Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-01-04

E casually inquired Mr.. Clark.
~ "easins Ia gaze at his
steaming boots. which were planted
against the bulglng center Of the sta
ton stove. and turning toward the
boy at the lunch counter.
Yes. sir" said the boy lie had
taken off one worsted mitten and held
a five cent piece clutched tightly In
his rel fist.
The station agent wrapped the pas
try in a piece of newspaper and hand
ed II 10 his customer.
The boy. u youngster Of about twelve
years of age. With n freckled face hnd
pair OF bright gray eyes, took his
turnover" TO the settee In the corner
of the waiting room and began to eat.
He had on a worn cloth cap with an
attachment that could he pulled down
10 cover the ears and Il shabby over
coat OF mans size. very much toe
large for him. As he munched the
greasy crust and the thin layer OF
"evarorated' apple he looked around
him with interest.
The station itself was like the aver.
age railway building on Cape Cod.
Except for the sign "llarniss" that
hung outside il might have been the
station at Wellmouth. which he had
seen so often Battered settees
around the walls: Autographs Of
steamers. time tables and year Old
announcements OF excursions and coun'
" fairs hung above them: big stove
set in box of SawduSt-all these
were the regulation fixtures. Regula-
ton also were the Refreshments" on
the counter at the side-"trrnocers" ar
ranged dollhouse fashion under n glass
cover with dingy washington" pie
under another cover and jars Of strip.
ed stick candy. with boxes of jaw
breakers" and similar sweetmeats be-
tween
1t was showing hard. and in the
dusk of the winter evening the flakes
| ruStled against the windows as If I'M
seen old ladies in starched summer
gowns were shivering IN the storm and
crowding to get peep within. The
air in the shut waiting room smelled OF
bot stove. sawdust, wet clothing and
Mr.. Clark's cigar. To this collection
Of perfumes was presently added the
odor of kerosene as the station agent
lit the big lamps in their brackets on
the wall
hn tS nF
creaking wheels and stamping horses,
the stamping muftled by the snow
which covered the ground.
The door opened, and a big man with
d face of which gray whiskers and red
! nose We're the most prominent features
came stamping and putting into the
room. lie jerlied off Il pair of leather
gloves. playfully shook the cOngealed
moisture from them down Mr.. Clark's
neck inside his collar. tossed long
whip into the corner and, holding his
spread fingers over the stove, began to
sing Whoa Emma with enthusiasm.
Mr.. Clark, being too busy clawing the
melting snow from his neck to open
conversation, Mr.. Bodkin observed:
Hello Barney Small. How's the trav'l-
in? Have a rough time dryin' over?'
"Oh, mlddlin', middlin',' replied the
driver Of the Orham stage, unbutton-
Ing his overcoat and reaching for his
pipe, but this earth's vale of tears
anyhow, so what's the odds so longs
you're happy. Hello, DAM" The last
shouted greeting to the station agent in
the little room, whose answer was
wave Of the hand and sidelong nod
across the telegraph instrument
whats doin' over in Orham, Bar
ney!' inquired Mr.. Clark.
"Prissy and Tempy's adopted a boy"
The agent evidently was interested.
''rhe old maids?"
'Yup, the old maids. s'pose they
come to reelize that they needed man
round the house. but as there want
no bids in that line they sort of COM
promised on boy"
You don't mean the Allen old maids
that live down ON the lower road do
you!' asked Mr.. Bodkin
'Sartin. said the old maids, didn't
/! There's plenty Of single women in
Orham, but when you say the old
maids in our town everybody knows
you mean Prissy and Tempy."
What about the boy, Barney" said
the station agent coming into the
waiting room.
why" said Mr.. Small, '1ts this
way: Seems that Prissy and Tempy's
father, old Cap'n D'rius Allen-hes
been dead six years or more now-had
a niece name Of Sophia, that married
Capn Ben Nickerson over to Well
mouth. Cap'n Ben and his wife had
one son. think the boys names
Bradley. Anyhow Cap'n Ben and his
wife was drowned off the Portuguese
coast two years ago when Ben's bark
was lost. Maybe you remember? Well.
the boy was left at home that voyage
with Ben's ha'f brother, Scion Nicker-
son. SOS the youngster could go to
school. When his folks was drownded
that way the boy kept on Twin with
Scion till bout three weeks ago Scion
was took with pneumony and up and
died. Prlssy and Tempy's the only re-
latons there was, you see, so it was
left to them to say what should be
done with the boy. | callate there
must have been some high old pow
wowin' in the old house. but the old
maids are pretty conscientious suite of
their beln' SO everlastin' old maidy.'
and they fin'lly decided twas their
duty to take the little Teller to bring
up. That's the way heard the yarn.
They kept it secret until yesterday.
but now the whole towns talkin bout
1t. You see, it's such a good Joke for