| deacons of the Congregational church
| know what happened to the old tree that
\ night, they have never mentioned it-not
even to their wives. For no one has ever
been heard to explain how II came about
that large and fiourishing tree disap-
| peared from the face OF the earth, leav-
ing only two shining piles of blushing
apples on either side OF the gray wall and
two contented old men seated on a stumr
In the warm October sun.