The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-12-27

Leonard antt'S Vow
.EFl1EaqIE..I IEslE IaIITlE. liaTT


iOrlFirai.
Leonard HUT was q very ccasclen-
tons young mao. Had lie been born
200 years aga he would have been an
anchorite Of tie most acalore type.
Leonard Hired ii a small village with
his widowed mother 70 whom he was
devoted, having little or nothing 70 do
with the aofter sex. Since he was a
Cue looking fellow and had the reputa-
ton Of being intellectual and a strong
character, his sealuson was very an
noying to tie girls OF the place. most
of whom woald have been very glad OF
his slightest attention.
During the shooting season Hut
went off into the woods to get a bird
Tor his mother. whose health ana appe-
lite were delicate. lie came back
without the bird, but with very dis
tressed mind. What had happened no
one knew. bet the news was soon
spread over the village that Leonard
HUT was doing some sort Of penance
lie had sworn to taste nothing but
bread and water, not TO attend any
sort OF amusement ard not 10 speak.
How long this SELF imposed deprivation
was TO last was not known.
Now, IL Mr. Hut had only known It
the real penance he bud taken upon
himself was OF far greater momrut
than the one he had intended. There
were not less than ten unmarried girls
in the village. and every girl was at
once seized with desire to compel
I the penitentiafy 10 speak to her Not
one OF them but would have regarded
The effort Of any other to make him
break lis VOW as M objectionable sin.
Each considered that III her own case
thelo were exceptional reasons except
Rebccea Gordon, who had no con-
science in The matter and who began
laying traps from the ln9racnt Size
heard Of the VOW.
one afternoon Leonard was walking
along d road when he was startled hy
cry aud a short dlstnace before him
saw d woman lying OH the ground nc
buried up to her ana saw Rebecca
Gordon helpless With a sprainca ankle
"Oll. Mi. HUT, she walled. what
shall dor
IEntt asked with his eyes as express
lively as possible what was Tic matter,
live either broken on snfained my
ankle. she said
Leonard looked worry mach cnbar-
raised and put Ills fingers to his lips 10
indicate thas they were sealed Rehec-
ca's prctpase moi To understand hts
motion was all the more embarrassing
to him, Int he held 10 his silence and at
last by pantomiiar Indicated that lie
would carry her home In bis arms. 10
this she objected FOR awhile, hoping Isl
Complaining matters 70 force him to
speak, But ut last she gave ia, be took
her up and carried her home. He had
no sooner turned bis back On the house
than she danced 60 the window, shook
her FIST at him and declared tllat she
would set break down bits resolution
No sooner aid another of the gigls,
/ .sliee Waters. heard of the yuang mans
sow than SHE began asslduoasiy to cul.
tivate his notIier with a view to eject
ing an entrance to The house ana laying
siege TO him. When Leonard reached
home after his adventure with Miss
Gordon be went into his library and,
tired md freticd. threw himself on a
iounge a cough admonished him that
some one was il the room, and, LOOKING
about him, he saw Miss Waters Sitting
By d window Sic had been sewing.
but had dropped her work and looked
( painfully embarrassed.
Il didn't mean % intrude. SIR HUT
sha said ruefully. Your mother sall
you wouldn't BE at home for another
hour and just came IN for moment
1 to get The light through this window
Hutt stood looking 50 much cFnbar-
raised that be could not say anything
/ pleasant. while the SRI waited Then
abe began to pouE,
II didn't SUPPOSE she said, that
/ you would mind
4 happy thought occurred to the per
secuted man He went for lis mother,
WHO Gid his talking for him. aud Miss
/ Waters retired discounted
For.tWo months Laouald Hutt walk
ei into pitfalls SET for him is lot Of
/ girls, none DC whom confessed to aii-
othor what she was doing. Rebeccn
Gordon followed ar Der attack With
the most persistence. She tried every
salyc known II druggists FOR her pre-
tended sprained ankle and sent for
Hut TO ask Lis opiaion or each one Of
them.
aIr HUT She said 1T one az tEese
VISITS She was lying on a couch dress.
I'd In 4 becoming wrapper ''lf you'n
tell rae why you made your vow III
never ask yoa anothcr question"
Hrtt grcaned ana said noting.
~l'eIl me" she pleaded We'll her red
4 HIPS as well a. her eloquent eyes.
Iiutt's eyes were on clock that
stood On the mantei Iii few minutes
the clock strEcs 2. Ifutt heayed d
7 long drawn 81 s.l OF relief
Afy sllne is up he said 1.-TWO
months aga was shooting IN the
woods Seeing O movement III the
bushes fired nnd was shocked to Hear
q human cry Throwing down my gun.
\ ! ran % me spot ana found that ind
wounded q Young girl. | carried her
70 hc1 home ana called doctor who
said that she would recover. bit mnst
remain in bed for two months. did
not consider Il right that one who sur
4 fnrcd by my fault should suffer alone.