Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-26
CHAPTER XVI.

DCW Huhn = Hill W AInkIc DTOOh Ill tnc
far valley. lie went with us through
every tidy room Of the house. lie look
ed over the stock and the stables.
"Wnal, what's 1t wuth?" he said at
last as we stood looking down the fair
green acres slOping to the sugar bush.
David picked up a stick. opened his
knife and began to whittle thoughtful.
~, a familiar squint Of reflection in his
face. suppose lie thought Of all it
had cost him--the toll Of many years,
The strength Of his young manhood, the
youth and beauty Of his wife. a hun.
drcd things that were far better than
money.
Fifteen thousan' dollars" he said
slowly. Not n cent less
The man parlcyed II little over the
price.
"Don' care { take any less t'day,"
said David calmly. mo harm DONE"
How much down.
David named the sum.
AN posscssion!"
"Next week"
"Everything as 1t stan's?"
Everything as it STAINS 'ccpt the beds
an bedding"
Here's some money on account" he
said. "We'n close t'morrer?"
"Close t'morrer." said David, n little
sadness in his tone as he took the
money.
1t was growing dusk az the man
went away. The crickets sans with a
lD,,J n,,,,rtv,D nlupn4r Slau.1v u,n
turned and went into the dark house,
David whistling under his breath.
Elizabeth was resting in her chair.
She was humining an old hymn as she
rocked.
"Sold the farm. mother" said David.
She stopped singing. but made no an
swer. In the dusk as we sat down I
saw her face leaning upon her hand.
Over the hills and out of the fields
around us came many notes.-the low
chant in the stubblc. the baying of Il
hound in the far timber, the cry of the
tree toad-a tiny drift Of odd things
Qike that n secs mt seal on the deep
eternal silence of the heavens. There
was no sound in the room save the low
crealting Of the rocker in which Eliza
beth sat. After all the going ard com
ing and doing and saying Of many
years here was n little spell Of silence,
and beyond lay the untried things Of
the future. For me 1t was a time Of
reckoning.
"Been hard at work here all these
years, mother" said David. "Oughter
ho Glad To rit nwnv"
YES" said she sadly, ats been hard
work. Years ago I thought I never
could stan 1t. but now I've got kind O
used to it,"
"Time ye got used t pleasure an rom
fort" he said. Come kind O. hard at
fust. but We mus try t. stan it. If
we're goin' T. hev sech fun in heaven
as Deacon Hospur tells on we oughter
begin t. practice er we'll be 'shamed
Nv ourselves
The worst was over. Elizabeth began
to laugh.
At length a strain of song came out
Of the distance:
"Maxwelton's bracs are bonnie where
early falls the dew
cts Hope and Uncle Eb," said Da-
vid. while l went for the lantern.
"Wonder what's KEEP 'em so late?"
When the lamps were lit the old
house seemed suddenly to have got Il
sense OF what had been done. The ia
miliar creak of the stairway MS l went
to bed had an appeal and a protest.
The rude chrome of the v%Oluptuous
lady, with red lips and the name of
Spring, that had always hung in my
chamber had a mournful, accusing
look. The stain upon her cheek that
had colne one day from n little leak
in the roof looked now like the path OF
a tear drop. And when tha wind came
up in the night and l heard the creak.
Ing of lone pine 1t spoke Of the doom
Of that house and its W that was
not far distant.
We rented a new home In town that
week and were soon settled In 1t. Hope
went away to resume her studies the
same day l began work in college.
Not much In my life at college is es'
sential to this history save the train
ing. The students came mostly from
other and remote parts Of the north
country, some wen from other states
Coming largely from towns and cities
they were shorn Of those simple and
rugged traits that distinguished the
men Of PARKWAY and made them
worthy Of what poor fame this booi
may afford. In the main they were
like other students the world over, !
take II. and mostly. as they have
shown, capable of winning their own
fame. 1t all seemed very high and
mighty and grand to me, especially the
names of the courses.
/ had my baptism Of sophomore
scorn and many a heated argument
over my title to life, liberty and the
pursuit Of learning. 1t became neces
sary to establish 1t by force of arms
which l did decisively and with as lit,
tie delay as possible. l took much In
terest in athletic sports and was Don q
good ball player. a boxer of some skill
and the best wrestler In college.
In my second year at college Hope
went away to continue her studies In
New York. She was to live in the
family of John Fuller. q friend Of Da'
vid. who had left PARKWAY years be
fore and made bis fortune there In the
big city. Her going filled my days