Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-05-25


Allen Duncan went back to his
blowing.
He had gone pathetically up and
down. back and forth, all day long,
making burrows long and even, his
strong young muscles and the Drawn
and strength Of p years. confessed
fatigue as the sun slowly dipped and
disappeared behind a belt of forest
which shut of the horizon behind a
stretch of bare, brown cornheld, now
being plowed and planted for another
crop.
OF medium height, but athletic and
finely developed. his face and hands,
tanned by sun and wind several shades
darker than nature had intended his
gray eyes, keen and obseryant and
with an air of self-reliant, decision
stamped on his well-eut feaures. Allen
Duncan was a figure not to be over
looked.
Reaching the end of the last furrow,
ne stopped his horse. keeled his pillow
on its side and began to unhitch the
faded animal. whistling softly.
Whistling softly he turned towards
a small cottage half a mile away. set
among a clump Of trees, from whose
chimney a faint smoke was curling in
the chill, cold air of the declining
winter day
A shade of depressed sadness or anx-
iety, which was an ordinary visitor 70
a face otherwise youthful and hope
full, gave Allen an air OF matured grav-
ity unusual for a man Of his years.
Drawing his pillow under the protec-
ton Of a small shed. built for that prr-
pose, by the roadside, Allen led his
horse slowly towards the cottage.
A young girl stood waiting for him
in the open doorway, watching his
approach.
Hurry up. How late you are. Sup
per has been ready for you the last
half hour. Do come as soon as you
have stabbed Plowboy. Don't be long,
there's a dear"
She ran indoors, singing gayly, and
Allen, with an answering smile and
nod Of acquiescence, passed by the lit
tie garden gate and went towards
small stable in the rear
Aurore, his sister, was seven years
younger than Allen, she had been ia
vored with uncommon beauty. and had
also a winsomeness which fascinated
everybody. and particularly the old
Acadian woman. Madame FRANCHISE,
who was the only servant of the small
household.
Allen Duncan had been father and
mother, brother and guardian to
Aurore ever since the sad day they
were left alone to face the worlds
hardships and cruelties. a forlorn
youth and a beautiful child.
Fate was certainly most cruel 10
those two. Allen, resisting advice and
suggestions (much cheaper commodi-
ties than help packed a trunk with
Aurore and his personal belongings
and leaving the big house now no
longer theirs, took Aurore to a dis
tant parish to live with a maiden
aunt, whose temper left something TO
be desired and whose eccentricities
were many.
Allen made arrangements with her
by which his struggling work in the
garden paid for Aurore's and his sup
port
But he kept on studying in the even
ings under the direction of old Father
Perrier, the gentle parish priest, who
soon grew deeply attached to the
brown-eyed, lovely child, and her de-
termined Woodworking brother, Allen
Duncan.
A few years later Miss Ho-tense's
ill-humors and crotchets came TO an
end, as all things must, and her cot
tage and its furnishings were left by
her TO her nephew and niece.
Aurore missed her sorely, then came
a busy little housekeeper and a clever
dairy maid
She began to sell butter and cream
cheese to the Fordyce family, rich
owners Of the field Allen plowed and
planted, and the nearest neighbors to
the little gray cottage on the banks
OF the bayou.
Allen came in and sat down to sup
per and listened abstractediy to Au-
rore's gay chat of the days doings.
The gray hen had lost three Of her
brood Of yellow chickens; she, Au-
rore, had sold the fresh butter she had
intended keeping for quite a high price
TO Mrs. Fordyce's bousekeeper, who
came and persuaded her to give it up,
Nine. FRANCHISE had sent her grandson
10 gather a basket full Of pecan nuts
from the tree in the orchard. They
had remended the curtains and the old
blue flannel shirt. and Aur9re had set
out a border Of violets around the
flower bed in front of the house.
Aurore had spent a very busy day
which she had ended by preparing the
particularly good battercakes Allen
was just then enjoying.
Allen smiled fondly and commended
Aurores industry, then fell into a