Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-02-20

think she's purity woman. but I'll bet
she never looked as purity to you as she
did then. The wind was devilin her
hair. an her cheeks looked like ripe
neaches. Seemed like she'd sorter tuck
a likin' to me, fer once or twice she
forgot an put her hand on my arm.
Then she said, Mr.. Truitt, / believe l
kin trust you with a secret, an / want
TO tell you some'n''
IL told 'er l was graveyard itself
when it come 10 keepin' secrets fer
women folks. but she sorter hung fire
Her face got serious, an she wouldn't
look me in the eye like she had been
a-doin'. ! told 'er not to be afeard o.
me. an she started in ag'in, but
stopped. No. says she, L believe
won't tell you after ALL Men are the
very dickens to tell tales Then l re-
minded 'er that / was a old Confeder-
ate soldier an that women an Their
private matters was sacred to men that
had At for the south an it's honor, an
that sorter fetched 'er. Well says
she. YOU do look like q man woman
could trust. an eff you'll give me your
word that this won't go no furder I'll
tell you
"I'll do It, says l.
"'Will you swear itp says she.
"'Not only that says 1, but I'll cross
my heart
well says she, that's all a wom-
an could ak, an I'm sorry l have to
be so particular, but I'd rather die
than have a single soul know what
I'm goin to tell you. l want to tell
you to show how much | appreciate
what you did on that Atlanta trip
Then she swallowed once or twice, an,
lookin' me in the eye an p'intin' across
the yard, she said: Mr.. Truitt, l was
settin' in that summer house tother
night an heard Governor Telfare in
suit George Buckley, an I'm glad
glad-glad-you done what you done.
AS Governor Telfare was visitin' my
house an as fathers health is so bad
. | couldn't do more, but tried my best
that night to show preference to Mr..
Buckley. but he misunderstood me an
went off mad"
"She said that?" George exclaimed
his face aglow, his eyes flashing. "And
did she say anything else?"
Eyes, she did, George, an l got aw-
fully sorry fer 'er. She told me her pa
had set his heart on her marryin' Tel
fare, an that she was afeard, since her
father had heart disease, to run con-
trary to his wishes She said she was
afeard the Disappointment I'D actually
kill i'm. l didn't know what to say.
l tried to think O. some'n' cOmfortin',
but couldn't, an so l jest come off an
left 'er thar at the gate. The Lord
does a sight O. things that is beyond
our ken, but why he makes women
like that un suffer is mOre'n l kin &C
count fer | reckon he knows his bust
ness, but it conflicts with my notions
like rips Eff | was at the head O this
whirlin' universe I'd not let men like
Telfare lord it over better folks; but
the Almighty made the skunk, an the
-felleE-may be so perfect, in his way,
that he's actually pleasin to an ON
nipOtent eye The truth is, Telfare
may be stuck up thar to Farn US con-
tentment. l know I'd ruther be corn
field Niger an split rails in the br'ilin'
sun AN to be the sort of governor
that man is an know it-like he knows
it now"
Without another word Truitt turned
and left the office. George sat mo-
ment as if dazed by a sudden realiza-
ton that had come to him from the
old soldiers recital. He was recalling
! Lydia's appearance and manner as she
| came into the parlOr that evening WITH
! the flower in her hand.
God bless herr he said reverently
"She was right, then, trying to show
her contempt for Telfare's conduct
and l was brute enough to misjudgt
her"
a