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

/ agent
.R.u Nickersau's boy from Wei
month. Hes comm down 10 ogham L
IIye with ,he old maids They've adopt
Ell him."
..Tb. old maids. Not the old maids
Not Prissy aud TempyE
..Yup. Al right, Barney; I'm com
in"
The station agent hurried away L
HEN the driver with the captains se'
chest. aud its owner. apparently over
come with astDul~hmcut, climbed mute
ly into the coach. where his fellow
passenger had preceded him.
The old vehicle rocked and groane'
rs the heavy chest was strapped al
the racks behind. Then il tipped again
as Mr.. Small climbed clumsily 10 th'
drivers seat
An ashore that's guiu' Shore. shout
ed Mr.. Small. so lpngi Dan. Gil
dap. Twoforty"
The whip cracked, the coach reeie'
on its springs. and the whole equlpag,
disappeared in the snow and black
hess.
The boy. Bradley NickerSon. had new
er ridden in a Stagecuach before, ant
after ten or fifteen minutes of jolt ant
roll he decided that lie never wanted Il
ride ia one again.
Suddenly Captain Titcomb, who had
been silent 50 far. spoke.
Heavy sea on tonight" he observ
ed. Pears II me Blneyd better
take reef She's rollin' consider
bic"
The boy laughed and said, Yes
sir"
Coin all the way 10 OrhamT asked
the captain.
Yes, sir"
Got folks over there, presume
likely. Friends or notAin' but jest re
latious|
Relations. Ii guess"
"S,, Well I've got good many re
lationS over there myself Fact is
I've got relations. seems TO me. mos
every where's Father used to have 81
many Of 'cm that when he went Wis
itiu' he used u call il 'goin couSinin'
My names T,tcpmh. What do they
call You when Your back amt turned|
The hoy laughed again In puzzled
wayne scarcely knew what to make
of his pucstIouer- and said that his
name was Bradley Nickerson.
"Nickcr~nu, hey? That settles ii
you're a Cape Colder Minute meet
anybody named NickerSon always
know they've got the same kind OF
sand IN their boots that have Is II
Ohcd Nickerson's folks you're goin' Il
see"
NO, sir Fun goin' to live with Miss
Priscilla Allen. Icr aud her sister
They was some of mothers people
'Sho. well | swan" muttcred til,
captain. "Trissy and Tcmpy. hey
Then Dan wa'u't foolin'. And you're
goil' t. live with emf"
Yes. sir. Do you know 'em;"
"Who-me; Oh, yes! know em
I'm particlar friend Of theirs-that
is" he added cautiously, II call on 'en
once la awhile jest 10 say How are
yout' Why? You didn't hear any OF
them felIers at the depot say anything
bout me and them did you? No, Well
all right, Jest thought Oh. yes.
know 'cm. Nice folks as ever was. but
what you might call Il little mite 'sot
in their ways DO you always wipe
your feet when you come into The
house,
"Why-why-yes, sir, if don't for
get it,"
An right. It's Il good habit TO XII
into, specially if you're goin' to WALL
on Prissy's floors Sometimes I've
wished | could manage to put my feet
in my pocket when I've becn there.
wonder If knew your father What
was his namet"
Bradley told his fathers name and IL
response to the captains tactful ques
tioning good deal more besides. Ii
fact, before long Captain Titcoml
knew all about the boy. where he cam,
from, how he happened to come and al
the rest And Bradley for his par
learned that his companion command
ed the coasting schooner Thomas Do
ane that he had been a sailor evel
since he was fourteen that he had {
marvellous fund of sen yarns and knew
how 70 spin them and that he brad
ley liked him.
BY and by the captain noticed thai
the boys replies TO his cheerful obser
vations were growing rather incoher
ent, and, suspecting the reason. h,
ceased to talk, A few minutes later h,
leaned forward and smiled to find hi,
fellow Traveller, who had Slipped dow
upon the cushion, fast asleep.
When Bradley awoke Captain Tit
comb was standing on the ground b,
the open door of the coach
Good night, Brad" he said. Here
where IN bound for You've got iiv
minute ride or so more fore YOU git L
the old mai-that is, to Prissy ant
Iempy'S. I'll see you tom0rrer Yol
and mes goin' to lie chums, YOU know.
The door was shut. Mr.. Small strucl
up "Camptown Races" and the stag
bumped on again. This time the DO,
did not sleep, but, holding on to th
strap, tried to peer through the snow
crusted window, He saw light her
ana there, but little else. After shor
interval the coach turned a sharp cor
ner, rolled on for perhaps twice it
length and then stopped.
Mr.. Small opened the door, and Brad
ley. looking past him, saw the side Of
large house and a lighted doorway
with two fannie fnunns ono ,al,,,n,